Iced coffee is probably the next best thing after hot coffee. Both cold brew and Americano give an excellent iced coffee drink. If you haven’t tried one yet, then we urge you to. But before all that, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
What’s the difference between a cold brew and an Americano? Answer paragraph.
Methodology Differences
The first thing we are going to explore is the difference in making these two drinks.
Cold Brew
Cold brew is one of the easiest ways to make coffee.
All you need is a tall glass or a mason jar with a lid, some coffee grounds, and water.
First, add coffee grounds into the mason jar. Then add normal temperature water on top of the coffee grounds.
If you’re making a ready-to-drink coffee, then the coffee to water ratio should be 1:14. If you’re looking to make a cold brew concentrate, then you can go with 1:5 or 1:6.
Next, give the mix a nice stir and close the lid.
Keep the mason jar on your table or inside your refrigerator for 12 to 15 hours. We recommend using the refrigerator.
Once time’s up, you have an excellent cold brew coffee in your hands.
To serve it, add some ice cubes to your coffee cup. Pour this cold brew coffee on top of the ice cubes. You can also mix some milk for a smoother coffee.
Your cold brew iced coffee is now ready to be devoured.
You can also make a cold brew coffee using your french press. If you want to know who to make a cold brew coffee using a french press, you can read this post here.
Iced Americano
To make an Americano, you are going to need an espresso machine.
If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can make espresso shots with the help of a french press, Moka pot, or an Aeropress.
Make sure you have 2 shots of espresso.
Usually, when making an Americano, we’ll mix 60ml (2oz) of hot water with 2 shots of espresso. Since we’re making iced Americano, we’ll add 60ml of cold water on top of the espresso shots.
Do note that espresso shots will be hot. So pour them on top of some ice cubes to cool them down. Then add your cold water to make a gorgeous cup of iced Americano.
Also Read: Espresso Powder vs Instant Coffee!
Flavor Differences
There is a distinct flavor difference between an iced cold brew coffee and an iced Americano.
An iced Americano is a stronger drink in terms of taste.
It comes with more acidity and bitterness as the extraction of coffee is done with hot water whether you are using an espresso, french press, Moka pot, or an Aeropress.
A cold brew coffee, on the other hand, uses normal water for the extraction process. The extraction is not severe and that leaves most of the acids on the coffee beans.
The resulting drink is a less acidic and less bitter one. It is refreshing when served chilled.
If you are looking for a crisp taste that is a lot punchier, then Americano is the coffee for you. But if you are looking for a less acidic flavor, then a cold brew is your friend.
Caffeine Levels
Whether you are drinking your Americano hot or cold, the caffeine content in it is not going to change. So it is safe to say that this comparison holds good for both the iced and the regular Americano drinks.
Does cold brew have more caffeine than Americano? A cold brew coffee comes with less caffeine when compared to an Americano. A cold brew coffee (8oz) will have 100mg of caffeine whereas the same size Americano with two shots of espresso will come with at least 125mg of caffeine. If your Americano has only one shot, then it will have less caffeine than a cold brew coffee.
A cold brew comes with more caffeine when compared to regular coffee as it brews for a very long time. Even during this time, it takes all the goodness from coffee but leaves the acidic part of it.
Time
Time is an important factor. Not everyone has the time to fine-tune their coffee-making process every morning.
If you’re in a hurry, then an Americano is an excellent option. It will take 30 seconds to make an espresso shot using an espresso machine. Even if you use other methods, your espresso shots will be ready in less than 10 minutes.
You can then add your ice cubes and cold water to make a nice cup of iced Americano.
In total, it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes from beginning to end.
But in the case of a cold brew coffee, you have to let the beans steep for about 12 to 15 hours. Only then, you will be able to drink your cold brew iced coffee.
But this time problem is a concern only when you are doing it for the first time. You can store your cold brew concentrate and then use it immediately next time.
This will not even take a couple of minutes, so you are good here.
If you can make your cold brew coffee over the weekend and have it ready for the upcoming week, then you should not have a time issue with cold brew coffee.
Water Temperature
For a cold brew coffee, you are going to use normal water for the extraction process.
If you plan on leaving the cold brew mix outside, then the normal water will be handling all the extraction.
Most of us like to keep the cold brew mason jar inside our refrigerator. In this case, the water cools and then extracts the coffee flavor from the beans.
Either way, you do not use hot water in the cold brew process.
In the case of an iced Americano, you use hot water to make your espresso shots. So you are going to need hot water that is around 200 to 205 F.
Once your espresso shot is ready, you will need to add some cold water and ice cubes to finish making your iced Americano.
Which Is Better, Cold Brew or Americano?
The winner of this comparison is… your personal preference.
Yes, we can’t say which one is better as some will prefer a coffee with less acidic notes and a fruity flavor while others might want a hit of bitterness and acidity in their coffee.
But we can say that a cold brew coffee is a great choice for those who suffer from acid reflux and heartburn because of their coffee habits. As a cold brew coffee concentrate comes with less acid, it is the healthier choice of the two.
The Americano is a neat choice for those who love the espresso drink but are overwhelmed with this flavor. An Americano is nothing but a dilute form of espresso but brings the same bitter and acidic notes to the table.
As a coffee lover, I can’t take sides. But if I had to pick one, I’ll go with the cold brew coffee as it brings out a superior coffee flavor.
Is Americano Stronger Than A Cold Brew?
A cold brew coffee is stronger than an Americano. The cold brew coffee has a longer steeping period and works with more coffee beans. Though both methods use dark roasted beans, cold brew works with them longer and delivers a stronger flavor that is less acidic and less bitter.
This is true not only in terms of flavor but also in terms of caffeine levels. The Americano wins only when it has two shots of espresso. But with a single espresso shot, it loses to a cold brew concentrate.
Closing Thoughts
Both cold brew and Americano coffee are excellent coffee drinks.
When it comes to the brewing method, both these methods give wonderful results. If you are looking to make a cold coffee, you can use either of these techniques to good effect.
Just make sure you have the right coffee bean. The brewed coffee should be fine as long as you follow the tips and steps we have mentioned in this post.
If you are going to try them for the first time, then I’m just as excited as you are. Do try them and let us know which one you liked better and why. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Also Read: Long Black vs Americano