During the hot summer days, drinking hot coffee can feel a bit… blegh. Not to knock any hardcore hot coffee lovers out there, but when it’s hot outside, iced coffee is so refreshing. An iced Americano is one of the most classic drinks you can order at coffee shops. They’re simple, delicious, and great for a quick morning pick-me-up.
Americanos, for those who’ve never tried one, are coffee drinks made with espresso and hot or room temperature water. The iced version uses cold water and ice rather than hot water. You can also make an iced Americano with the pour-over method using cold water. Iced Americanos are quite similar to traditional iced coffees but differ because Americanos are made with espresso, while iced coffee is made with chilled coffee on ice. Whichever you prefer, we can all agree that coffee is delicious and, according to research, may have a lot of health benefits Trusted Source What is it about coffee? - Harvard Health Coffee contains literally a thousand different substances, and some of the lesser lights are thought to be responsible for healthful effects in other parts of the body. www.health.harvard.edu !
Hailing from Italy, this drink gets its name from the Italian word for American. A traditional Americano is made with espresso and room temperature or hot water. With Americanos, the water is normally poured on top of the espresso.
An iced Americano has two differences from the traditional Americano. The first is the difference in water temperature. Rather than room temperature or hot water, an iced Americano uses cold water. The second difference is the addition of ice cubes.
There’s a bit of a debate about whether or not one should add creamer or sugar, but as far as we’re concerned, you can do what you like! Coffee should be enjoyable, always!
Iced coffee, on the other hand, does not use espresso. Instead, to make iced coffee, you would brew coffee using whatever method you prefer— this could be drip, single cup, pour-over, etc.— and chilling it. Typically, you’ll want to chill it in the fridge overnight to make sure it’s nice and cool. Then you can add ice and whatever flavors or creams you like.
If you want to make iced coffee and don’t have time to chill it overnight, you can just pop it in the fridge over ice for 20 minutes. These results will be just as good.
Making an iced americano is pretty simple, but you will need an espresso machine for the best results.
If you can’t get your hands on a heavy-duty, barista-worthy espresso machine, don’t worry. A lot of single-cup machines have espresso pod options, too. Let’s face it, and not everyone has time to go through all the motions with a classic espresso machine! Even the New York Times thinks it’s a hassle to make espresso at home Trusted Source Making Espresso at Home Is Kind of a Nightmare | Wirecutter Making home espresso is hard to do right. But if you really want café-quality drinks, here’s what you need to know. www.nytimes.com !
We use the Nespresso Original Espresso Coffee maker, and while all of Nespresso’s coffee options are delicious, we prefer these Arpeggio Intenso pods for making iced Americanos.
Here are the steps to make an Iced Americano:
If you’re really feeling fancy, you can also add a tablespoon of your favorite flavored syrup.
If iced coffee is more your speed, you’re in luck. Making this cool beverage is even simpler than making the iced Americano.
All you’ll need for this recipe is coffee, ice, and whatever milk or sweetener you like.
We prefer using freshly brewed coffee (over store-bought pre-made), but both will work for this recipe.
There are several ways you can go about brewing your coffee, and you should choose the one that fits your budget, time constraints, and lifestyle. Some of the methods that we love using include pour-over, single cup, and good ol’ fashioned drip.
Single-cup machines are great because you don’t have to do any measuring and the pods come in a ton of different flavors, but there are benefits to the pour-over and drip methods, too. If you want to make a big batch of coffee to keep in the fridge for a few days, for example, these brewing styles will be a lot more time and eco-friendly.
If you think you want to try our way (the classic brew or pour over), here’s a link to the coffee that we use to make iced coffee.
Here are the steps for making the best-iced coffee:
Once you’ve let the coffee sit in the fridge for a few minutes, you’re good to go! You may need to add a few more ice cubes, but that’s up to you!
For a fun twist, you can try adding different flavors or toppings. We’ve been known to treat ourselves with a few pumps of caramel syrup now and then, and we definitely wouldn’t say no to some whipped cream, either!
Some people find that this method yields iced coffee that gets a bit watery throughout the day but doesn’t worry. If this sounds like you, there’s a pretty easy solution. Try making ice cubes with freshly brewed coffee and freezing them overnight. When the ice cubes melt, they’ll just add more coffee to your cup!
A lot of people believe that a shot of espresso has more caffeine than a cup of regular coffee, but this is actually not true. Well… this is sort of not true.
One standard shot of espresso is equivalent to 1 fluid ounce and contains 64 mg of caffeine. If you compare this to a standard cup of coffee (8 fluid ounces) which has 96 mg of caffeine, you’ll see that the cup of coffee has more caffeine overall.
Typically, you won’t find many people who drink eight shots of espresso in the morning, so ounce for ounce, coffee will give you a better buzz. If you decide to double the espresso in your drink, however, you’re looking at 128mg of caffeine.
In the end, it all comes down to how much of each you’re likely to drink. Brewed coffee is typically not as strong in flavor as espresso, and many people find it easier to drink in larger quantities.
Since we’ve covered the iced coffee vs. iced Americano debate, let’s bring the classic iced latte into the mix, too. An iced Americano, as you now know, is made using espresso, water, and ice. An iced latte is made in a similar fashion but uses milk in place of water. Otherwise, these drinks are quite similar.
Even if you decide to add milk or cream to an iced Americano, it would still not be considered an iced latte. This is because iced lattes never add water. Even though you’ve added milk to your iced Americano, you’ve also added water, so it doesn’t qualify as an iced latte.
Ok, we’ve talked about iced Americanos, iced coffees, and even iced lattes… but what about cold brew? Of all three, cold brew is most similar to an iced coffee, but it’s brewed slightly differently.
When you’re making regular iced coffee, you take normally brewed coffee (coffee brewed using hot water, that is) and chill it. When making cold brew, on the other hand, you brew the coffee using cold water. This process usually takes about 12 hours and can’t be rushed. So, if you’re in a hurry and are craving a cold brew but don’t have any on hand, you should probably opt for an iced coffee (or iced Americano or iced latte) instead.
Iced coffee drinks of any kind are a delicious and refreshing way to start your mornings in the summertime (or whenever— we don’t judge!). One of the best things about coffee is how versatile it is. Even the smallest changes can make a big impact on the flavor or texture of your beverage.
If you’re looking for something new to try and have access to an espresso machine, we highly recommend making an iced Americano.
These drinks are so simple to make and are exactly the kind of pick-me-up you need on a weekday. If you don’t feel like going through the trouble of making espresso, iced coffee will hit the spot nicely too. Don’t forget to add a personal twist to your drinks by adding your favorite flavors and spices to your morning brew.
