How to make iced coffee at home

Even if you don’t see yourself owning your own coffee house or café, it really shouldn’t matter too much as making iced coffee can be done by anyone so long as you follow a proper recipe. For this, you will also need to have at your disposal adequate equipment so that you can commence the process of brewing iced coffee within the four walls of your home. Here’s how you go about it.

The basics

To kick things off, you will need the most important ingredient of all: coffee! Ideally, around 30 grams of fresh, roasted whole bean coffee should get you off on the right foot but this too will depend on the amount of iced coffee that you hope to make and the number of people that you intend on serving. Hot water with an average temperature in the range of 195 – 205 F is best along with ice. In terms of the ratio, 335 grams of hot water must be utilized for every 165 grams of ice. Further, a scale to weigh the coffee needs to be included along with a filter, pour-over brewer and a kettle. Next up is a carafe to brew the coffee while a topnotch grinder will certainly be the need of the hour if you’re looking for outstanding consistency in your coffee. Do not forget a timer and remember that measurement and ratio are vital components in the subject of making any type of coffee and thus, deviating from the same is unadvisable.

General tips

In the case of a higher-yielding recipe, consider using a coarser grind for better results. Further, if it is a Chemex that you have, then it is advisable to adjust the grind so that it is coarser. As a guiding principle, look to include ice which must amount to 1/3rd of the entire volume. The last thing you need to deal with is iced coffee which is too watery that in turn, can be unpalatable. To ensure that the water and coffee are brewed to perfection and taste, the dripper must never exceed more than half its capacity in terms of ground coffee. Lastly, the brewing period if done as per a tried and tested recipe should not be more than 3 minutes. Relying on professional expertise is more than welcome so that you can come to terms with making iced coffee in a manner that best represents your whims and fancies. In this regard, get in touch with Damn Fine Coffee who will assist you. The team works with some of the best coffee in the world and thus, you will be in capable hands.

Brewing

Begin by heating the water (335 grams) and allowing it to cool down. Once this is done, you will then have to channel your technical prowess as the paper filter’s edges will need to be creased in opposing directions so that they fit well. After this, go ahead and place the filter in the dripper. Thereafter, the paper filter will have to be rinsed thoroughly so that your drink does not end up tasting of paper. The coffee must then be weighed and ground accordingly to medium fine. Go ahead and get your pour-over brewer out before adding the ground coffee. A slight shake must follow to level the coffee out. During such a course, the timer can be put to work and the hot water can be poured in a circular motion allowing the coffee to bloom for approximately 45 seconds. Be mindful that excess water can cause the coffee to flow out from the bottom of the filter. Pay attention to the level of liquid in the dripper which must be between ½ to ¾ of its capacity. Importantly, do control the brewing time by increasing or decreasing the rate of the pour.

The final hurdle

This is when the carafe will make its grand appearance as the ice will need weighing. The coffee can be poured over the ice where the former will start to cool while developing texture. Before serving, the coffee must be swirled in a way to guarantee that all the ice has melted away. And there you have it, homemade iced coffee!