How To Make Iced Americano? [Easy Steps To Follow]
Having the same kind of coffee becomes monotonous and tedious, especially when you crave a refreshing iced coffee drink rather than hot coffee.
So how about a classic iced Americano?
An Iced Americano, as the name implies, is a cold version of your favorite American classic. It is one of the refreshing drinks with the perfect balance of bold and bitter notes.
While you may think you have to run to a coffee shop for a great-tasting cold brew, you can make your favorite drink at home!
Just using espresso, water, and ice, this recipe reveals the authentic flavor of coffee without adding milk or sugar. Read on to learn the easiest iced Americano recipe!
What is an Iced Americano?
Americanos are traditionally made by diluting shots of espresso with hot water. Alternatively, iced americanos are the iced version made by pouring espresso over ice and then topping it with cold water.
Using just three simple ingredients, ice, espresso, and water, you get a rich, cold coffee drink with a light crema, which is an excellent way to boost your caffeine intake.
Your coffee drink shouldn’t taste weak or watery, so our guide below will tell you everything about the recipe, tips for the right texture, and how you can sweeten it for the most pleasing taste.
Equipment Required to Make an Iced Americano
To Make an iced americano, all you need is a:
- A Nespresso Espresso Machine or Moka pot
- A Tall Recipe Glass
- Ice Tray
1. A Nespresso Machine or Moka Pot
A Nespresso Machine is the go-to brewer for coffee lovers who want their drink ready within minutes without much effort or time. Any espresso machine works well for making espresso-based drinks.
On the other hand, you can also use a Moka Pot for brewing espresso on a stovetop. Add ground coffee to the pot and let it heat for three minutes. Once it starts flowing in the top chamber, pour it into espresso cups.
Our Recommendation:
Nespresso Essenza Mini
The Essenza mini is popular for espresso-based drinks among the original line machines. This Nespresso machine is the smallest but packs a punch. It makes espresso coffee as good as any other Nespresso machine.
2. A Tall Recipe Glass
Your Iced Americano will have lots and lots of ice, with water and espresso shots, so make sure you use a tall recipe glass and not a tiny coffee cup. It should almost have a capacity of 130 ml.
3. Ice Tray
It depends on what type of ice you use for your drink. An ice tray would be convenient for preparing ice cubes to add to your iced Americano.
Ingredients Required to Make an Iced Americano
The only ingredients you require for your refreshing iced American are:
- Espresso Shots (60 ml)
- Cold Water (60 ml)
- Ice Cubes
- Sweetener (optional)
Espresso Shots
An iced americano consists of two espresso shots. You can choose any flavor, from light to medium to dark roasted ground coffee.
Our Recommendation
Kazaar
The Kazaar coffee pod will work best for an iced americano if you are using Nespresso Original machine. Its intense flavor and audacious bitterness make coffee with extraordinary intensity.
Cold Water
As Iced Americano consists of equal parts water and espresso, you must use the correct type of water for better taste and texture.
Our Recommendation
We highly recommend adding cold water to make your drink because warm or room temperature water will melt the ice faster, and the drink will end up tasting watery and bland.
Also, it’s always a good idea to use cold bottled or filtered water for better results.
Ice Cubes
What’s an iced americano without ice cubes? You will need to fill the glass with a lot of ice to make the drink true to its name. Your iced Americano must taste good but must also be chilled for you to indulge.
Sweetener (optional)
Iced Americano is usually enjoyed with our extra sweeteners, but If you dont like a strong coffee taste, you can always sweeten up your drinks with some condiments. Add sugar, honey, or caramel syrup to top off your iced Americano.
How to Make Iced Americano: A step by step Process
without further ado, let’s jump into the recipe for making the best iced Americano of your life. For that, follow these steps:
- Use your coffee machine to brew two espresso shots with your favorite Nespresso pods.
- After brewing, let your espresso shots sit for a few minutes till they reach room temperature.
- Now, fill your recipe glass with ice cubes. Enough to fill the glass halfway or a little more than that.
- Next, pour in the espresso shots after they cool down.
- Pour cold tap water. You can also add sweetener at this point.
- Stir it and enjoy your delicious coffee before the ice melts!
What is the prep time for making Iced Americano?
The Prep time for making iced Americano is 10 Minutes
Things to Consider while making Iced Americano
To further enhance your experience of making an iced americano at home, we have come up with a few expert tips:
- You can make a ristretto as a base for your iced Americano instead of an espresso. It has a more subtle and sweet taste compared to an espresso shot.
- If you prefer thicker and richer crema on the top, try adding cold water first into your glass, followed by the ice cubes and espresso shots.
- If your homemade iced Americano tastes weak and water downs quickly, you can make espresso coffee cubes to add to the drink instead of regular ice.
- We recommend dark to medium roasted coffee pods for making iced Americano because when combined with water and ice, its taste wears down, bringing the perfect balance to the drink.
Iced Americano: Serving Tips
Once you have made the perfect iced Americano with our recipe, we have some serving tips to help you enjoy it even better:
- If you think of adding sweetener to your drink, use syrup rather than sugar because it will mix easily without causing the ice to melt.
- If you like to have your drink with a little bit of milk, use whipping cream instead. It will give your Americano the perfect smooth taste and cater to your cravings.
- If you have company over coffee, serve your iced Americano with some cold foam to make it more delicious.
Is Americano Stronger than Iced Coffee?
Between iced Americano with iced coffee, to know which one is the stronger, we must break down its contents.
Iced Americano consists of espresso shots, cold water, and ice, while iced coffee consists of brewed coffee with ice. So, Iced Americano has more caffeine due to double espresso shots, even though it has added water.
Also, iced Americano is espresso coffee served on its own, so the flavor is diluted. In contrast, iced coffee is usually served with additional condiments like sweetening syrup, whipped cream, etc.
How Much Caffeine Does an Iced Americano Contain?
As we know, an iced americano is made with double espresso shots.
Each espresso shot comprises 68 mg of caffeine, meaning an iced americano has 136 mg of caffeine.
The caffeine content will, of course, be different if you make venti iced Americano, which has four espresso shots.
FAQs
How many calories does Iced Americano contain?
Iced americanos have negligible calories because it’s just espresso and cold water. However, if you add milk, sweetener, or cream, it would increase the calorie content of the beverage.
Can I put sugar in Iced Americano?
If you like your coffee more on the sweet side, adding sugar to iced Americano is fine as it balances the strong coffee taste. However, you should add sweet syrups because sugar doesn’t readily dissolve in cold beverages or mix sugar in hot espresso.
Can you put milk in an iced Americano?
Adding milk will spoil the authentic taste of iced Americano, but you do you. If you don’t like the bitterness of the drink, you can add a splash of milk to adjust it according to your preference.
What does an Iced Americano taste like?
An iced americano has the perfect bitterness and crispness a coffee lover would want. Due to its chilled nature, it is robust and refreshing.
What’s the difference between an Iced Latte and an Iced Americano?
Both iced Americano and latte are espresso-based coffee drinks. The difference lies in the main ingredient, “the milk.” Ice latte is ¼ parts espresso and ¾ parts milk; on the other hand, iced Americano is traditionally made with the same amount of espresso and water.
What’s the difference between Iced Americano and black coffee?
Iced Americano and black coffee may look the same but differ in caffeine content, flavors and strength. Iced Americano is a shot of espresso diluted with water, while black coffee is regular coffee without milk or sugar.
