There's ice in it and there's coffee in it, it's got to be iced coffee! Well, or Frappé... Or Iced Latté... Or Espresso affogato... It probably won't be such a simple introductory equation. But who is supposed to know about it? After reading the following lines, you will already know exactly what to order in the summer garden, and how coffee refreshment differs.
Espresso on ice, or iced espresso
The simplest iced coffee - classic espresso served over ice and often with a little milk. Compared to iced coffee, it contains less water (only the usual 30 ml for espresso) and significantly less milk, which is why it is also much more pronounced. In the well-known cafe with the green logo, this drink is called ice shaken espresso, because the espresso is shaken with ice and sugar before serving.
When you order an iced espresso at a regular coffee shop, they usually bring you a clear whiskey-sized glass filled with ice and 30ml of coffee. Upon request, the waiter or waitress will also add a small jug of milk. Minimalist, but it fulfills the purpose of refreshing.
Espresso tonic
In recent years, a drink called espresso tonic has also found its way to us, which was born in 2007 in the Swedish coffee shop Koppi Roasters in Helsingborg. It is probably no surprise that this iced coffee contains espresso or doppio, i.e. 30 ml (or 60 ml for doppia) of coffee and tonic. But perhaps surprising is the fact that it was created by accident when a group of friends needed to get back on their feet after a long night. Of course, they thought of coffee, but they wanted to soften it with something and add flavor. There wasn't much on hand, so they used tonic and ice. The coffee drink quickly spread throughout Scandinavia, and not long after it reached Europe.
Its preparation is simple: you need a medium-sized glass (approx. 350 ml), a few ice cubes, coffee, tonic and you can add a slice of lemon. Fill the glass with ice, pour about half of the tonic, and then slowly pour in the coffee. If you're patient and pour the coffee over the ice really slowly, the liquids won't mix.
Espresso tonic looks very impressive, but when it comes to its taste, opinions differ. Some people find the bitter and sour-tasting drink pleasantly refreshing and drink nothing else in the summer, but some people don't even smell it. Many try to replace the plain tonic with various flavored variants, such as rose, ginger or lemon. You can also sweeten it, preferably with syrup. A good choice is, for example, elderberry, coconut, currant or cherry. Stronger personalities can also crown it with a drop of gin.
Espresso affogato
Affogato means drowned in Italian. This drink is something between coffee and dessert. It is also served in a medium-sized, most often whiskey glass. Instead of ice cubes, it is first filled with a scoop of creamy ice cream, which is topped with hot espresso.
You could say that it is more eaten than drunk, which depends on how fast you consume it. Sweet ice cream softens the taste of bitter espresso while flavoring and cooling it. If you are wondering which dessert you will have the least regret at a cafe, we definitely recommend reaching for an espresso with ice cream.
Iced coffee / Iced coffee with ice cream
Iced coffee with ice cream differs from espresso affogato not so much in composition as in size. It should contain a scoop of honest vanilla ice cream at the bottom of a tall glass, a lungo (see the article about the basic types of coffee in cafes) and whipped cream. It can also be sprinkled with cinnamon, sprinkles or topped with a topping.
The ice cream gradually cools the coffee, sweetens it, and the whipped cream softens its texture. It can also be considered a kind of dessert that you order in almost every restaurant or cafe with vanilla ice cream in the summer. Ordinary iced coffee is logically without ice cream, but the composition is otherwise the same.
Frappe. Or a Frappuccino?
This originally Greek drink was created out of necessity so to speak at fairs where Nesquick (a sweet drink for children similar to our Grank) was introduced. It was mixed in a shaker with milk. Dimitris Vakondios, who was manning the stand, needed to get his instant coffee, but there was no hot water available.
So he took ice, cold water, and coffee powder, and mixed them in a shaker that was originally intended for a children's sweet drink. After shaking, to his own surprise, the iced coffee foamed and solidified. Frappe immediately spread throughout Greece and was also popular in Cyprus. Over time, the recipe was modified, and today milk and ice are used instead of water, and instead of instant coffee, every good cafe will prepare a frappe from a classic espresso.
You may also be familiar with the term Frappucino. This drink is not necessarily prepared from coffee, as it is prepared by frothing milk shakes of various flavors and in various combinations with other ingredients, such as sweet toppings or syrups. So they are mostly caffeine-free, but on the other hand, they almost replace an entire meal in terms of calories.
Iced latte macchiato
An iced latte or iced latte, as we call it in the Czech Republic, is similar to an ordinary latte macchiato and is prepared similarly. We first fill a tall glass with ice cubes, pour milk whipped with a hot nozzle, and finally slowly pour in the espresso. The disadvantage of this preparation is that because of the hot milk and coffee, the ice cubes melt quickly and dilute the entire drink.
However, milk can be frothed even when it is cold, although the resulting structure will be slightly different. A French press, a milk whisk (for example from a Swedish furniture chain) or a bartender's shaker will suffice. The preparation is very simple, as you can see in this video. The resulting iced coffee then looks really great.
Nitro coffee
This rather scary name hides an equally scary-sounding translation - coffee with nitrogen. But let's take a closer look at this "scarecrow".
It takes several days to make a good nitro coffee. The grains must first be specifically roasted. Coffees with natural fruitiness and a fresh taste are more suitable. The coffee is then cold brewed for several hours, which creates a strong concentrate. It will eventually become saturated with nitrogen.
The reason it all makes sense is the physical properties of nitrogen. When in contact with the liquid, it acts as a thickener, giving cold-brewed coffee a creamy texture and pleasant sweetness. In addition, it enhances the taste and fullness of the coffee in the mouth. That's why it's an interesting summer alternative when you get tired of other iced coffee.
Mazagran coffee
This especially summer coffee drink can be considered the first iced coffee ever, and it appeared in Algeria. It was a cold, sweetened coffee drink that, according to some sources, was invented by the French army during the Battle of Mazagran in the 1840s. When the milk ran out, the soldiers added more water to their coffee, and also decided to drink it cold because of the high temperatures. Other soldiers near Mazagran, from which the drink got its name, were also served a type of coffee made from coffee syrup mixed with water.
Over the years, mazagran has acquired its specific variations in different countries. In Austria, it contains an ice cube and a shot of rum, and is drunk so-called na ex! In Portugal, it is served with a slice of lemon. In Vietnam, they serve it strong, with sweetened condensed milk chilled on ice. And in our Czech stores you can find an alternative in a can called Mazagrande. The drink combines coffee and sparkling lemonade.
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