Drinking a glass of iced coffee in hot weather certainly feels very delicious. Besides quenching your thirst, a glass of iced coffee can make you feel more energized. Iced coffee can also make you more focused at work if consumed after lunch.
Among the various types of iced coffee, Japanese iced coffee is one of the most suitable iced coffee to consume. Why is that? The reason is, iced coffee originating from Japan has a light and fresh taste. In addition, the manufacturing process is also very easy and fast. Curious about this iced coffee? Let’s talk more about it.
What is Japanese Iced Coffee?
You might be wondering what is Japanese iced coffee? What’s so special about that glass of Japanese iced coffee? As the name suggests, Japanese iced coffee comes from Japan. Unlike other cold coffee , you don’t need a coffee dripper or cold brew device to make it. With a dripper commonly used in the regular V60 pour over method, you can easily make a delicious glass of Japanese iced coffee at home.
The Japanese habit of making coffee with a hot brewing process by adding ice cubes was the beginning of Japanese iced coffee. To produce cold coffee drinks, instead of cold brewing, the Japanese brew hot coffee directly over ice cubes. That way, a cold coffee can be made more quickly.
Actually, to brew a glass of Japanese iced coffee, you can use a number of pouring devices. You can use the V60 coffee dripper, melitta coffee dripper, Kalita Wave, Chemex, and so on to make Japanese iced coffee quickly. In fact, you can also use an electric coffee maker with ice in the carafe. In any Japanese-style iced coffee making, the most important thing is that you should set the dripper on top of a container large enough to hold both the ice and the brewed coffee.
Reasons why Japanese Iced Coffee is delicious
Brewing hot drip coffee directly into ice is one of the best ways to make iced coffee and it’s very easy to do. This is the advantage of Japanese iced coffee, but it alone cannot explain why Japanese iced coffee is so good to enjoy. According to that logic of brewing hot drip coffee into ice cubes, any coffee brewed hot should be a good iced coffee when cold. However, based on Serious Eats’ testing, coffee that is brewed hot and then allowed to cool more slowly before being chilled in the fridge results in a more stale-tasting sense .
Besides being very easy and quick to make, this Japanese-style iced coffee has a fresher flavor compared to other cold iced coffee preparations. By cooling the freshly brewed coffee quickly, the flavor is brighter and cleaner.
Japanese Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew
When we talk about iced coffee or cold coffee, the discussion of Japanese iced coffee and cold brew will not be easily missed. Both are types of cold coffee that have many fans. Although both are cold coffee, Japanese iced coffee and cold brew are similar but not the same.
From some aspects, Japanese iced coffee and cold brew are two different things. The techniques used in making a glass of Japanese iced coffee and cold brew are quite different. Japanese iced coffee uses hot brewing techniques , while cold brew as the name suggests uses temperature-dependent cold brewing techniques such as steeping or drip.
As mentioned earlier, Japanese iced coffee only needs to be brewed with hot water directly over ice, so it only takes a few minutes to make. Unlike Japanese iced coffee, cold brew coffee with the steeping method takes 6 to 24 hours.
Besides having different brewing techniques and brewing times, the flavors produced by Japanese iced coffee and cold brew are also different. Japanese iced coffee is made to be served without any mixture or served straight. Hence, the flavor tends to be fresher and cleaner. Cold brew, on the other hand, tends to have a strong, round, and sweet flavor, but is low in acid. Therefore, cold brew can be mixed with dairy products such as almond milk or fresh milk.
The Key to Making Japanese Iced Coffee Easily and Quickly
To make Japanese iced coffee, the most important key is to get the ratio right. Since you will be brewing coffee with ice that will melt and dilute the beverage, you need to calculate the ratio of coffee to water by brewing double the amount of coffee and cooling it with enough ice so that the final taste can be to your liking.
The easiest way to make easy, quick and delicious Japanese-style iced coffee is to use a scale. The water ratio in making Japanese iced coffee is half replaced with ice cubes. This is so that the flavor of the coffee remains even after the ice cubes have melted.
Conclusion
Japanese iced coffee is a type of cold coffee that can be enjoyed quickly and easily with the help of tools that can be found in general hot brewing coffee. Japanese iced coffee is made by brewing hot coffee directly over ice cubes. That way, a glass of iced coffee can be served more quickly.
Japanese iced coffee and cold brew are similar but not the same. While Japanesed iced coffee is a solution for you to enjoy iced coffee in a very short time, cold brew gives you the sensation of iced coffee enjoyment that requires patience. Apart from time, the brewing techniques and flavors are also very different.
To make a good Japanese iced coffee, the ratio is a very important thing for you to pay attention to. The reason is, in order for the coffee flavor to survive, the amount of water and ice cubes that will melt must be balanced. For ease, you can replace half the amount of water to brew a glass of Japanese iced coffee with ice cubes. So, what are you waiting for? If you’re looking for a fresh and delicious iced coffee, don’t miss out on trying Japanese iced coffee!
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