Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee: What’s the Difference?

When things get hot, there’s no beating a chilled, caffeinated drink. But while there’s no question of what temperature we want our morning cup of joe (frosty), does it matter if we choose cold brew or the iced stuff? And why is one so much more expensive than the other? In other words, cold brew vs. iced coffee—what’s the difference?! I spoke to two coffee experts to find out, and let’s just say there’s plenty of nuance.

For starters, Leonti told me that “cold brew is the gateway drug to specialty coffee,” which certainly sounds intriguing. But if you’re wanting to know more about what that means, exactly, I can spill the beans (sorry, had to). Spoiler: it all comes down to brew methods and flavor.

• Craig Dubitsky is the co-founder & CEO of happy®, a lifestyle brand dedicated to bringing joy back into the everyday—starting with coffee. As an entrepreneur, he focuses on transforming everyday commodities into must-have essentials. This has led him to develop his coffee expertise through in-depth, hands-on study and close collaboration with his internal team of experts.
• Jake Leonti is the Director of Coffee at Gregorys Coffee. He brings over two decades of expertise spanning barista training, roastin, and green coffee importing. With a career that includes leadership roles at La Colombe and Coffee of Grace, Jake has trained thousands of baristas, judged prestigious coffee competitions, and developed innovative cold brew programs on a global scale. He is also the host of the Food + Beverage Therapy podcast, where he continues to shape the industry through education and storytelling. 

Cold Brew:

“Cold brew has evolved a bit over the last 25 years, so there are a number of ways to get the same result,” says Leonti. Still, here’s the basic process, according to the expert: 

“At a ratio of about 1:5.6 (coffee to water), use coarsely ground coffee (as in, French press course). Put the grounds in a large paper filter. Put that filter into a larger nylon strainer (to ensure you are keeping the fines out of the beverage). Fill your brewing vessel with water and fully submerge your grounds in the room-temperature water bath. We recommend massaging the grinds to ensure they are fully saturated in the water. Then allow the grinds to soak for 12-24 hours, depending on taste preference. The longer you soak, the more you extract, which is not always a good thing. 

Once you have reached the desired time, remove the grinds from the solution and strain the grinds, as they will hold a lot of your brew. 

Once strained, dilute your concentrate by adding an equal amount of water as there is concentrate, creating a 1:1 mix. If you have the luxury of using a refractometer, I would mix it down to 1.8 - 2.0 TDS (total dissolved solids) and serve over ice.”

Personally, if I endeavor to make cold brew, I don’t think I will invest in a refractometer—even the name intimidates me—but if you really want to geek out with your coffee routine, more power to you.

Iced Coffee:

Per Dubitsky, the instructions for brewing iced coffee are very straightforward:

• Brew coffee: Brew your coffee using your preferred method (drip, pour-over, French press).
• Cool slightly: Allow the brewed coffee to cool for a short time, preferably to room temperature, but that’s a matter of preference, depending on how diluted you want your coffee to be. (Also feel free to expedite this process with a stint in the fridge or freezer.)
• Pour over ice: Fill a glass with ice and pour the brewed coffee over it for rapid cooling.
• Add flavorings (optional): Customize your iced coffee with milk, cream and/or sweeteners to taste.

Leonti notes that the brewing process is also important, since the longer you brew the coffee in hot water, the more you extract. The takeaway? “For an ideal brew, you want to be done extracting in less than six minutes.”