How to make Iced Coffee that does not $**k.

[javajunkie]

just as an aside for anyone who does the toddy (cold steep) method: you can get a SURPRISING ammount of caffeine this way! i think (chem nerds help me out) that caffeine does not like heat, and will dissipate depending on the brewing conditions. i know the heat of roasting can kill caffeine, so darker roasts, while bolder in body, have less zip per mg. BUT, regardless, the cold steep methods deliver such a mellow flavor profile it is real easy to overdo it. and if it gives ME a jolt, it just might kill some of y'all. o)

[bballbaby]

I've always dumped the few extra ounces that always seems to be left in the pot because it's not enough for a full cup (not sure why I can't get it through my head to just make a little less coffee so there's none left over) ...anyhow, what's left in the pot gets poured into a mason jar that goes in the fridge. Then whenever we feel like a frappucino I'll pour some in the bar blender, add ice, milk and sugar, and voila! iced coffee. Add whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel if you want it fancy.

[CigarJedi]

I drink ice coffee on a daily basis for almost 10 months out of the year (gotta wake up to something cold), so my opinion is:

Cold Press (coffee steeped in water for a certain number of hours): Probably the best method. It takes patience, but the cup it yields is noticeably better. You can really taste the bean in the cup.

My Method: I brew it the night before as a hot pot of coffee and then refrigerate overnight. It quick and easy and the strength of the coffee isn't daluted by ice cubes, straining over water, etc. A compromise for a coffee nerd, but not bad for a normal everyday cup.

Method I heard recently: On vacation recently, I sought out a local coffee shop (I like checking out what the local places are doing) and started talking to a manager there. She brews a pot that's much more concentrated than normal early in the morning and then mixes it with cold water. I'm guessing she it's easier to adjust the amount she brews this way and it's fresher. The cup I drank was slightly better than my method, so I'm thinking about trying this.

And OP - Your method sounds like the bomb. Gotta do sometime soon.

[ironchefscott]

Seriously loving doing the cold brew thing lately. I have been soaking my coffee in a big glass container then pouring it over a fine mesh metal screen then I filter it through a coffee filter and fridge it......It rocks!
I today finished brewing a Stumptown La Piramide batch today...about to try it now!

[tsimonitis]

French Press. Cold water. Coffee. Wait 12 hours. Pour over ice. Enjoy.

This is my method too.