If you aren’t a coffeeholic and have a keen understanding of coffee, you may sometimes get confused when ordering at a cafe because there are a variety of coffee drinks out there. In other words, you are interested in buying iced coffee and an iced latte, but you cannot tell them apart.
Although they are both iced drinks with coffee flavor, there are some critical difference between iced coffee and iced latte. Let’s uncover how they differ and which one would be your favorite!
Contents
2 Main Differences Between Iced Coffee And Iced Latte
As mentioned above, iced coffee and iced latte are completely the two coffee drinks. When comparing iced coffee vs. iced latte, you may find a few similarities, but the ingredients used and how they are prepared are what make each beverage different from the other.
First, to make an iced latte, you will need some steamed milk, espresso coffee, and foam, while iced coffee is made using regular brewed coffee poured over ice in a glass. As can be seen, the two coffee drinks are made with different ingredients.
Coffee to milk ratio
Besides, the ratio of coffee to milk in each drink is the fundamental variation between them. Iced coffee contains little to no milk, whereas an iced latte includes a large amount of milk. You can also add milk to iced coffee if you want, but there isn’t typically enough room for lots. If you want it sweetened, ask for sugar before your coffee is poured over ice, as this will boost sugar melt faster. Iced latte is more sweetened because it is mixed with lots of milk, creamer, or sometimes condensed milk.
In terms of coffee, an iced latte has a shot of espresso, whereas iced coffee only contains brewed coffee. As an iced latte has more milk than coffee, it will not be a strong-tasting coffee. While iced coffee can contain a small amount of milk, it isn’t nearly as much as a latte. A latte has a 1:8 coffee to milk ratio, which means it’s more of a coffee-flavored milk drink than the other way around.
Preparation methods
Besides the milk content, how the two are prepared also makes them different. To prepare an iced latte with milk, you must steam and forth before topping it off with foam. Meanwhile, you just need coffee and water to brew a strong pot of coffee.
Accordingly, you must prepare not only espresso coffee but also froth milk, whether you create a latte with or without an espresso machine. Iced coffee can be made in two ways: a pour-over or freezing your brewed coffee and pouring it into an ice-filled glass.
How To Make An Iced Latte?
In Italian, “caffe latte” means coffee with milk. An iced latte is simply milk combined with espresso and served in a glass with ice. The components of this beverage include one part espresso, three parts steamed milk, and a layer of milk froth on top, maybe with latte art.
If you are at home and craving a cup of iced latte, it’s easy to prepare one for yourself. To make an iced latte, you have to prepare the following components:
- Espresso shot
- Cold milk
- Ice
To make an iced latte, the first step is using an espresso machine to draw a shot of espresso. If you create an iced latte for the first time, start with a small amount of espresso and work your way up to the intensity you desire.
Next, you can choose what milk you would use for your iced latte cup. You can select any type of milk, including whole or skim cow’s milk, coconut, soy, or almond milk.
Then, you should fill the glass with ice. Pour the chilled milk over the ice cubes until the glass is ¾ full. You can also use steamed milk if you wish. After that, it’s time to add the espresso shots you just prepared into the glass.
Finally, give everything a good stir, and your iced latte is ready! Before pouring over the ice-cold milk, add your favorite sweetener, just like you would with iced coffee. Adding vanilla essence to the milk is another way to improve the flavor of your latte.
Moreover, you can prepare an iced latte even if you don’t have an espresso machine at home. For example, a Moka pot or Aeropress can be used in place of an espresso machine, or a French press can be used to create a concentrated coffee.
Below is the video that Roasty Coffee showed you how to make an iced latte with a simple twist:
Related post: Best Nespresso Machine For Latte (2021 Complete Buying Guide)
How To Make Iced Coffee?
Iced coffee is a strong coffee flavor drink that helps to refresh your mind and make you feel concentrated on your work or study. In addition, its high ratio of caffeine can act as a treatment for your tiredness and restore mental alertness.
A cup of iced coffee is just simply coffee and water mixed with some ice cubes.
The answer to making a great iced coffee is to create a stronger pot of coffee because the ice will easily water it down. A stronger coffee can be made by using more coffee per water; however, because iced coffee does not typically include espresso, the strength of an iced coffee will be less than that of a latte.
Fortunately, making iced coffee is pretty easy; you just have to prepare water and coffee. Thus, there are two different methods to prepare. It’s possible to prepare it as a pour-over, or you can also make a regular pot of coffee and store it in the refrigerator to cool it down.
If making iced coffee by pour-over method does not sound appealing to you, here is a simple recipe that you can follow to create a refreshing iced coffee at home quickly.
First, brew coffee in your coffee pot and let it cool down by putting it in your refrigerator before adding it to the ice. If not, the ice cubes would dissolve very instantly, resulting in a very diluted iced coffee – not what we want to drink. The recommended brewing tools for your tasty coffee include a French press, a Keurig, a drip coffee maker, or Chemex. Next, you can add some sugar or sweeteners as your preference, then stir and enjoy!
If you pour ice into the coffee immediately after brewing due to your lack of time or other factors, you should use coffee ice cubes instead. This just involves freezing coffee we just made in ice cube trays for a few hours, and now, you can use flavored coffee ice cubes.
That’s how people usually make the two. Can you see some difference between an iced latte and iced coffee now?
Further reading: Can You Use Evaporated Milk In Coffee?
FAQs
Does an iced coffee or iced latte have more caffeine?
If you’re concerned about the negative consequences of taking in too much coffee, you would like to know which of the two drinks when comparing an iced latte with iced coffee. However, the answers will depend on several factors that could affect the amount of caffeine in the beverage. They would include serving size and brewing methods used.
In terms of serving size, a single shot of espresso has around 40mng of caffeine per ounce. A brewed cup of coffee, on the other hand, has roughly 10 mg of caffeine per ounce. So, by concentration, it’s clear that espresso has higher caffeine. However, because an iced latte only contains a small amount of espresso, it may contain less caffeine than a cup of iced coffee.
The type of coffee roasts used will also influence the caffeine content. For example, darker coffee roasts have less caffeine than lighter roasts, so use them for espresso. The same may be said about the coffee roasts used to make iced coffee.
In addition, the amount of time spent brewing is also essential. The longer time you brew your coffee, the higher amount of caffeine there will be. This means that if you use a coffee drip to brew coffee (which takes around 5 minutes), the finished product will be high in caffeine. As a result, it all depends on the materials used, the brewing technique, and the brewing time.
The brewing techniques that you use will result in a difference in the amount of caffeine. When calculating the amount of caffeine in one cup (0.24l), the number will be 223mg, 185mg, 172mg if you use a French press, Hario V60, and Chemex, respectively.
Is an iced latte sweeter than iced coffee?
While you can add some milk to your iced coffee if you like, it’s nowhere near as much as it is in an iced latte. An iced latte typically has a 1:8 coffee to milk ratio, which means it’s more of a coffee-flavored milk drink than iced coffee.
As a result, it’s common for people to find iced latte sweeter than iced coffee. This could be due to the type of milk or creamer used, as some places or individuals, such as the Vietnamese, prefer to use condensed milk instead of fresh milk.
Finally, every coffee drinker has their taste preferences, particularly when it comes to caffeine levels.
- A latte with a double shot of espresso is an excellent choice if you want strong coffee.
- You can make decaf coffee at home and serve it in a glass with ice if you like a less caffeinated coffee.
- If you’re not a big coffee drinker and simply have it once in a while, you can just keep doing what you’ve always done.
Conclusion
Now, it’s straightforward for you to figure out the difference between iced coffee and iced latte, although they share the same roots – coffee, and they are both smooth, tasty beverages.
We bet that you will become a pro when ordering at a coffee shop, or if you crave a cup at home, our recipes are also ready to serve you. So, try them out and show us your results.
