Nespresso Designed for Iced Coffee

1. Misjudging the size of their glass – Choose a tall glass - Many people can misjudge the amount of liquid they can fit in their cup once it’s filled with ice, so always opt for something tall to avoid any mess. And unless you’re taking your iced coffee in a travel mug to use on the go, I’d recommend using a glass so as not to waste the visual impact of your iced coffee in a cup or mug.

2. Extracting coffee before ice – Add ice first - When you let coffee cool down naturally before you add ice, a chemical reaction takes place that can increase the acidity in the coffee, altering the flavour of your coffee. For the best results, add ice to your glass first and extract the coffee directly onto it to chill it immediately.

3. Using the wrong type of glass – Make sure it’s temperature-safe - While most of us prefer to taste our iced coffee with our eyes using a glass, anything not built for changing temperatures could risk cracks if chilled first before warm coffee is extracted into it, so use one that’s temperature safe.

4. Adding too much ice – Get the balance right - If you care for flavour, don’t overload your glass with ice. Many of our recipes involve only two or three ice cubes to chill a 40ml shot of espresso, however, I recommend filling half of your glass with ice as a guide if you want it to stay colder for longer. Anymore and you will likely dilute the flavour of your coffee too much.

5. Getting stuck in a rut – Experiment and explore - Many people are surprised to hear about coffee blends like our limited edition Juicy Watermelon. Watermelon flavour splashes through our light-roasted coffee blend to quench your thirst on a hot summer day. I always recommend exploring different blends and the many recipes available on the Nespresso website to find something new – you don’t know what you love until you’ve tried it.

There’s one simple trick that can transform your cloudy ice cubes into crystal clear cubes. The key is boiling the water first before you pour it into the ice cube tray. Be careful and pour gently, making sure there are no bubbles. If bubbles do appear, tap the tray gently to remove them before placing in the freezer overnight.

The difference between iced coffee and cold brew is in the way it’s brewed. Cold brew uses time instead of heat to extract the coffee’s oils, sugars and caffeine. So, while Iced coffee requires a coffee machine to extract heated espresso shots over ice, cold brew is the result of coarsely-ground coffee that’s been submerged in cold water for 12-24 hours; a process which draws out more flavour the longer it sits.

While some people enjoy the specific, smooth taste of cold brew coffee, it is a lengthy process which requires time and patience, whereas iced coffee can be served to satisfy you in minutes.

If you care for flavour, don’t overload your glass with ice. Many of our recipes involve only two or three ice cubes to chill a 40ml shot of espresso, however, I recommend filling half of your glass with ice as a guide if you want it to stay colder for longer. Anymore and you will likely dilute the flavour of your coffee too much.