Iced Coffee not Giving me the Same Kick as Normal Coffee?

[MyMugsHalfFull]

Has anyone else noticed this?

I sometimes can't stand to drink a hot beverage in the morning, but still like to get in my coffee... So I'll drink an iced coffee (not cappuchino or anything like that, normal iced coffee).

Now, when I do this, I am noticing that I do not get that same "kick" that I am used to with my morning cup of normal heated coffee....

Has anyone experience similar? Do you think the fact that it is iced has something to do with it?

::shock::

 

[eldub]

How are you making the iced coffee?

If its made with the "toddy" method, the beans are extracted in cool water for an extended period of time. There is less acidity present in cool brewed coffee. Maybe less caffeine too?

 

[CanadianBrian]

Also cold coffee will enter the blood stream slower and it might just be the psychological aspect as well.
Brian

 

[MyMugsHalfFull]

You guys could be right, no way to really be sure..

However, I have brewed the coffee hot and then frozen it myself and still seems to give the same result a sort of "meh tastes good but...." feeling.

I suppose I could try making a stronger batch than my regular coffee and seeing if the upped concentration helps. Flavor is just about the same, only cold..

I was thinking maybe less sugar, but I use the same amounts...

 

[ppkgan]

If I remember correctly caffeine extraction from ground beans and hot water yields a higher concentration of caffeine than a cold brew. I think that this has to do with the extraction from the bean rather than caffeines solubility in H2O. I will have to ask a friend of mine for clarification as it has been a while since chemistry class.

 

[MyMugsHalfFull]

If I remember correctly caffeine extraction from ground beans and hot water yields a higher concentration of caffeine than a cold brew. I think that this has to do with the extraction from the bean rather than caffeines solubility in H2O. I will have to ask a friend of mine for clarification as it has been a while since chemistry class.

Hmmm... That would make sense, except I brew the coffee hot, and then put ice in it, sort of the same way you make natural iced tea. I'd never thought of making it with cold water... *shudder* that would probably taste horrible, and watery I imagine.... Although, you have sparked an interest... Time to see if it does work... I have some company coming over.... LOL

 

[eldub]

Making iced coffee with cold water is a popular method. It changes the flavor profile by leaving the acidity in the bean. But it takes about 12-18 hours to complete the process.

 

[expat]

One thing to remember is -- everyone is different -- so caffeine will affect different people differently. So your results may have little to do with what other's experience.

Hot tea really jazzes me, will keep me awake at night, but iced tea has no effect even though it is brewed from the same type of tea (and my iced tea is hot brewed, and strong).

I don't notice much different between hot and cold coffee putting me into hyper-drive (our iced coffee is cold brewed) unless I'm overindulging.

And if you're missing the 'kick' in your iced coffee, just make it stronger. A triple shot of espresso iced coffee doesn't get me going too much but add one more shot and I start to experience lift-off. You may find you follow suit if you 'kick it up a notch'.

 

[MyMugsHalfFull]

Well, I tried the cold water method... I think I did it wrong.. My coffee turned out like weak tea

Anyone have any tips on how to do it? I assumed it was the same, but I tried to steep it.... Sort of like tea, lust letting the ground beans soak overnight.... I got brown water that tasted like it looked *yuck...

 

[Huli]

Unfortunately I am not able to share the link to the instruction given on the Toddycafe DOT COM web site as I am new here and have not met the pre-reqs. Please search for Cold Brew Instruction on the site I use that recipe just scaled down and I don't have a Toddy Brewer therefore use a French Press.

 

[grndslm]

I am a total amateur at this coffee goodness.

But I will repeat two theories that were mentioned earlier and then give my opinion on the matter...

(1) The coffee must be brewed hot (~200 deg F, in order to properly extract the caffeine and such). Makes sense.
(2) The coffee must remain hot in order to absorb quickly into your blood stream. Also makes sense to me.

I would think that both need to happen to get that rush, but considering I've never gotten a caffeine rush from an iced coffee, I'm gonna lean toward believing that the coffee needs to remain hot in order to absorb quickly into the blood stream.

Iced coffee is OK, but perhaps the melting ice displaces what COULD BE coffee??? I definitely think there's something to the bloodstream theory, tho....

But that's if all coffees are brewed equally. It appears that some places make their iced coffees twice as strong...

From Wiki Answers...

It really depends on how they make it. Generally it ends up being about the same.
Iced coffee is not just a locations regular brewed coffee poured over ice. Often what a location will do (Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.) When making iced coffee is double brew it so it ends up twice as strong. They refrigerate it so the ice doesn't immediately melt when the coffee is poured over it. It is definitely stronger before anything is added, but most places add a lot of cream to iced coffee which makes it balance out to be almost the same as hot coffee.

 

[sheli]

I love making cold brew coffee. It takes a bit of planning ahead, but I do 1lb coarse ground coffee with 9 cups of cold water. Let it sit overnight then strain however possible. It makes a very smooth and delicious coffee concentrate and you can dilute it from there depending on how strong you want it to be. I find it to be very caffeinated, but maybe I'm not diluting it enough