Iced Pour-Over Coffee Ratio: Perfect Iced Black Coffee Measurements, Grind Size, and Water Temperature Recommendations

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Introduction

Sunny weather, chirping cicadas and birds - with summer's arrival, iced coffee naturally becomes the favorite among coffee enthusiasts. "How should I brew iced pour-over coffee to make it taste great!" has become the most discussed topic among FrontStreet Coffee's baristas recently. What is the appropriate coffee-to-water ratio for brewing iced pour-over? How much ice should be added after brewing? This article will reveal the answers through experiments.

Iced Pour-Over Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee's daily offerings use the Japanese iced pour-over method, which involves adding ice cubes to cool the coffee after brewing with hot water. The melting process of ice cubes not only lowers the coffee's temperature but also reduces the concentration of the coffee liquid. Therefore, when preparing iced pour-over coffee, FrontStreet Coffee reduces the coffee-to-water ratio to increase the concentration of the extracted coffee liquid.

Experimental Comparison

For this experiment, FrontStreet Coffee used Ethiopian Guji coffee beans as the test subject. By comparing different coffee-to-water ratios diluted with the same amount of ice, we examined how flavor profiles differ when various concentrations are mixed with equal ice quantities.

Brewing Parameters

V60 #01 dripper, 0.85mm sieve with 75% pass-through rate (approximately coarse sugar granularity), three-stage pouring method, 90°C water temperature, 15g coffee grounds, 100g ice cubes. Group A: 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio; Group B: 1:13 coffee-to-water ratio; Group C: 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio.

Group A | 1:10 Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Brewing method: First add 100g ice cubes to the serving pot before starting to brew. 30g water for 30-second bloom, second pour to 90g, wait until liquid level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed before starting the third pour to 150g. Total extraction time: 1'39", with total coffee liquid weight of 225g in the pot.

Group A Flavor: Distinct berry fruit acidity and sweetness, rose jam, black tea, full-bodied texture, noticeable sweetness.

Group B | 1:13 Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Brewing method: First add 100g ice cubes to the serving pot before starting to brew. 30g water for 30-second bloom, second pour to 110g, wait until liquid level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed before starting the third pour to 195g. Total extraction time: 1'55", with total coffee liquid weight of 270g in the pot.

Group B Flavor: Citrus acidity, nectarine, black tea, smooth texture.

Group C | 1:15 Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Brewing method: First add 100g ice cubes to the serving pot before starting to brew. 30g water for 30-second bloom, second pour to 125g, wait until liquid level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed before starting the third pour to 225g. Total extraction time: 2'20", with total coffee liquid weight of 300g in the pot.

Group C Flavor: Citrus acidity, smooth texture, overall flat profile.

Experimental Results

Among the three experimental groups, in terms of coffee-to-water ratio, Group A (1:10) produced 125g of coffee liquid, resulting in a final coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 after ice dilution; Group B (1:13) produced 170g of coffee liquid, resulting in a final coffee-to-water ratio of 1:18 after ice dilution; Group C (1:15) produced 200g of coffee liquid, resulting in a final coffee-to-water ratio of 1:20 after ice dilution.

In terms of ice-to-coffee ratio, Group A had a ratio of 1:1.25; Group B had a ratio of 1:1.7; Group C had a ratio of 1:2. In terms of temperature, only Group A still had unmelted ice cubes after brewing completion, indicating that Group A had the lowest temperature. In contrast, the ice cubes in Groups B and C had completely melted after brewing, and the coffee even felt warm to the touch.

In terms of flavor, due to the higher coffee concentration in Group A, after ice dilution, the acidity and sweetness were more pronounced, and the texture was fuller, able to express the berry fruit juice flavor characteristics of Guji coffee beans. Even after complete melting of ice cubes, the flavors remained layered. Group B was overall more balanced, with less pronounced flavor and richness compared to Group A, but not as thin as Group C.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommendations

For iced pour-over coffee grind size, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using 0.85mm sieve with 75% pass-through rate. If you prefer rich and layered flavors, you can use a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:10 and ice-to-coffee ratio of 1:1.25 to make iced pour-over coffee; if you prefer balanced flavors or don't need it too cold, you can use a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:13 and ice-to-coffee ratio of 1:7 to make iced pour-over coffee. This experiment serves as a reference for everyone - you can make appropriate parameter adjustments according to your own taste preferences.

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

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