Decaf Iced Coffee
Ever wanted to enjoy your iced coffee without all the side effects of caffeine? Try out this simple recipe that lets you have your coffee and drink it too!
Ingredients
- Decaffeinated coffee beans
- Cold water
- Ice
Instructions
- Start with grinding your decaffeinated coffee beans.
- Fill your water tank to the appropriate level. If you're making a whole pot, that's about a quart of water.
- Start your coffeemaker's brew cycle and wait for it to finish.
- When the brew cycle is done, let your coffee cool down.
- Once cooled, pour the decaf coffee over ice and enjoy.
Instead of caving into the caffeine, you can make your own homemade decaf iced coffee. It’s a lot easier than you think.
Of course, it all comes down to the decaffeinated coffee bean you choose. That means picking quality coffee blends and the proper method to brew. In our case, iced coffee.
But before we dive into our decaf, let’s answer the question on most coffee drinkers’ minds.
Why Drink Decaf?
Many coffee addicts often ask themselves, what’s the point of decaf coffee? Of course, you don’t get the same jolt of energy that you enjoy, but decaf does come with many health benefits.
Decaf coffee beans are roasted just like regular coffee, so they retain all the healthy antioxidants that we’ve come to love.
In addition, decaf helps lower your risk for diabetes and your blood pressure, improves liver function, and helps you avoid the jitters.
So whether you’re cutting back or kicking the caffeine altogether, you’ll want a go-to homemade decaf iced coffee recipe.
What’s the Difference Between Iced Coffee and Cold Brew?
Both of these delicious coffee drinks are served cold, but there’s a pretty big difference between the two.
Iced coffee uses hot water to brew like regular coffee and then is cooled down and poured over ice. The drawback is that the ice can water it down and dilute the coffee. The solution: double up on your coffee grounds.
Cold-brew coffee is made using cold water and ground coffee left to steep for 12-24 hours. The longer the coffee mixture steeps, the stronger the flavors.
When it’s finished, you can strain the grounds out through a coffee filter and serve over ice. This method creates a smooth, mild coffee concentrate.
So let’s make a homemade decaf iced coffee without lots of fuss.
Let’s Make Some!
What You’re Going to Need
- Decaffeinated coffee beans
- Cold water
- Ice
Step One
Start with grinding your decaffeinated coffee beans. Coffee grounds are always best when fresh, even for decaf.
Follow your coffeemaker’s coffee-to-water ratio guidelines, or check out this chart to make the perfect cup. Then double it!
You heard me right. Remember, we want to make an extra-strong brew that will stand up to the ice.
Place the ground coffee in the coffee filter when finished.
Step Two
Fill your water tank to the appropriate level. If you’re making a whole pot, that’s about a quart of water.
Step Three
Start your coffeemaker’s brew cycle and wait for it to finish. It is that easy!
Step Four
When the brew cycle is done, let your coffee cool down. I like to transfer it to a glass pitcher and place it in the fridge for several hours.
Did you know? That sludge in the bottom of your coffee is actually an espresso concentrate. You can get rid of some of it with a finer coffee filter or stir it up and enjoy.
Step Five
Once cooled, pour the decaf coffee over ice and enjoy.
Quick Tip: You can make coffee ice cubes and use these in place of regular ice. This will prevent the dilution of your decaf iced coffee. Be sure your ice cubes are also decaffeinated.
Optional Ingredients
- Add a quarter cup of milk of your choice. You may do this directly after brewing or when you’re ready to serve.
- Sweeteners and syrups. Like the milk, You can add these at any time to your decaf ice coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant coffee granules?
Of course, you can! But you probably don’t need a coffeemaker for that.
Instead, heat some water to boiling, stir in the decaffeinated coffee granules, and let it cool. Then, when you’re ready for your cup of coffee, simply pour it over ice.
What kind of grind should I use?
You’ll want to choose a medium grind, just like you would for a regular pot of coffee. I use the Baratza Encore and set it at 20 whenever I brew my coffee hot.
What if my decaf iced coffee is too strong?
Remember that ice will dilute your decaf iced coffee. But if you still find it too strong, you can always add 1-2 parts cold water or lots of milk.
Happy Caffeinating!
Decaf Iced Coffee
Ever wanted to enjoy your iced coffee without all the side effects of caffeine? Try out this simple recipe that lets you have your coffee and drink it too!
Ingredients
- Decaffeinated coffee beans
- Cold water
- Ice
Instructions
- Start with grinding your decaffeinated coffee beans.
- Fill your water tank to the appropriate level. If you're making a whole pot, that's about a quart of water.
- Start your coffeemaker's brew cycle and wait for it to finish.
- When the brew cycle is done, let your coffee cool down.
- Once cooled, pour the decaf coffee over ice and enjoy.
