The Ice Mistake That's Ruining Your Espresso Drinks

Making an iced espresso-based drink really isn't that difficult. All you need is some ice and freshly brewed espresso, as well as the optional milk, creamer, and whatever else tickles your fancy. But the difference between a good iced coffee and an absolutely delicious one is in the details, such as how you add the ice to the espresso.

You might think to fill a glass with ice cubes and then pull espresso directly over it; however, that's a subtle mistake that could leave you with a less-than-perfect espresso, ruining the flavor of your chilled java. Ice should be added at the very end of the process, after you've poured espresso into the glass and added all your other liquids and sweeteners. Fresh espresso is quite hot out of the machine, and pouring that straight over ice can "shock" the drink. This makes it taste like it was over-extracted, which can kill the delicate flavors and taint your espresso with an overpowering bitterness and acidic notes.

That's not all: If you pour hot espresso straight over ice, those frozen cubes will melt incredibly quickly and leave you with a weak and watery drink. You want the ice to chill your drink and keep it cool as you sip on it leisurely — not dilute it in the process.

The first step for making iced espresso is to pull the brew into its own cup. Then, add any sugar and syrups to the shot while it is still hot so that they incorporate into the coffee more evenly. Make sure to stir the espresso while doing so in order to cool it down; the trick is to lower its temperature before you introduce the ice. Pour in your milks, creamers, and any other liquids at this stage, and only then should you add the ice. If you're drinking iced espresso as it is — without any extra sweeteners or liquids — just add a bit of water to the shot to cool it down before pouring it over ice.

You could even consider chilling your glass in the freezer before pulling a shot of espresso into it; this is the same way Ina Garten recommends chilling cocktail glasses. The frosty glass will help the hot espresso cool down gradually, without shocking the liquid. Just make sure the glass can stand up to temperature changes without breaking. 

It also helps to introduce ice cubes to espresso one at a time (rather than plopping them ub all at once) while stirring the drink constantly. Additionally, consider using large cubes over smaller ones. These will stay solid for longer and keep your drink chilled without diluting it. Alternatively, make your ice cubes out of coffee — after all, coffee ice cubes are one of the best solutions to watery iced lattes.