Tips For Making The Best Iced Coffee Of Your Life

Finally. FINALLY. Iced coffee season has arrived. For a lot of people, iced coffee’s a year-round affair, but let’s be honest: It hits different when it’s sunny and warm outside. It’s just a shame that when I make it at home, it’s just so…bad. Watery. Tasteless. Bland. Drab. Disappointing. Until recently, I could never get it right, and would sulk off to my regular hot coffee, knowing full well that I’m raising my body temperature when I should be trying to drop it, almost out of spite.

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But not anymore! Partly in my own pursuit to make better iced coffee, and partly in my pursuit to help others do the same, I went to town on collecting the best tips to make these drinks better at home. Having tried and incorporated these tips, I’m now laying them down here.

Start With A Stronger Coffee

Coffee loses all of its punch (both flavor-wise and aroma-wise) when it’s cooled down – and so, with iced coffee, you’ll want to start with a more concentrated base. The easiest way to do this for most people is by brewing it with less water. Opt for two-thirds to half the amount that you’d normally use for a regular coffee, to give it more of an espresso-like intensity.

I should say that this tip mainly applies if you make your coffee in a French press and haven’t thought ahead enough to make cold brew. Cold brew is considered the best base for an iced coffee (although not an iced latte, which typically uses espresso) – so if you have that, opt for it instead. If you’re like me, though, and iced coffee is sometimes an afterthought, less water + same coffee = better drink.

Use Coffee Ice Cubes

The biggest disappointment when it comes to iced coffee is how quickly it loses its flavor – because of all the ice! Well, remember that ice doesn’t have to be made of water. You can eke out your iced coffee and improve its taste by preparing coffee ice cubes ahead of time. Use the leftover coffee from your last batch, and pop it in ice cube trays before putting it in the freezer. As with your coffee base, you’ll want these to be slightly stronger than regular coffee, so that they keep your drink punchy. You can use decaffeinated coffee here if you’re worried about caffeine.

For The Love Of God, Froth

Frothing milk gives it an improved texture that iced coffee benefits from enormously. If you’re not careful, this drink can become heavy and, dare I say, a chore to get through – and aerating your milk provides lightness.

Importantly, steer clear of using a steaming wand for this. If you dump a load of hot milk onto your ice cubes, you’ll melt the latter, and the former won’t quite cool down enough. Opt for a frothing wand or use the French press technique (dump your milk into one, and plunge repeatedly and quickly) to create a cold foam effect. Then, pop it in your glass. You won’t get the same effect that you would if you steamed it, but it’ll have more bounce.

Don’t Mess With Your Syrups – Or Your Beans

This is more of a general rule for any coffee, and indeed, any food or drink out there – but it still applies here. Iced coffee is only going to be as good as the products you use to make it. If you opt for cheap syrups or flavorless beans, you’ll end up with an artificial-tasting, flat coffee.

So, go for the best you can. Syrups-wise, I’m talking Monin, Torani, Upouria, DaVinci Gourmet. The barista stuff. What you consider the best coffee will take a bit more trial and error, as there are so many beans and options out there – but don’t be afraid to spend a little money here.