Iced Coffee

[leleboo]

For the past year or so, I've used the Toddy cold brewing system at home. My wife, who is bothered by coffee's acidity and to a lesser extent, caffeine, believes the claims that this system results in less of both. A review of the Toddy system

I've had my eye on the Toddy since ... well, since just a short time after the quoted post went up, as that was the year the New York Times ran two pieces on cold-brewed iced coffee within the space of a couple of months (prompting me to ask a friend who knows the author of the second one, "Did they forget they already covered this?"). After falling hopelessly in love with the cold-brew available at Zingerman's, I finally caved.

So far so good, although I guess I like my coffee ridiculously strong, as I find it's best diluted only by the ice cubes I pour it over. Perhaps I need to figure out a different grind? Not sure. I'd also love to get beans that produce the depth of flavor and chocolate notes that I found up in Ann Arbor, but hey, there's nothing like the hunt for good coffee.

(However, maybe that "lower caffeine" thing is why I'm so frakking tired today. )

[zoramargolis]

So far so good, although I guess I like my coffee ridiculously strong, as I find it's best diluted only by the ice cubes I pour it over. Perhaps I need to figure out a different grind?

Why not pour some coffee into ice cube trays and use frozen coffee cubes to chill your iced coffee? then it wouldn't get diluted.

[leleboo]

Why not pour some coffee into ice cube trays and use frozen coffee cubes to chill your iced coffee? then it wouldn't get diluted.

I usually do! But the Toddy concentrate is supposed to be diluted one-to-one with water (or milk, but I don't drink my coffee with milk), and I don't find it needs that much; I do find, however, that I don't mind the bit of dilution I get from regular ice cubes.

[Mrs. B]

I usually do! But the Toddy concentrate is supposed to be diluted one-to-one with water (or milk, but I don't drink my coffee with milk), and I don't find it needs that much; I do find, however, that I don't mind the bit of dilution I get from regular ice cubes.

Add less water initially, then use ice cubes made from the concentrate?

Perhaps I'm confused, if you take a shot of the straight concentrate does that work for you? If not you might work the water amount around the initial infusion to get to an outcome that suits your needs.

[leleboo]

Add less water initially, then use ice cubes made from the concentrate?

Perhaps I'm confused, if you take a shot of the straight concentrate does that work for you? If not you might work the water amount around the initial infusion to get to an outcome that suits your needs.

Yeah -- I've only made the concentrate once so far so I'm still figuring out the right proportions. Once I get it, I definitely will make more coffee ice cubes.

I sense a lot of experimentation in my future. This could result in posts at odd hours; after all, I'm the only coffee drinker in my household!

[Al the Pal]

Not to sound like some kind of iced coffee heathen, but I actually like the instant iced coffee from Starbucks. (I like the instant iced coffee better than the regular instant coffee there.)

[KMango]

Not to sound like some kind of iced coffee heathen, but I actually like the instant iced coffee from Starbucks. (I like the instant iced coffee better than the regular instant coffee there.)

You're not the only one! I've got some friends in Iraq who's lives are a lot better thanks to that stuff.

Another iced coffee trick: A wisp of maple syrup, a dash of milk, room-temp or colder coffee, and a vigorous run through a cocktail shaker make my iced coffee my favorite of the bunch. The resulting foam adds a certain je ne sais n0m.

[Choirgirl21]

For anyone who is bothered by the acidity, have you tried the aeropress? I've found I can tolerate coffee made that way for the same reason and the coffee is incredibly smooth. The downside is you use a lot of finely ground grinds to make one cup of coffee, but if you don't mind the additional expense, it's the best coffee I've had. It also makes a more concentrated brew taht you add water too Americano style so I would think it would work for iced although like Leleboo with the toddy, I find that I don't need to add much water beyond the milk I use in my coffee b/c I like my coffee really strong.

Leleboo, does Zeke's vend at any farmers markets near you? I tend to like really nutty, earthy coffees with chocolate undertones and really love their Mexican Chiapas. If I am remembering correctly, it's similar in style to the guatemalan antigua at Whole Foods

Oh, and I bought a toddy once. It sat in my cabinet for about a year and then I gave it to a friend. That's about how motivated I am to do things in advance. Another reason I like my Aeropress, only takes a minute to heat the water and literally 30 seconds to press the coffee.

[leleboo]

Not to sound like some kind of iced coffee heathen, but I actually like the instant iced coffee from Starbucks. (I like the instant iced coffee better than the regular instant coffee there.)

It has a little bit of sweetener in it. I haven't tried it, but I hear it's pretty good.

Another iced coffee trick: A wisp of maple syrup, a dash of milk, room-temp or colder coffee, and a vigorous run through a cocktail shaker make my iced coffee my favorite of the bunch. The resulting foam adds a certain je ne sais n0m.

Shakerato!

My lifelong coffee experience has gone something like this:

• Chocolate granita
  
• Iced mocha
  
• White-chocolate mocha
  
• Iced latte
  
• Hot latte
  
• Coffee with milk
  
• Coffee
  
• Get a job working at local coffee shop; osmose caffeine at work, basically spend three years constantly wired (also learn how to make scones and crèpes)

• Double espressos: contemplate direct injection into a vein
  
• Visit Italy; glare angrily when waiters and barmen refuse to believe the American girl truly wants "un caffè" and not a big cup of watered-down coffee and milk
  

I'm a coffee purist aficionado addict; I only ever add milk to my coffee when I'm getting breakfast in France (un café au lait et un croissant nature, s'il vous plaît), and for one or two iced lattes each year when I the odd craving. Otherwise, I drink it black. But mediocre coffe appears to be tolerable only when hot.

Leleboo, does Zeke's vend at any farmers markets near you? I tend to like really nutty, earthy coffees with chocolate undertones and really love their Mexican Chiapas. If I am remembering correctly, it's similar in style to the guatemalan antigua at Whole Foods

Ooh, I will have to check! Does the aeropress make good iced coffee -- it still brews with hot water, right? Have you tried it iced?

I tried a sip of "regular" iced coffee after the cold brew ran out (brewed coffee I'd then chilled). It was absolutely vile -- like drinking ... I can't even come up with something. Suffice it to say, I have another 12 ounces of beans currently "brewing" (steeping?) for tomorrow.

This could get expensive ...

[Choirgirl21]

Ooh, I will have to check! Does the aeropress make good iced coffee -- it still brews with hot water, right? Have you tried it iced?

It does brew with hot water ( just not boiling, but I'm sure you already know that). I havne't actually tried it iced I don't think - I never make iced for myself at home oddly. I will have to try it soon and report back. I took it into the office thinking I would use it more there and keep forgetting to bring it home (b/c I don't) and getting pissed at myself. I really should just buy the second one - they're only $25 on Amazon.

[nick]

Iced coffee is an interesting beast. As with most things coffee-related, there are a couple different 'versions' of ice(d) coffee out there.

1) low acidity, "smooth," deep-flavored

2) pleasantly bright (acidity), refreshing, crisp

The "low acidity" iced coffee fans employ various cold or room-temperature water brewing techniques. Toddy is one. There are Japanese iced-coffee brewing devices that are slowly growing in popularity out there. The idea is that if "normal" coffee brewing takes 3-5 minutes at 195-205ºF, you can brew for 12 hours at room temperature or lower. Coffee sous vide, anyone?

When brewed this way, the coffee tastes markedly different from its hot-water brewed iteration. If you use the illustration of bass-middle-treble as in audio, you get lots of bass and some middle and no treble. Whatever "high notes" or acidity/brightness there was in the coffee, you're unlikely to find it in this style of iced coffee. Brewed correctly, there's an almost rum-like flavor that develops.

The second style of iced coffee is best achieved by brewing coffee double-strength (same amount of water, double the amount of coffee grounds), directly onto ice or poured slowly over ice immediately after brewing. There are specific flavor-acids in the coffee that will de-esterify into less palatable components if the hot coffee is kept hot for too long, which is why holding hot coffee for over 30-60 minutes is never preferred. The strong-hot-coffee-chilled method best preserves the acidity and balance in exemplary coffee by capturing the more volatile flavors and capturing them by chilling.

French press is a great and easy way to make this style iced coffee: brew double strength and then pour over a healthy quantity of ice. If you shoot for a 1:1 ratio coffee-to-ice, you'll end up with chilled beverage that you can then put in the fridge and pour into a glass of ice.

As with all coffee-brewing, while it's not rocket-science, you've got to get the variables right to really extract the coffee in the most pleasant-tasting way. For the record, I'm not a fan of the cold-brewed method. I don't find that it does much to highlight the flavors that make different coffees unique. However, the second (hot-brewed-chilled) method does lend itself to bright and balanced coffees, like Latin American washed coffees and Ethiopian Yirgacheffes. Brewed well, it's my favorite daytime cold beverage.

Hope this helps!

(P.S., contrary to certain reports, I love iced coffee!)

[lperry]

With a little help from Imbibe magazine, I'm now completely addicted to cold-brewed Haitian Bleu iced coffee. Purists look away... It's nice made with sweetened condensed milk for a "Vietnamese style" cup, but I'm happiest with half-and-half and a pour of homemade vanilla syrup. No acidity and no caffeine shakes. Just rich and smooth. I haven't been this awake in the morning in years!