Cold Process Coffee

[glenn]

If getting a good cup of Joe is hard, what are the odds of ever finding a good cup of iced coffee or any of the variations, i.e., iced espresso, etc?? Even those places that have a decent cup of Joe fall short when it comes to the iced version. Dilution seems to be the major problem, though an easy solution would be to use ice coffee cubes. Has anyone found a place that makes a respectable iced caffeine?

[coffeetaster]

You are correct in your statement that a good cup of iced coffee is hard to find. Very often baristas (the ones who make specialty coffee beverages) are not fully trained or equipped to make a quality iced coffee. The dilution is a primary issue, as well as the coffee freshness, strength of brew, degree of roast, and coffee origins selected. Many coffees lose their pleasing flavor as they cool and get "muddy". Brewed coffee that is prepared for iced drinks should be used within 6 hours of brewing, as long as it is stored in the refrigerator, as flavor breakdown will affect the taste. Regarding dilution: brew a batch of coffee at double strength, chill immediately, and then serve over ice. I hope my comments helped you.

Cheers!

Spence

Coffeetaster

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I frequently lunch with (1 or 2) ladies who may easily order several bottles of wine. I will partake if we are lunching in town, but if I am driving to a suburb, I will order double iced espressos. I have never been served a diluted drink, and in fact have several times left the table, late afternoon, considerably more wired than they!

[Al_Dente]

From this morning's Washington Post:

Drip Drip

What do you think?

[Mayhaw Man]

What do you think?

I think that I received my first cold drip set up as a wedding gift. I have enjoyed cold drip ever since, although I primarily end up making iced coffee (1/4 drip and 3/4 milk with teaspoon or so of sugar) with it. It does make a nice cuppa if you are in a hurry or only want to make a cup or two. I still prefer fresh brewed, but only if it is fresh. If I have a choice between coffee that has been sitting on a hot plate for 1/2 an hour or so and a cold drip with hot water added I will go for the cold drip every time. And no matter what the more developed slurpers think, it still beats the hell outta Folgers Crystals, no matter what Mrs. Olsen says (no doubt she publicly proclaimed the slimy goodness of lutefisk, as well )

That's what I think.

[phaelon56]

This is actually presently under discussion in the Nescafe Iced Coffee thread bu this is what really caught my attention....

Overheat your coffee, let the beans go stale, add too much or too little of the grinds or let it sit on a warmer all day, and even the most expensive beans grown inside the cone of a volcano and hand-picked by virgins will taste like pond water.

I want some of this coffee. The heck with $100 per pound Kopi Luwak coffee that has been digested and eliminated out the back end by civets. I want volcano cone virgin picked coffee and nothing else will do. I hope Santa is listening.