How To Grind Coffee Beans For Iced Coffee

Figuring out how to make your coffee can feel like an impossible task. Do you want to start brewing your own iced coffee or cold brew but have no idea how to grind the coffee beans? Well, we've done plenty of research into this question and have the answer for you. Let's get into it below!

The best way to grind coffee beans if you're making iced coffee is a coarser grind. Generally, the coarser/thicker your ground coffee is, the easier its filtration process will be.

Furthermore, grinding your coffee beans coarse will help them from tasting bitter, which can ruin an iced beverage.

As we begin, we will cover all things iced coffee and discuss how you should grind your beans beforehand. Whether you consider yourself a coffee expert or are just getting into drinking it, we're here to offer some guidance. With that said, let's dive right into this post!

What Grind Should I Use For Iced Coffee?

For those wanting to grind coffee beans for iced drinks, you'll want to use a coarse cold drip grind size. That should be a 9-10 out of ten grinding levels, especially if you're making cold brew.

As we covered above, the coarser your coffee, the better for iced recipes. According to Kicking Horse Coffee, grinding your beans too fine can heat them, ultimately causing them to taste bitter.

You also want to stir your freshly grounded beans in cold water to ensure they are fully saturated.

Making iced coffee can be tricky if you're doing it from scratch, so remember to choose a coarser grind setting and have a container with water available nearby.

Moreover, you may need to let your coffee sit for a few hours before adding cream, milk, or sugar to it, so keep that in mind.

What Coffee Beans Are Good For Iced Coffee?

When it comes to which coffee beans work best for ice coffee, this depends on your preference. If you like your iced coffee to taste sweet, consider a medium roast from Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, or Honduras.

On the other hand, if you prefer your drink to taste more fruity, tea-like roast, go with an Ethiopian or Kenyan roast. Regardless, you want to find full-bodied coffee to prevent bitterness.

Bean Box offers an easy-to-follow recipe on their site, which takes only ten minutes if you're using one of their roasts. For ingredients, you'll need:

• One 1.8-ounce 'Bean Box' pouch.
• Two 1/3 cups of water.
• One 1/3 cup of ice.

Of course, you don't have to use one of this brand's products to make iced coffee, but they offer various options for any coffee drinker.

Bean Box Gourmet Coffee Sampler

This coffee bundle includes four different coffee varieties, is customizable, offers a one, three, or six-month supply, and promises to be of the highest quality.

Follow this link to view it on Amazon.

Can You Make Iced Coffee With Whole Beans?

Yes! You can certainly use whole beans to make iced coffee. Generally, any coffee will work for an iced recipe, so you don't have to purchase a specialty blend.

As we mentioned earlier, you will want to find a full-body coffee, sweet or not, as this works best for cold coffee recipes. Many coffee enthusiasts recommend whole beans versus other options for iced coffee, as it will give you the freshest taste.

Furthermore, if you're making cold brew coffee, you'll want to use whole beans and let them steep for a while. Remember, you will start by making hot coffee first, and then cool it in the refrigerator or over ice.

What Coffee Beans Does Starbucks Use For Iced Coffee?

For anyone wanting to replicate a Starbucks iced coffee at home, start by using a Terraza Blend. This is the exact one that Starbucks uses in-store and is a medium roasted, pre-ground pre-packed coffee.

The brand sells this mix and specialty ones at their physical locations and online, so that may be an idea to try. There are also endless Starbucks drink recipes available on the internet, which you can follow to make your morning drink.

Other brands, like Dunkin Donuts, also sell their iced and hot coffee mixes in bags, so who's stopping you from opening your own personal store at home?

Can You Buy Pre-Made Iced Coffee?

Yes! If you want to skip following recipes and grinding coffee beans, you can purchase pre-made iced coffee. Typically, you will find these in the dairy section at the grocery and online.

Circling back to our previous section, Starbucks offers a pre-made iced coffee and cold brew that you can purchase without lifting a finger. However, your iced coffee may not taste as fresh if you get it pre-made, so that's something to think about.

On top of that, some pre-made iced coffee/cold brew products won't be as strong as a fresh roast at home, which isn't ideal if this is your morning pick-me-up.

Is It Better To Make Iced Coffee From Scratch?

In general, making something from scratch will always taste better than something pre-prepared. The same idea applies to coffee, whether it be hot or cold.

As we said, some iced coffee recipes call for you to grind your beans from scratch, which, although time-consuming, will yield a tastier product. Furthermore, purchasing a pre-made cold brew or iced coffee from the supermarket may not be as strong as a homemade option.

Additionally, you cannot customize a pre-made recipe, meaning you can't choose one roast for today and a different one for tomorrow.

Again, that's not to say one is always "better" than the other, but you will have a fresher drink if you make it from scratch at home.

How Do I Make An Iced Latte At Home?

If iced coffee isn't strong enough for you, an iced latte may be the next best option. Luckily, making an iced latte at home isn't super complicated.

According to a recipe on Starbucks' website, you'll need a few ingredients:

• One cup of ice.
• Four ounces of espresso.
• Sweetener of your choice.
• 3/4 cups of milk.

When you have everything ready, begin by:

1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Pour in your brewed espresso shot(s).
3. Pour your milk/sweetener into a mason jar (3/4 full).
4. Seal the jar and shake it well.
5. Pour the milk and foam into your glass.

One thing to note, you don't necessarily need to shake your milk and creamer/sweetener in a separate mason jar, although this will give you a more coffee-shop result.

Furthermore, you may want to cool your espresso shot in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before adding milk to it so it doesn't end up lukewarm. This all comes down to preference.

Can I Make Iced Coffee In A Keurig?

Yes! If you have a Keurig K-Elite machine, it will offer a cold drink setting. However, non Elite models don't produce ice or make cold coffee, so you need to cool your shot(s) before adding milk and sweetener.

Furthermore, many brands make iced coffee machines, so Keurig isn't the only option. A few notable devices include Terra Kaffe's TK-01 Espresso Machine, Ninja's Dualbrew Coffee Maker, and Mr. Coffee's Ice Coffee Maker.

You can also technically make iced coffee with any machine if you don't mind waiting for it to chill, so don't feel like you need to make an extra purchase.

If you're in the market for a new coffee appliance, we recommend finding one with hot and cold capabilities, which ties everything into one.

Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker

This coffee maker has a hot and iced setting, brews multiple cup sizes, has a strong brew button, and comes in various colors.

See this Keurig on Amazon.

How Long Does Homemade Iced Coffee Last?

Typically, iced coffee will stay fresh in the refrigerator for one week. However, you won't have the same flavor after a few days as your coffee starts to lose its strength.

On top of that, you can reheat refrigerated coffee if you prefer, but again, it may be blander than usual. Ideally, you want to brew enough coffee for 1-2 days and then make more when you're ready.

On the other hand, cold-brew is said to last up to two weeks if refrigerated, so if you prefer something long-term, that might be your best bet.

How Do I Know If My Iced Coffee Is Bad?

If it's been a while and your iced coffee has an odd taste, it's gone bad. Generally, the first and most apparent sign of spoiled iced coffee is a change in flavor.

You may describe this change as stale, bitter, or even sour. Additionally, expired iced coffee will have a change in smell. This isn't as easy to figure out as taste, but if your coffee smells unusual, don't drink it.

Furthermore, old iced coffee won't give you the boost it usually does. That is because it loses caffeine the longer it sits in the fridge, ultimately deeming it useless.

To Tie Everything Together

Knowing your grind settings is essential whether you love making iced coffee at home or want to try doing it. From what we found, you want to have your coffee grounds be coarse for iced drinks.

The coarser your coffee is, the better it will taste, so having it be too fine isn't a good thing. Additionally, iced coffee will need to steep for a bit before it's ready, so patience is key.

Regardless of your coffee knowledge, remember to use a full-body coffee for your recipe, and don't be afraid to experiment with different bean varieties.

Made it to the end? Check out these helpful related coffee posts below!

Bold Setting On Coffee Maker: What Does That Do?

What Kind Of Coffee To Use For Espresso Machine?

Can Coffee Be Too Fine For An Espresso Machine?