Iced coffee is the perfect drink for the summertime. It is also incredibly easy to make at home and it still tastes like a Venti Iced Coffee you might buy from Starbucks.
To make iced coffee with instant coffee, brew the instant coffee at double strength, then pour it into a cup with ice in it. Any flavorings or creams can be added with this as well. Do not make extra coffee and then store it in the fridge, as this changes the potency.
Iced coffee can be made in many different ways, depending on your preference. You can certainly use instant coffee as a base though, and there are ways you can make the iced coffee stronger or weaker during the brewing and mixing process.
Espresso vs Double Strength
A lot of people will use instant espresso coffee powder in their iced coffee because it is stronger than normal coffee. Espressos are usually just more finely ground than normal coffee and they have a stronger concentration of flavor. This blend helps prevent your iced coffee from watering down too much when you add ice.
However, you don’t need an espresso maker to make an espresso; the instant espresso powder and hot water work just as well.
If you prefer normal instant coffee, various recipes and coffee fans suggest making it at double strength. With all the ice that goes into an iced coffee, you don’t want it to be watered down too much. You can make double-strength coffee by just using double the amount of coffee grounds. People also prefer this method because then they don’t have to buy instant espresso coffee powder.
If you aren’t a fan of the bitter coffee taste and prefer to drink it watered down with ice or creamers, feel free to use the normal amount of instant coffee to your liking.
Cold Brew
Cold-brew is sweeter than normal coffee, which can be more appealing if you don’t like having to add much extra cream to your regular coffee. However, it does take a lot longer to make it this way. If you buy the instant cold brew powder, you will still need to let it sit in the fridge for about 12-24 hours before straining out the powder and serving. Some people will use this instead of an espresso or double-strength coffee because it is made to be drunk cold. This means that cold brew isn’t affected by fermentation if it’s left in the fridge for longer than 7 days.
Making a Week’s Worth
One benefit of cold brew is that you can make a lot more iced coffee at once. While normal iced coffee can’t be set in the fridge for too long before it ferments, cold brews can last for up to 7 days in the fridge. You can buy a Starbucks Pitcher pack which makes about 3 quarts of coffee, but it needs 20 hours to steep (Source). It may not be as instant to begin with, but it will save you time each morning from having to make a new cup. This is also great for trips to the beach or parties because you can make much more at once. Just make sure you set aside enough time for it to steep.
Flavoring
There are plenty of substitutes for instant coffee, as well as ways to brew your coffee that keeps the flavor strong and potent in your drink. One way to make ice coffee without watering it down is to create coffee ice cubes. You just need to pour your coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze it overnight. Then, when you add it to your iced coffee, it keeps the drink cold and full of that coffee flavor. This also works well with cold brew if you prefer a sweeter taste. Freezing your coffee does not mess with its fermentation or flavor.
If you are the type of person who doesn’t like the bitter flavor as much and loves to add creams or flavorings to your coffee, we suggest making your coffee as you normally would. Just make sure to leave space in the cup for your milk, cream, vanilla, caramel, etc. You can also turn your creamers into ice cubes if you want to prevent your creamers or flavorings from watering down.
Japanese Iced Coffee
Japanese iced coffee is a different way to prepare iced coffee. To some who use this method, it is more flavorful. To make it, you first need to bring some water to a boil. While you wait for it to boil, prepare another pitcher with ice inside it. Put a coffee filter on top of the ice pitcher with your normal amount of instant coffee. Once the water is hot, pour it through the filter so it drips directly on the ice, which melts as it drips down.
Source
Caramel Iced Coffee Recipe
Here is one of our favorite iced coffee recipes. It creates a very creamy caramel macchiato. Don’t be intimidated by the name; it’s super easy to make at home. If you prefer a stronger coffee flavor, we suggest doubling the coffee and halving the milk. Feel free to replace the ice with frozen coffee cubes.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of Instant Coffee
- 2 tsp of brown sugar
- 2 tbsp of boiling water
- Milk of your choice
- Simple syrup (can be substituted with vanilla extract)
- Ice
- Caramel
Directions
- Heat 2 tbsp of water until it comes to a boil.
- Mix boiling water, instant coffee, and brown sugar in a bowl until the mixture becomes thick and the color turns to a light brown. Then set aside.
- Get your cup and cover the bottom in simple syrup.
- Fill the cup halfway to three-quarters of the way with ice.
- Fill the cup halfway to three-quarters of the way with milk.
- Take the coffee mixture and pour it on top of the milk. You could also put the mixture in a piping bag and slowly pipe the mixture onto the milk.
- Finally, drizzle some caramel on top and mix to your liking.
