Posted Thu Apr 24, 2008, 9:08pm Subject: Americano, to ice or not to ice?
I was visiting an independent coffee house this weekend (i was out of town, and had done some research on independent shops that I could visit for my espresso fix). I went one day and had an iced americano, it was on the watery side from what I'm used to. I was back a couple days later and ordered another one. The guy working the cash register did not want to sell me one!!! He said he would be more comfortable selling me espresso and a cup of ice so that i could put it together myself. He went on to explain how the ice makes the espresso bitter, blah blah blah. He recommended another drink instead, some coffee that they cold brew or something. I figured that when it comes to coffee I'll try it (unless its decaf, cream, sugar, or any syrup). So I had the drink and it wasn't bad, it actually made me remember that I had a coworker back in the day who was making coffee by some sort of cold brewing method.
Later on I started feeling a little miffed. I wanted an Americano and did not get what I wanted. What is the big sacrilege about icing espresso? I will admit that some americanos can be a little bitter when they are iced compared to the same espresso when it is hot. I however enjoy a little bitterness.
Can anyone shed some light on whether it is proper or not, to ice an americano?
Yeah .. me too .. when it hits 105 110 115 F .. iced Americanos save the day for me.
I wonder about the nest way to fill my thermos for the day with cold americano ? Maybe hot americano in the thermos for my morning brew and then ice it later in the day ?
Posted Mon Apr 28, 2008, 9:28am Subject: Re: Americano, to ice or not to ice?
Ice Americanos are my favorite in the summer ...
Before I made my own espresso, I remember getting unbelievable iced coffees at my favorite beach-side coffee house in Rhode Island. Upon asking how they made these so well, the barista told me they used espresso and cold water. Hmmmmm.... sounds like an Americano to me.
volcanolance Senior Member Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 94 Location: Sacramento, Ca Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Pavoni P6S2 Grinder: Mazzer Luigi
Posted Fri May 9, 2008, 2:41pm Subject: Re: Americano, to ice or not to ice?
That sounds kind of ridiculous, to refuse to sell you one. Or, even more so, to waste two cups on a single drink and have the customer build it himself. Wow. What I've been doing recently for iced amer's is using a martini shaker for the spro (sort of like a shakurato, but with no sugar), and pouring that into semi cold water, and then adding ice. I'm no scientist, so I can't explain why (probably the espresso melting the ice a bit, therefore diluting it a bit), but the spro seems to retain all of the loveliness of its character (for example, cacao, walnut, and slight tangerine notes) while not being bitter, like how spro gets when made cold. Works for me. and its damn tasty. and only a 6 oz size.
Posted Sat May 10, 2008, 10:29am Subject: Re: Americano, to ice or not to ice?
During the summer it has been my habit to pour a double shot over crushed ice from the soft drink machine at work. I like them sometimes sweetened with honey, but more often just the shots and the ice.
One Saturday on the way in to work I stopped at Barefoot (in my view the best coffee house in Santa Clara Valley) and asked for an iced Americano. The story was similar. They would not make one. The offered to give me the shots and a cup of ice so I could create the abomination my self if I had to have one. Same story - shocking the espresso. They then offered a "proper" cold brew iced coffee. I got one and drank it on the way to work. It was very good. When I got in I added some more ice to the to-go cup from Barefoot And poured a double shot into it. It was also good.
Either my taste is not sufficiently defined to determine why esspresso over ice is such a no - no, or it is just a legend which is not necessarly so.
Phil
magillagorilla Said:
I was visiting an independent coffee house this weekend (i was out of town, and had done some research on independent shops that I could visit for my espresso fix). I went one day and had an iced americano, it was on the watery side from what I'm used to. I was back a couple days later and ordered another one. The guy working the cash register did not want to sell me one!!! He said he would be more comfortable selling me espresso and a cup of ice so that i could put it together myself. He went on to explain how the ice makes the espresso bitter, blah blah blah. He recommended another drink instead, some coffee that they cold brew or something. I figured that when it comes to coffee I'll try it (unless its decaf, cream, sugar, or any syrup). So I had the drink and it wasn't bad, it actually made me remember that I had a coworker back in the day who was making coffee by some sort of cold brewing method.
Later on I started feeling a little miffed. I wanted an Americano and did not get what I wanted. What is the big sacrilege about icing espresso? I will admit that some americanos can be a little bitter when they are iced compared to the same espresso when it is hot. I however enjoy a little bitterness.
Can anyone shed some light on whether it is proper or not, to ice an americano?
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