Table of Contents
Introduction
Love for coffee among the coffee lover’s community is increasing day by day in such a way that coffee has now become one of the most consumed beverages all over the world. Whether it’s cold winters outside or warm sunny weather, coffee lovers want to drink their beloved beverage in all kinds of seasons and because of that, they find out multiple ways of enhancing their beloved beverage.
Basically, coffee is considered a smooth, warm beverage supposed to be drunk only in cold or mild chilled weather but there are some other enhanced types of coffee beverages too, known as iced coffee or coffee based cold brew, that can be drunk in hot, sunny seasons.
But when the discussion was about iced coffee vs cold brew, every coffee lover faced difficulty choosing which one is best to consume. In this article we are going to explore the best comparison of iced coffee vs cold brew and find all necessary information that is linked with it.
The initial part of our article, iced coffee vs cold brew, starts from understanding the basic definition of what iced coffee and what cold brew actually are. So, let’s start our exploration from their basic definition.
What is iced coffee
Iced coffee is considered a beverage that is normal hot brewed coffee at the start and after complete extraction of flavor and natural compounds, it is served by pouring ice over it or by cooling it.
What is cold brew
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water or water at room temperature for some extended period of time, almost 12 to 24 hours. Unlike iced coffee, it is never brewed in hot water.
Key differences between iced coffee vs cold brew
Now, after understanding the definitions of both brew. Let’s explore further details of iced coffee vs cold brew, which make both of them different from each other.
Brewing method, time and convenience
The first factor that creates a difference between iced coffee and cold brew is its brewing method and time. So the details are given as follows
Iced coffee
As we discussed in the above section, the iced coffee brewing method is the same as your preferred normal brewing method of coffee. Whether it’s a drip brew, pour over, French press brewing method, or some other brewing method, it just requires an iced topping or requires to be chilled or cold before serving.
It is quick to brew and can easily be made in just a few minutes and because of that, it is convenient for immediate serving or last minute cravings.
Cold brew
Cold brew is something different as compared to iced coffee from its brewing point of view. As mentioned in its above definition, it is supposed to be made by using cold or chilled water.
Initial brewing required a few hours, almost 12 to 24 hours of immersing coarse sized coffee grounds into cold water or water with room temperature, which makes it less preferable for immediate serving. But once it’s made, it will last up to weeks, which makes it convenient.
Taste comparison
The second factor that influences the iced coffee vs cold brew difference is their own taste profile.
Iced coffee
Iced coffee has a light and bright, sharp and tangy, more acidic and strong aromatic taste profile. But because it is brewed in hot water and then served with ice, its profile becomes weak and watery because of that melting ice. Iced coffee lovers sometimes add vanilla syrup, caramel or some other additional flavor to balance its profile.
Cold brew
Because it is brewed cold, cold brew is smooth, low in acidity and sweet and velvety in taste. It has chocolaty, nutty notes and remains a strong profile if served with ice. Hence, it does not require any extra additive to maintain its taste. Cold coffee lovers usually use milk, cold foam or cream instead of sugar, which makes it a minimal sugar content beverage.
Strength comparison
The third factor in our comparison list of iced coffee vs cold brew is strength profile. The strength of a beverage depends on multiple factors like the coffee to water ratio, caffeine content, and acidic level of a beverage. So, in order to understand the strengths of both beverages, we have to understand all those strength parameters.
Coffee to water ratio
Iced coffee
Iced coffee has a high coffee-to-water ratio, usually up to 1:15 to 1:18. Because it needs to be cooled and served with an ice topping, it will reduce its concentration. This high coffee-water ratio helps to balance its profile.
Cold brew
Cold brew has a lower coffee to water ratio as compared to iced coffee, which is up to 1:5 to 1:8. Because of steeping with cold or normal temperature water for 12 hours to 24 hours, it is enough to extract maximum flavor and make it concentrated.
Acidic and caffeine level
Iced coffee
Because of brewing in hot water, it helps in the extraction of maximum acidic compounds, which makes iced coffee more acidic with a sharp, bright taste. It typically contains 120 mg to 180 mg of caffeine per 16 oz.
Cold brew
Unlike iced coffee, cold brew is low in acid in nature because it is brewed cold. But when we talk about caffeine content, it contains almost 150 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per 16 oz serving, which is near to double as compared to iced coffee caffeine content. The reason for this increased caffeine value is because of the high steeping time, which helps in maximum extraction of the caffeine compound.
Cost comparison
Another factor that creates a major difference between iced coffee vs cold brew is their cost comparison.
Iced coffee
If you go for café-based iced coffee, then its average cost will be $2 to $4, depending on cup size, café reputation, and required beans. But if you are making iced coffee at home, then its cost drops to $0.20 to almost $0.60 per cup, depending on the types of beans and method that you are using.
Cold brew
As compared to iced coffee, cold brew is more expensive. Café-based cold brew will cost almost $4 to $7, or it will cost more if you go for special coffee brew or nitro coffee brew. If you decide to make cold brew coffee at home, then it will cost $0.20 to $0.60 per cup or may slightly vary depending on bean quality and beverage concentration.
Which one is healthier
After understanding the basic factors that cause huge differences between iced coffee vs cold brew. Let’s explore which one is better for health. So, the parameters that determine the impact of both beverages on health are given as follows:
Acidity and stomach sensitivity
As we discussed earlier, iced coffees are more acidic in nature as compared to cold brews because of the hot brewing method. This will cause discomfort for sensitive individuals and those who have digestive issues and have sensitive stomachs and prefer cold brew. Cold brew provides them coffee charm without any acidic issue.
Antioxidant content
Same as with acidic compounds, iced coffee has more antioxidants because of hot brewing, which increases the extraction process. But in cold brew, it contains slightly fewer antioxidant compounds.
Calories and impact on weight
When we compare calories, plain iced coffee vs cold brew, both beverages contain a low amount of calories and cause a similar impact on body weight. This calorie content may vary if you add any additional ingredient like milk, sweetener or any flavored syrup.