Summer Coffee Drinks: Iced Coffee Recipes to Try at Home

As the weather gets warmer, and we just want to spend time outdoors or plan gatherings, why not do it with a refreshing drink? There is a reason why the popularity of cold brew and iced coffee drinks is increasing: they are perfect to enjoy on hot days, while offering an energy boost as well as some pleasant flavour notes. Additionally, they allow for endless combinations and experimentation.

We have selected some classic and popular iced coffee recipes, from cold brew to iced latte to try this summer. Many of them are espresso-based beverages, but you don’t need state of the art coffee gear. All you need is your French press or moka pot. You can also try different variations and add flavourings such as syrups. 

Here are some popular coffee recipes from our baristas and the best coffees to use in each one of them.

Cold Brew

Cold brew is one of the most popular ways to enjoy coffee. It is extracted over several hours using cold water, which influences the flavour of the coffee with floral notes and results in less bitter and acidic drink, compared to hot brew.

The most popular way of making it is by using a device that allows the water to drip through coffee grounds at a regulated speed. It can also be prepared in the form of nitro cold brew. However, you can also use an infusion method, which means you only need a French press.

The grind size is key to avoid over extracting your coffee and ending up with a bitter drink. To make cold brew at home, you can use a coffee with fruity notes.

• 30 gr of coarsely ground coffee.

• 500 ml cold filtered water

Pour the water over the coffee grounds and leave in the fridge without pushing the plunger down for 12 - 24 hours. Serve in a glass filled with ice.

Espresso-based Iced Coffee Drinks

If you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you can prepare coffee with a moka pot or a French press. Here are some brewing recipes you can use:

Moka Pot

If you use a moka pot, fill the lower vessel with filtered water until you touch the bottom of the valve. Fill the filter basket with fine-medium ground coffee without tamping it, and assemble the bottom chamber, the filter and the top chamber together.

Put the coffee maker on the stovetop until the coffee rises to the top chamber with the lid open. Ideally, you would use warm water to begin in order to speed up the extraction and avoid burning the coffee, but you can also use water at room temperature.

When you start hearing noises, take away from the heat and close the lid until the coffee finishes brewing.

French Press

If you use a French press, use a coarser grind. You can add the water in two pours as per the SCA’s standard recipe, or pour it all at once. Experiment and have fun until you find your ideal recipe.

Put 35g of  coffee in the vessel and pour 250 ml of water at 93.5°C.

Preheat the vessel with warm water and discard it. Add the coarsely ground coffee. Pour hot water and place the lid without pushing the plunger down. Let it sit for around 5 minutes. Push the plunger down.

Iced Latte

The iced latte is a coffee shop staple and together with its many variations, it has become very popular among those that enjoy cold coffee drinks with milk.

Basically, a latte in its hot version is a large coffee with milk with foam, and twice as much milk as coffee. This requires the coffee to have a higher intensity, so using an espresso roast and preparing the coffee in a moka pot is a good alternative to an espresso machine.  You can use both, dairy or plant-based milk. The result will be superb.

250 ml of your favourite milk

30g gr of our Finca Tamana Espresso Roast

Filtered water

Prepare the coffee in a moka pot as per our recipe.

Fill a glass with ice and add your favourite milk. Add the coffee and your iced latte is ready to enjoy!

Iced Americano

The basic recipe for an americano is adding water to an espresso shot. Its cold version consists in pulling an espresso shot over ice, and it is a great alternative to cold brew if you did not prepare it in advance. For this recipe, we recommend our Oxford blend, to give your final drink some chocolate and caramel flavour notes.

Prepare coffee in a moka pot.

Fill a glass with ice and pour 250 ml of water. Add a shot of coffee.

Espresso Tonic

Some people love the espresso tonic and some find it weird. The tonic water gives astringency and a refreshing, sparkling element, while balancing the acidity and the intensity of the espresso. It is a great base for cocktails and more complex drinks. As important as the coffee is the quality of the tonic water you use.

250ml of your favourite tonic water

30 gr of Red Honey coffee from Hacienda El Porvenir.

Prepare coffee in a moka pot. Pour tonic water over a glass with ice. Then add the coffee shot. The red honey coffee we use for this recipe will give a great deal of sweetness to the final drink, together with some dark chocolate notes.

You can enjoy these coffee drinks during hot days or use them as a base for more complex recipes such as coffee cocktails and mocktails.

Shop the best coffees to prepare iced coffee drinks.