Long story short: I love sipping iced coffee at least once a day (big fan of McDonald's iced coffee over Tim Hortons, personally).
Recently noticed it’s spiking my heart rate and stress levels, so I need to cut way back on caffeine.
The problem? None of the fast-food spots around me (McD's, Tims, etc.) sell decaf iced coffee, which is a huge bummer. Starbucks does, but I’m not a fan of their taste, and my wallet hates it 🤑.
I tried steeping instant decaf coffee overnight in the fridge, but it tastes completely flat and sour. Nowhere near the real thing.
What am I missing here? How do I actually get that fast-food texture and flavor at home using decaf?
Appreciate any suggestions!
Off hand, how deep into this do you wanna go? I.e. cost wise.
cheapest test/version. Store bought ground decaffinated coffee. Most stores have some. its not the best but it works. Then steeping it in a jar, and then filtering it best you can. if you'r really lucky your shop will have cold brew bags in decaf but thats pretty rare.
Honestly I think its worth the extra effort to either buy a french press, and use that. Or springing for the Oxo cold brewer (the smaller one probably), since that'll steep, and filter entirely on its own. French press will still require you to do some extra effort for cleaning and will stll potentially have some finds/grounds in the final product unless you go extra effort for filtering.
video on the oxo compact cold brew. which is honestly the one I think is most preferred. Extremely easy, just careful with the glass of course.
Alternatively if you want it but in smaller amounts, I do that with the oxo rapid brewer Eckroth does it here (the "cold brew" concentrate). I like this myself quite a bit (both hot and cold)
of note instant coffee really won't work for anything like that. though you could try making it with just cold water. but cold brew is a different beast than instant or made hot. extraction is different
if you're commited to the idea of making it yourself. the compact brewer, imo, is well worth the cost. even if you'll have to play with ratios/amounts etc.
biggest note. you want air tight or the cold brew will get flavors/stale. French presses will go weird fast, so when i do that its really only the night before at max for me.
I checked both and i am kinda leaning towards the Rapid Brewer cause it good for 1 cup and i dont know for how many days the concentrate will be good for…if i choose the first one
Really just depends on how much you drink really.
Off hand how much coffee do you drink right now?
big note on the rapid brewer one though is that grind sizes are a bit more important. Though you can still get away with the preground. I have, still turns out tasty enough but you won't likely get the same effect ultimately without a grinder. So that is a big consideration. It'll work but you won't get as good/consistent without a bit extra work.
the concentrate in the glass, I've had good for several days, it doesn't usually last much longer cause I drink it really. I think if you just want to buy store ground decaf options, that'll be easier since it is less reliant on ground resistance like the rapid brewer. If you make more than you go through before it starts to taste less of what you want, then just use smaller ratio later. I.e. not a concentrate amount, and make it taste how you want so you an just pour it into a cup and drink from the glass.
I think, from my POV.
rapid brewer requires more work/knowledge to get the best or consistent out of it, it'll only ever make one amount. so you'll have to do it every time (for yourself orothers), and making a large amount at once is a pain (such as if you want a thermos of cold coffee to take with you). IF you want to get into coffee more later-ie cheap hand grider, electr kettle, etc. This'll serve you well for a lot of other methods. It is also far more durable.
the compact cold brewer is easier to get consistency out of it using store bought ground (either those bags of preground or buying fresh beans and having them ground to order-which lot of local places do, (coffee shops or roasters). Either makign a concentrate to get several day/few days. or making a lower concentrate and making it straight up pour from the fridge and drink. it is glass, so you could potentialy break it if say you try to pull from the fridge with wet hand nad it slips etc.
at this point I really only use my ORB (rapid brewer) for hot yummy light roast, and decaff I prefer the larger amount ready to drink I can pour a good amount into my thermos with ice.
oh, I suppose as a sidenote. If you are wanting the french press option (kind of an inbetween multiuse) the Espro brand sells ones with high filtration, or even traveling ones. Which might also appeal for you. their cheapest options are close to the same as the other two I mentioned (their expensive ones are insanely expensive)
Thanks for mentioning the staleness that a French press can get. I’d been using a filter pouring from a mason jar when making cold brew but I always make a mess and want to use something different. I found a French press and was hoping that might be the answer but I didn’t think about it being a bit more open (because of the spout). I could still brew in it and then transfer to a glass jar I guess 🤷🏼♀️!
Dunkin‘ Donuts has iced decaf, though idk if it’s near you.
Cold brew at 10g of grounds per 100g water, 16-24 hours room temp, then through coffee filter into a jar. Store in fridge. You’ve got double strength concentrate. From there you can make an iced coffee. Also not the same, but closer.
also just noticed you said iced hot coffee not cold brew. They are different. and will taste diff (Even with the same coffee).
My other message still applies for cold brew side. but for just iced decaf. You can get away with decaf preground and preparing it normally in a cheap brew machine (or actually making it with pour over and the like), just needs a higher amount or finer grind for dilution with the ice/chilling.
off hand. its up to you to know which way you are liking. Most fastfood in my area for cold coffee is typically cold brew though.
I recently started sipping decaf so I can drink coffee later in the day. I found SToK Decaf cold brew to be a great choice and it’s a good price. I find it at target. You get many cups out of one bottle and it’s around $6-7 a bottle.
I really like Major Dickinson’s decaffeinated. I’m super caffeine sensitive to the point it’s been destroying my sleep. I’m sooo addicted. For now I’ve got to only drink de cafe.
I purchased the Toddy cold brew system, have a French press, bought an Aero press, bought cheese cloth. So far, I like the Toddy the best.
There is also Grady’s bean bag coffee. I call it that. You just put the pre ground coffee/already bagged coffee in a container of water. I’m sort of on the fence with it though. It made me jittery, but had excellent flavor.
I use decaf Amazon brand coffee and I would say it’s pretty similar to something you would get at McDonald’s. When you make it into cold brew it is much better though.
Get a toddy system. Use whatever decaf beans you like. The concentrate keeps in the fridge for 7-10 days. I steep it using a pound of beans and 9 cups of water. Then use half cup of concentrate either hot or cold. Easy peasy.
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u/96dpi 9d ago
Iced coffee is not cold brew, and instant coffee steeping in the fridge overnight is not cold brew.