Three Great Coffee Drinks for the Summer

It’s getting hot. And, as the temperature rises, we often want to drink something cold. Iced coffee or cold brew coffee is often the go-to drink for the cold coffee lover, but there are other great cold coffee recipes out there perfect for the summer months, so we thought we’d bring you our top three:

Iced Latte

Some popular high-street coffee chains (you know, like the one that started in Seattle) will sell you an iced latte for upwards of £3. But here’s a great copycat recipe for your cooling down pleasure:

• Use of cold brew method OR make an espresso (the espresso method will be more acidic) and leave to cool and preferably refrigerate.
• Add milk or a milk substitute of your choice (we found that oat or pea milk is best for all the none dairy folk out there)
• Add Ice (2-3 cubes will suffice) and a sweetener of your choice (if you like it like that). 

Simple. And this will cost you pence and not pounds which is essential in these times.

Frappe:

‘Frappe’ is the French word for ‘beaten’. Recipes for this popular summer coffee drink vary from country to country but the common theme running through them all is crushed (or beaten) ice. Here’s a recipe that we think will suit most tastes:

• Like the iced latte start by brewing your coffee using the cold brew or Espresso method, as preferred and then put it in the fridge (overnight, preferably for cold brew or an hour or two for Espresso).
• Blend your coffee with 2-3 cubes of ice in a blender so it resembles a slush puppy consistency. Add some milk, milk alternative (if in doubt, try pea for its lactose-like qualities) and some extract/sweetener if that’s your thing. 

Hey presto, there’s your frappe. Plastic cup and straw are optional and make sure to tip yourself a fiver for being such a good barista.

Iced Coffe

The classic cold coffee. Use the espresso machine or cold brew method, as preferred. Add ice - simple. And, if you like, you can spice up your coffee in different ways:

• Coffee Tonic - simply add your cold brew or iced espresso to tonic water with loads of ice for a nice non-alcoholic cocktail.
• Thai Iced Coffee - simply add cardamon pods for an oriental kick.
• Cafe Affogato - ‘Affogato’ literally means ‘drowned’ in Italian. Simply add your iced espresso to your favourite ice cream for an indulgent, coffee-based summer desert.

There is no dark art or great secret to creating a great iced coffee. No special equipment is required, just your favourite coffee served cold with loads of ice and any twist you want to put on it will generally work.

What's your favourite cold coffee drink?