Cold brew vs. iced coffee
Both are served cold over ice, but they are brewed in fundamentally different ways, which changes their strength, acidity and caffeine content.
| Aspect | Cold brew | Iced coffee |
|---|---|---|
| Brewing method | Steeped in cold water for many hours, then diluted | Hot-brewed, then cooled and poured over ice |
| Grind size | Coarse | Medium, often brewed slightly stronger to account for ice dilution |
| Preparation time | 12-24 hours (720 minutes typical) | 5 minutes |
| Caffeine (per serving, known) | 150-200mg (240ml diluted serving) | 70-100mg (240ml serving including ice) |
| Texture | Syrupy | Light |
Which should you choose?
Cold brew's long cold steep produces a smoother, lower-acidity concentrate that is typically higher in caffeine per serving because it is brewed at a stronger coffee-to-water ratio, not because cold water extracts caffeine more effectively. Iced coffee keeps the character of hot-brewed coffee cooled quickly over ice, and is faster to make. Neither is objectively better — it depends on whether a smoother, make-ahead drink or a quicker, hot-brew-character one is preferred.