Introduction:As summer arrives, iced coffee becomes a daily essential for many, but traditional cold brew is time-consuming and laborious. This article introduces an extremely simple pre-made method—freezing brewed coffee into ice cubes that can be used anytime. Just add water or milk to quickly make an iced Americano, iced latte, or even an iced pour over. Although freezing may affect some of the aroma and crema, it's a huge time-saver and very convenient, especially for busy professionals. The article details the brewing parameters, ratios, and practical steps for three types of coffee ice cubes, and includes a pour over demonstration to help you easily enjoy the coolness and flavor of iced coffee.

As temperatures gradually rise, iced coffee has become a top choice for many to beat the heat. However, cold brew not only requires a long wait but also demands specific bean selection and brewing techniques, which may not be ideal for those with fast-paced lifestyles. To help everyone more easily enjoy iced coffee, this article introduces a super convenient pre-made method—coffee ice cubes.

So-called coffee ice cubes are made by pouring brewed coffee into an ice tray and freezing it into cubes. When you're ready to drink, simply take out the cubes and add water or milk to quickly make an iced Americano, iced latte, or even an iced pour over. This method eliminates the hassle of brewing and waiting, making it especially suitable for mornings when you’re in a rush or need a takeaway drink.

It’s worth noting that because the coffee liquid is frozen for a long time, some of its oils and volatile aromatic compounds may be lost. Compared to freshly ground and brewed coffee, the flavor will inevitably differ. But for coffee lovers who prioritize efficiency and convenience, this remains a highly practical solution.

First up is how to make an "Iced Cube Americano." The basic components of an iced Americano are espresso, ice cubes, and water. By pre-freezing espresso into ice cubes, you only need to add an appropriate amount of water when drinking to quickly make a black coffee. It’s recommended to use a cup with about 300ml capacity, add around 90g of ice cubes, then add coffee ice cubes and water in proportion. Specifically, the ratio of coffee to water is about 1:4, while the amount of ice cubes can be adjusted according to personal preference.

When making coffee ice cubes, it’s recommended to dilute the extracted espresso with an equal amount of room temperature water at a 1:1 ratio. This ensures that the coffee ice cubes melt more evenly and results in a crisper taste. For example, using 20g of coffee grounds, extract about 40g of coffee liquid in approximately 29–30 seconds, then mix it with an equal amount of room temperature water and pour it into an ice tray to freeze.

As for the "Iced Cube Latte," it’s more suitable for those who enjoy a rich, milky flavor. It’s recommended to pour the espresso shot directly into the ice tray without adding extra water to avoid diluting the coffee’s intensity. When drinking, just take out the coffee ice cube and add 150–200g of fresh milk to easily make a latte. The standard demonstration ratio is 200g of fresh milk paired with a double shot of espresso (about 36–40g), with a coffee-to-milk ratio of about 1:5, offering a balanced and smooth taste.

Finally, let’s look at the making and application of "Iced Cube Pour Over." Although the flavor of overnight pour over can’t match that of freshly brewed coffee, for busy professionals, pre-brewing a pour over the night before, freezing it into ice cubes, and letting it slowly melt during your commute the next day is a time-saving and practical method. It’s recommended to use a 1:12–1:13 coffee-to-water ratio for brewing to achieve a higher concentration of coffee liquid, which can then be diluted with water after freezing.

Take Colombia’s Big Belly Button as an example: use 15g of coffee grounds, with a water temperature of about 90°C, and grind size set to 9.5 on the EK43s grinder. Use a three-stage pouring method: the first stage pours 30g of water for blooming, followed by the second stage pouring 80g of water after 30 seconds, then the final 70g of water as the coffee liquid descends. The total brewing time is about 1 minute and 40–50 seconds. After the coffee liquid cools, pour it into an ice tray to freeze. When drinking, add room temperature water to help it melt, and you can enjoy an iced pour over that still retains its flavor.

Although this pre-made coffee ice cube method may not fully match the flavor of freshly brewed coffee, its convenience and time-saving benefits are undoubtedly a small joy in a busy life. Whether it’s an iced Americano, iced latte, or iced pour over, as long as you master the brewing parameters and ratios, you can easily enjoy your own iced coffee moment.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.