Iced coffee is a very "hot" topic this summer with many people looking for ways to brew it, and brew it as best as possible. We take an indepth look into what makes a good iced coffee.
Posted Tue Sep 13, 2011, 11:58am Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
Hey mark - I ain't no scientist or nuthin', but I concluded with home measurements that low temp brewing basically underextracts, and the higher the brew ratio, the worse the underextraction.
Extraction measured by evaporation method - crosschecked dried grounds and accounted for solids left behind after 215°F evaporation of brewed coffee, so I know the method works as well as any for measuring extraction.
I also tried cold re-brewing the spent grounds from cold brewing and basically get no extraction, just a couple percent extraction. I also tried hot re-brewing of spent cold brewing grounds and was able to extract smoke and bitterness and a measurable percentage extraction.
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RJ_Bat Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2011 Posts: 2 Location: Earth Expertise: Just starting
Grinder: OE Pharos Drip: FP, Aeropress
Posted Sat Sep 17, 2011, 4:38pm Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
Thanks for the iced coffee articles! I've never developed a tolerance for hot beverages so the only way I enjoy coffee is iced.
I have trouble getting consistency with my hot brewing (Aeropress/French Press) and pouring over ice. Ice melting rate is variable based on brew parameters and it's hard to control how much melted ice dilutes the concentrate. I often take my drinks outside for a walk or drive, so environmental temperature is an important factor, too.
However, most of my hot brews over ice are still very enjoyable and I never add cream or sweeteners. I've tried coffee ice cubes, but it was messy and I think freezing hurt the flavor, too.
I sometimes use cold brewing when I have beans past their prime or mediocre beans to begin with, but I prefer hot brewed concentrate when I have good, fresh beans.
Posted Sat Sep 17, 2011, 10:09pm Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
Thanks, Mark, for a thorough article on a "divisive" topic. I, too, love iced Americanos. I think they epitomize what iced coffee can be.
When I was working in coffee in LA, I frequently tested iced espresso/Americanos. Co-workers and I consistently (and blindly) found too-quickly chilled espresso to have that "shock." Sourness. Twang, tinny-ness, whatever we call it.
When I would pull espresso for an iced Americano, I likewise found better results by building the drink in stages. I would pull the shots into a small amount of tepid water. I would then slowly add a bit more tepid water before slipping in ice, piece at a time. Balance.
Posted Mon Sep 19, 2011, 9:33pm Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
Iced Americanos are best, followed by iced Aeropressings. I also love mine almost "elixer" strength.
Something I've noticed but is rarely discussed: how to drink an iced coffee. Not to be doctrinaire, but consider a coffee which, served hot, has excellent aromatics. In general, icing destroys that. Furthermore, the taste buds are anesthetized by the cold.
The trick is to let the coffee warm on the palate before swallowing. Once it's warmed to near body temperature, the aromatics are released. This yields both the refreshing cool of an iced beverage and the sensory warmth properly associated with coffee.
How along anything is in the mouth definitely figures into the experience. Yet it's so rarely discussed. We talk about wet time with a grind, yet we never talk about time on the palate.
Personally, I think it matters.
When my iced coffee -- often lasting over an hour in a proper cup -- becomes somewhat diluted by the ice, if I'm in a hot environment and sweating, well, at that point I quaff it as if it were iced tea -- fast.
Savor while it's concentrated, gulp it when it thins out. Iced coffee on a hot day. :-)
fjm Senior Member Joined: 9 Nov 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Chicago Suburb Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Anita/Quickmill Grinder: Macap M4 (want new stepless)
Posted Thu Sep 22, 2011, 6:01pm Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
For all of us espresso junkies - aren't we ready to toss out what's left and pull another double if it sits more than a minute or so? Heat "makes" the espresso and it gets bitter-funky fast when it cools...
For coffee - I guess I've experienced a nice mellowing flavor after it cools a little - but any more than a little and the flavor seems off.
I just can't seem to get into anything that is a cold/iced coffee drink - maybe Ive just never had a good one.
parkerto Senior Member Joined: 18 Aug 2011 Posts: 22 Location: Amarillo, TX Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Hario Mini Mill Vac Pot: Aeropress Drip: French Press
Posted Wed Nov 16, 2011, 2:41pm Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
I have tried all these methods and for me the two best ways are pouring directly over ice to cool the process and lock in the flavors and to cold brew at room temperature in a Ball Jar for 8-12 hours while stirring the grounds in with a wooden spoon periodically. Both are far better than double strength iced coffee which, regrettably, many cafes still do. And you DO NOT need to buy some ultra expensive show piece like the Hario Ice Drip or Belgian Ice Coffee Drip (unless you want to for fun) to get a superior cup of ice coffee.
pstam Senior Member Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Posts: 2,305 Location: Beijing Expertise: Professional
Espresso: ECM, SAN MARCO, EURO 2000 Grinder: MAZZER Vac Pot: YES Drip: YES Roaster: YES, HOME STYLE
Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012, 12:33am Subject: Re: Thoughts and Theories on Iced Coffee by Mark Prince
First, Mark, you looked older than I first time came here. Many years past, and we all had been in the coffee industry to work hard.
I had no experience with cold brewed coffee, but only about iced coffee. In general, we do not treat those iced coffee as real coffee drinks, but only some iced drinks. So, even if they had no coffee like taste, they can be ok for clients as a kind of iced drink for cooling down and water support for themselves. But, with only one exception, that is the iced espresso, which is short and cold as well as tasty as espresso can be if only the espresso is well made.
Peter
Peter in Beijing ------------------- http://www.kaffa.cn/ ------------------- I am looking for the way and the place to extend our trainning courses.
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