The short answer
Cold brew and iced coffee are both cold, but they are made differently. Cold brew steeps coarse grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, making a smooth, low-acidity concentrate. Iced coffee is brewed hot then chilled over ice, so it is brighter and quicker to make. Choose smoothness or speed.
Interactive · Cold brew vs iced coffee
Smooth and mellow
How it's made
Coarse grounds steeped in cold water
Time
12 to 24 hours
Flavour
Smooth, rounded, chocolatey
Acidity
Low
Best for
Planning ahead, sensitive palates
Two cold methods
People often use the names interchangeably, but cold brew and iced coffee are genuinely different drinks. The difference is time and temperature, and it changes everything about how each one tastes.
How to make each
- Cold brew: combine coarse grounds with cold water at about a 1 to 8 ratio, steep 12 to 24 hours in the fridge, then strain. The result is a concentrate you dilute to taste.
- Iced coffee: brew coffee hot as usual, ideally a little stronger to allow for melting ice, then pour it straight over a full glass of ice to chill quickly.
Which to choose
Reach for cold brew when you want something smooth, mellow and low in acidity, and you can plan ahead. Reach for iced coffee when you want it now, with brighter, more familiar coffee flavour. Both reward good beans and clean water.
Make either at home, or grab one cold from us.