Cold Brew:
“Cold brew can taste very sweet and round (meaning little to no acidity), which is an effect of being brewed without heat. It's full-bodied, thick and concentrated,” explains Leonti. For what it’s worth, both Leonti and Dubitsky agree that cold brew is a decidedly smoother operator than your average iced coffee.
Iced Coffee:
When you’re ordering an iced coffee, it’s brewed hot and then poured over ice, resulting in a more pronounced classic coffee flavor profile,” says Dubitsky. What is this classic coffee flavor profile, you ask? Leonti describes iced coffee as often having a “stale [flavor that] tends to highlight roast character,” adding that you can “often detect acidity and a bitter aftertaste, though the body is light.”
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee: How Much Caffeine They Have
The experts tell me that cold brew has a higher caffeine content than iced coffee, particularly the kind that you buy at your local cafe or in a can. This is due to the longer extraction time and higher concentration. (For reference, a tall iced coffee at Starbucks, for example, has 135 mg of caffeine, whereas the same size cold brew at the chain contains 155 mg.) That said, when making cold brew at home, you have the freedom to dilute it however you see fit, so you can adjust the concentration (and therefore the caffeine content) to your preference.
So, Should You Drink Cold Brew or Iced Coffee?
I think most coffee connoisseurs will agree that cold brew is the preferable option, but ultimately that depends on your personal needs and preferences. Are you sensitive to caffeine? If so, regular iced coffee is a better choice. Are you short on time and making a home brew? Again, iced coffee is for you. Do you prize smooth, robust flavor and low acidity above all else? Cold brew it is.
Bottom line: Acquaint yourself with the distinctions as they’re described above, and find the pick-me-up that you prefer.