Cool Coffee for Hot Weather

5 TIPS TO MAKE IT BETTER

It’s hot, right? We love, love, love coffee—can you feel the love?—but right now, iced coffee seems to hit the spot a lot more than a steaming pot of joe.

However, iced coffee can be a bit challenging. For increasing our barista skills, we turned to Katie Weinberger from King Bean Coffee (try the Sullivans blend). Her uber-practical tips might have you thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Brew it up and cool it down:

1. Always start with great coffee / Buy whole bean and grind it fresh. The less exposed coffee is to air, the better the coffee will taste, and don’t forget to use filtered water.
2. Let a hot cup cool to room temperature to see if it’s a coffee you’d enjoy iced / Coffees taste different cold than they do hot.
3. Make coffee ice cubes / Regular ice cubes will dilute your coffee, but if you use ones made from coffee, it will keep your joe from having a watered-down taste as the ice melts.
4. Try a cold brew / Cold brewing greatly reduces the acid content of coffee finishing with a smooth taste. The process is simple: Grind, Soak, Wait. A good ratio is 1/3 ground (coarse grind) to 1 1/2 cups of water. A French press is the perfect brewing container. Let the water saturate the beans and put in the fridge overnight. Plunge, pour, enjoy!
5. Have fun experimenting with iced coffee / With a cool drink, you can add whole fruits to your coffee: cherries, strawberries, and oranges all make nice enhancements. Mint is a tasty addition as well.