Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee: What's the Difference?

With summer approaching, the eternal debate returns: cold brew or iced coffee? While they might look similar in the glass, these two drinks are fundamentally different in preparation, flavour profile, and even caffeine content.

Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is simply hot-brewed coffee served over ice. It's quick, it's easy, and it retains all the bright acidity and nuanced flavours of hot coffee — just in a refreshing cold format.

Pros: Quick to make, brighter flavour, more acidity Cons: Can taste watered down as ice melts, more bitter

Cold Brew

Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold or room-temperature water for 12-24 hours. The extended extraction time at low temperature produces a concentrate that's smooth, sweet, and remarkably low in acidity.

Pros: Smoother, sweeter, less acidic, makes a concentrate that lasts Cons: Requires planning ahead, can taste flat to some palates

The Caffeine Question

Cold brew concentrate typically has more caffeine than iced coffee, but most people dilute it with water or milk, so the final caffeine content is often similar. A typical 350ml cold brew has about 200mg of caffeine, while the same size iced coffee has about 165mg.

Our Recommendation

For cold brew, use our Brazilian Santos — its low acidity and nutty sweetness shine in cold extraction. For iced coffee, try our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe — its bright, citrusy character is gorgeous over ice.