Coffee is a favorite drink of many people across the globe. There are many kinds and flavors of coffee available in the market nowadays. More individuals have become interested in making their own coffee in recent times instead of buying them from shops or restaurants. Making your own coffee can be a stress reliever if done regularly.

Tips for Making Great Iced Coffee at Home

When it comes to making your coffee, there are various ways to do so. Some individuals will simply brew the coffee either using an automatic machine or even manually, serve it hot, and add their preferred amount of sweetener or milk. Others will do the same after they add ice cubes to the beverage to make it chilled.

On top of simply brewing your coffee into a cup and adding milk and sugar, other methods exist out there that will allow you to create an even better taste. By knowing these tips, you will be able to make a great-tasting iced coffee every time that you do so and, at the same time, save money in the process.

Keep your ground coffee in the freezer.

It’s better than buying ice coffee from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts because you get way more flavor this way. Plus, when your whole pot is iced, it means you’ve still got some fresh hot stuff on hand for those days when you drink it regular strength. When you take a bag out to use, stick it in an airtight container (to keep air out) and leave at room temp until close to brewing time before putting it in the machine with the rest of the beans. The frozen grounds will keep for weeks and add no obnoxious watery-ness to the finished product.

Grind only what you need

If your coffee has been in the freezer for more than a couple of days grind only as much as you can reasonably expect to drink within 48 hours and store the ground coffee in an airtight container at room temperature, preferably away from light, heat and odors. Otherwise, oxidization will reduce flavor quickly. Here’s where things get tricky: If you’re brewing with a drip machine like a Mr Coffee or Cuisinart Stovetop Coffeemaker , fill up the water reservoir right before bedtime and set the timer to turn on while you’re snoozing. If you’re using a French press or old school percolator, just throw your beans in the grinder and grind as much as you feel like drinking that day; for example, if it’s Saturday and there are three of us at home with coffee drinkers then I might do 1/4 lb.

Do not use BPA free plastic containers

If you are going to store your coffee concentrate in a container, try to avoid using those that have been manufactured with BPA-free plastics such as polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate. These types of plastics are known for releasing estrogen mimics into their contents when heated intensively.

Use a freezer with caution

Freezing your coffee concentrate will help you to preserve it for a longer period of time. However, if you are going to use a container that does not have an airtight seal, make sure that you transfer the contents into another container. Once this is done, remove as much air as possible before sealing the plastic lid.

Use quality ingredients

Using quality ingredients for your iced coffee will produce better results than using low-grade ingredients when making it at home. This is due to the fact that high-quality ingredients will create more flavor and aroma for your beverage while using low-grade ones can result in blandness and less flavor inside each cup.

Chose whole milk

When preparing your iced coffee, do so with whole milk rather than low-fat or skimmed versions of the same product. The reason behind this is because the fat in whole milk will allow for a richer and frothier beverage as opposed to one made with full-fat soy or almond milk.

Store your coffee concentrate properly

If you are going to store your coffee concentrate for any extended period of time, make sure that it is done in an airtight container otherwise it may get spoilt easily leading to bad taste. Add sweetener carefully.

Add sweetener carefully

If you add too much sugar or other sweeteners, it can mask some of the beans’ subtle flavors. Thereby bringing out more bitterness than would be there otherwise. Start slow and see how it tastes; adjust accordingly as you get used to iced coffee brewing techniques. Keep in mind that if you’re using a flavored syrup like hazelnut or vanilla, you’ll be covering up some of the coffee flavors.

Use quality creamers

Quality creamers are essential when making your own iced coffee at home. Make sure that you choose high quality options such as those made of whole milk or sweetened condensed milk instead of low-fat versions.

Avoid using metal or plastic strainers

Aside from not storing your coffee concentrate in BPA free plastics for too long. You should also avoid using metallic strainers when trying to separate the grounds from your coffee concentrate. Metal or plastic strainers may absorb the aroma of the ground coffee into their surface meaning that at the end of it all, your iced coffee will taste very different than what you are used to.

Make sure that there is no water in your brewer

When brewing a concentrated batch of iced coffee and storing it in an airtight container with a glass top or lid make sure to leave some room inside for expansion especially if you are going to freeze it. This will help prevent any condensation within the contents which could lead to spoiling its flavor.

Use cream

If your iced coffee is too bitter to consume, simply adding full-fat milk creamers into it will allow you to remove that bitterness while getting the same amount of flavor. Simply mix the contents before serving or pouring it over some ice.

The perfect iced coffee is in your future with these tips. If you’re a java addict, but don’t want to spend the summer sweating it out at cafes all day long, check out this blog post for some great ways to make delicious iced coffee from home. These easy and inexpensive methods will give you an endless supply of refreshing caffeine without breaking the bank or heating up your house during hot days. You can’t beat that! What method have you tried?