Many people often wonder what the actual difference between an iced Americano and an iced coffee is.
And it’s perfectly normal to wonder that!
The taste, preparation and look is quite similar, so why wouldn’t we all wonder what the actual differences are?
So in this article we are going to break down the iced Americano vs iced coffee discussion, and talk about what each one is, how to make them at home, and what you can add to make them even more delicious!
What Is An Iced Americano?
In the simplest form, an iced Americano is pretty much as the name suggests, a normal Americano but made with cold water and ice cubes.
You make it by starting off with two shots of espresso, then adding in cold filtered water and as much ice as desired.
The normal Americano we all love to drink is made by adding hot water to two shots of espresso.
With an iced Americano, you just replacing the hot water with cold water, and also adding in ice.
What Is An Iced Coffee?
Now with an iced coffee, we aren’t using espresso shots as a base onto which we pour cold water and ice.
Instead, we use a normal brewed coffee.
An example is one made using a pour over filter, drip coffee maker or even a french press.
We then take an empty glass and fill it with ice, then pour over our already made coffee.
Stir it until the ice has completely cooled down the drink.
Many people like to top off an iced coffee with a sweet syrup of their choice.
This definitely helps add some amazing sweetness to the drink!
Iced Americano vs Iced Coffee
As you can see below, there are many things which an iced Americano and an iced coffee have in common.
The key difference being the use of espresso shots in an iced Americano, whereas an iced coffee only requires any normal brewed coffee.
So in order to make the perfect Iced Americano, you do need to have an espresso machine at home.
Although a percolator is perfectly fine, too.
How To Quickly Make A Homemade Iced Americano
Making an iced Americano is so damn simple.
You only need the following:
- An espresso machine or a percolator
- Cold, filtered water
- Iced cubes
- A glass to serve the coffee in
Make two shots of espresso.
Add two shots of the delicious espresso into your ice filled glass.
Then pour over the cold, filtered water.
And that’s that, your iced Americano is done!
How To Make An Iced Coffee
The big difference here is the missing espresso shots.
For making an iced coffee, you’ll need the following:
- One cup of brewed coffee
- Ice cubes
Brew your cup of coffee the way you usually do every morning.
Take a glass and fill it with ice cubes.
Then pour over your brewed coffee.
Your iced coffee is done!
You can let you coffee sit and cool down a bit before pouring over the ice.
Things To Add To Make Your Drink Even Better
Now you really could add anything you really want to your iced coffee or iced Americano.
Below are a few delicious things you could add to your drink to make it even more tasty.
Just remember that sugar should be added to the coffee whilst it is still hot, as this helps dissolve it properly.
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Caramel
- Vanilla syrup
- Plain syrup
Many people think you can only add honey to a hot, herbal tea.
But it is a healthier alternative to coffee or syrup, and tastes amazing!
Caffeine Content: Is There A Difference?
We often get asked what the caffeine content difference is between an iced Americano and an iced coffee.
The average shot of espresso contains roughly 64mg of caffeine, whilst the average cup of normally brewed coffee contains roughly 96mg of caffeine.
So an iced Americano contains two shots of espresso, which equates to about 128mg of caffeine.
So it is safe to say that an Americano definitely has more caffeine in it that a normal coffee.
Conclusion
All in all, whether you prefer to drink an iced Americano or an iced coffee is completely up to you.
As we said before, making an iced coffee is most definitely easier.
This is simply due to the fact that most of us having the ability to make a normal cup of brewed coffee at home.
But if you have an espresso machine, then get the Americano coffee going!
Either way, having an iced version of coffee is really awesome during the hot, summer months.
If you enjoyed this article, then make sure to check out a few more below:
What Is A Flat White? Flat White Vs Cappuccino
What Is Espresso? What’s The Difference Between Espresso & Coffee?
Interesting Facts About Coffee You Definitely Never Even Knew
