Iced Coffee Cold Brew Coffee Making Methods & Should You Add Ice Before or After Cold Brew?

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In January, while other provinces are still experiencing heavy snow, Guangdong has already entered the rhythm of spring. The weather begins to warm up, plants start to bloom, and friends who enjoy hot pour-over coffee begin to crave iced pour-over coffee! In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss two methods of brewing iced pour-over coffee, exploring the differences between adding ice cubes first for pour-over extraction versus adding ice cubes after the pour-over extraction.

For this comparison, FrontStreet Coffee uses Ethiopian natural processed red cherry coffee beans to brew iced pour-over using both methods.

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Natural Red Cherry Coffee Beans

Origin: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Estate: Aletaland Estate

Altitude: 1700-2200m

Variety: Ethiopian Indigenous Varieties

Processing: Natural Processing

FrontStreet Coffee uses the Hario V60 dripper for this iced pour-over comparison.

Compared to the straight water flow path of drippers like Kono, the spiral rib design of the Hario V60 significantly extends the water's path. The raised spiral grooves not only prolong the contact time between coffee grounds and water but also allow the water level to concentrate toward the center of the dripper as it descends, creating pressure on the coffee grounds through the gravity of water flow, resulting in higher layer complexity.

Iced Pour-over Water Temperature

Lower water temperatures only extract acidity, lacking body richness, while higher temperatures easily lead to over-extraction, resulting in bitterness. This Ethiopian natural red cherry from FrontStreet Coffee has high sweetness. To better extract sweet substances, FrontStreet Coffee uses 91°C water for this brewing comparison. This temperature is suitable for brewing light to medium roast coffee beans, while medium-dark roast brewing temperatures are recommended at 89°C.

Iced Pour-over Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Because ice cubes are needed for dilution, FrontStreet Coffee uses a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio plus 100g of ice cubes for brewing iced pour-over, using 15g of coffee grounds.

Iced Pour-over Grind Size

According to SCAA cupping standards, the cupping grind size should have a 70-75% pass rate through a #20 standard sieve. FrontStreet Coffee typically uses a grind size of 75-80% for hot pour-over of light roast coffee, while medium-dark roast uses 70-75%. For iced pour-over, light to medium roast generally uses 80%, and medium-dark roast uses 75%.

Iced Pour-over Brewing Method 1:

First, place 100g of ice cubes in the server. Then, without preheating the dripper or wetting the filter paper, directly pour coffee grounds into the filter paper-lined dripper. Add 30g of hot water to fully saturate the coffee grounds in a burger shape and wait for 30 seconds, then proceed with the second extraction. Pour water in circles from center to outward, keeping the water flow stable and vertical. When the water stream hits the coffee grounds, foam will appear. This brewing stage allows the coffee foam to release and spread across the entire surface of the grounds. Raise the liquid level to the base of the short ribs. This stage's water volume should reach 90g, with the timer at 50 seconds.

When the water level drops to 1/2 of the grounds layer, proceed with the third water addition. This stage also involves pouring from center to outward in a "smelling" motion until reaching 150g. The original dark brown foam transforms into light yellow coffee foam, with the liquid level returning to the same height as the second stage. Once all coffee liquid has flowed into the server, remove the dripper and end extraction at 1 minute 40 seconds. After extraction is complete, thoroughly stir the coffee liquid and ice cubes in the server before tasting.

Iced Pour-over Method 1 Flavor Profile:

Slight berry acidity, almond-like nutty flavors, smooth mouthfeel, honey-like aftertaste, overall lacking layer complexity, feeling flat.

Iced Pour-over Brewing Method 2:

Preheat the dripper and server, and wet the filter paper. Pour coffee grounds into the preheated, filter paper-lined dripper. Add 30g of hot water to fully saturate the coffee grounds in a burger shape and wait for 30 seconds, then proceed with the second extraction. Pour water in circles from center to outward, keeping the water flow stable and vertical. When the water stream hits the coffee grounds, foam will appear. This brewing stage allows the coffee foam to release and spread across the entire surface of the grounds. Raise the liquid level to the base of the short ribs. This stage's water volume should reach 90g, with the timer at 50 seconds.

When the water level drops to 1/2 of the grounds layer, proceed with the third water addition. This stage also involves pouring from center to outward in a "smelling" motion until reaching 150g. The original dark brown foam transforms into light yellow coffee foam, with the liquid level returning to the same height as the second stage. Once all coffee liquid has flowed into the server, remove the dripper and end extraction at 1 minute 40 seconds. Take a second server, add ice cubes to pre-cool thoroughly, then pour out the ice cubes. Add 100g of ice cubes again, shake the first server of coffee liquid evenly, then pour into the second server with ice cubes for stirring. Mix thoroughly with ice cubes before tasting.

Iced Pour-over Method 2 Flavor Profile:

Rich berry juice-like quality, prominent acidity, smooth mouthfeel, honey-like sweetness flows through the mouth, overall rich in layer complexity.

Why is there such a big difference in flavor between iced pour-over coffee with ice added first versus ice added later?

Earlier, FrontStreet Coffee emphasized when discussing the V60 dripper that its design creates coffee with higher layer complexity, meaning each drip extracts different flavor molecules. For example, the first stage "wakes up" the flavor molecules, the second stage mainly extracts acidity and sweetness, while the third stage extracts rich body substances.

If ice is added first, regardless of which stage's extraction drips onto the ice surface, it will be immediately diluted, unable to achieve a clearly layered state. However, when coffee liquid undergoes complete extraction at uniform temperature and is then shaken until fully uniform before being poured into ice cubes for dilution, this ensures that all coffee molecules evenly contact the ice cubes, better showcasing the advantages of each flavor molecule.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473