The Differences You Need To Know Between Cold Brew And Iced Coffee

When you think about a cold coffee drink, you may think of Frappuccinos or an iced pumpkin spice latte crowned with whipped cream. But there's a lot to be said for simple cold brew coffee and iced coffee. They can be the perfect beverage for someone who wants to fully experience the flavor of high-quality coffee beans. Yet, while the two drinks are served cold, their brewing methods and resulting flavors are very different.

Cold brew is one of the ways you can make coffee without a coffee maker. Coarsely ground coffee is added to cold water and allowed to steep for 10 to 20 hours at room temperature. Cold brew's flavor is smoother than iced coffee's because the lack of heat in the process it means fewer of the coffee's acidic oils are pulled from the beans. Cold brew also contains slightly less caffeine than iced coffee.

Iced coffee happens when hot brewed coffee is chilled and poured over ice. It's a great way to use up leftover coffee and can be the perfect drink for summer days, so long as you want relatively bold, strong flavors and don't mind some extra acid.

Since it's difficult to dissolve sugar in cold coffee, making a simple syrup — or using a premade flavored syrup, if that's your fancy — is a good alternative to table sugar if you like your coffee sweetened. Honey is another good option for sweetening either of the drinks (just be sure you've stirred well to fully distribute the honey).

If you like your coffee creamy, milk or cream can be added to both cold brew and iced coffee. Mix it up with some cinnamon (add it to the cold brew mixture before steeping) or add a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk for a silky sweet treat.

There's no need to spend your hard-earned money at a chain coffee shop when you can make your favorite cold brew or iced coffee at home. As further proof, here's a tip that'll make you feel like a barista: use ice cubes made from coffee to keep your iced drinks from getting diluted.