Summer is coming in Australia. And even though the temperatures will be rising, this does not change your need and desire to get your daily caffeine fix. So what can you do? The answer is to find cool espresso drinks that tickle your taste buds and keep you cool.
One of the most popular and common caffeine driven hot drinks which can be turned into a summer delight is the Iced Long Black.
What is an Iced Long Black?
It’s literally the summer version of the long black you get at the cafe….two shots of espresso (this can come from espresso coffee pods or brewing your own coffee beans) and water. But when it comes to making an Iced Long Black at home, there are so many more possibilities.
Preparing your Iced Long Black:
Making an Iced Long Black in the comfort of your own home can be done a few different ways. The steps below will allow you to make a cafe grade Iced Long Black.
Step 1: Brew the Espresso
The easiest way to get a high standard of espresso shots is to use your coffee pod machine and Vibe’s Nespresso® Compatible Coffee pods or use high grade coffee beans and brew your own espresso. Many “how to” articles make the espresso brewing overly complex by suggesting a long drawn out process of brewing and preparing the espresso the day before so it can sit in the fridge.
This is not necessary.
Create two shots of espresso into a coffee mug and place it in the fridge to cool it down. If you prefer your Iced Long Black a little weaker, use one shot of espresso.
Step 2: Espresso Iced Cubes
This is an optional step, but if you are one of those types (like us Vibers) who prefer a strong coffee-flavoured Iced Long Black, you can enhance your summer drink with the addition of espresso filled iced cubes!
This is a popular option for those of you who do not like the watered down taste of your Iced Long Black when the ice begins to melt.
Making the iced cubes is quite simple.
Get your coffee pod machine and your Vibe coffee pods or brew espresso using your own coffee beans and fill a mug with two espresso shots. Take the espresso in the coffee mug and evenly pour the contents into an ice cube tray.
Try to evenly fill each cube to around 40% full. Then fill the rest of each cube with purified water. This mix gives you a strong espresso ice cube and avoids the need to use up too much of your espresso pods if that is what you choose to use.
If two shots of espresso is not enough to fill your entire tray, create more espresso to get the job done:)
Espresso ice cubes is the “secret sauce” to an amazing Iced Long Black.
Step 3: Adding it all together
Once your Espresso (in the fridge) has cooled, pour it into a glass and add your (optional) espresso ice cubes.
Then add your purified water. The size of the glass and the amount of water you add is entirely up to you and your preference for how strong you want your Iced Long Black to taste. It’s common to play around with the level of water. The suggestion is to start with a small amount and keep adding water until the strength is to your own liking.
Step 4: Adding Milk (Optional) – turning your Iced Long Black into an Iced Latte
Adding Milk (or a milk equivalent such as Oat or Soy Milk) really takes you away from the literal definition of an Iced Long Black, but we are all about giving you all the options! Adding cold milk to an Iced Long Black is officially called an Iced Latte.
The amount of milk you add is purely down to personal preference. There is a delicate balance to work through when it comes the addition of both the milk and cold water, but it won’t take long for you to find the right mix to suit your taste buds.
Step 4: Adding Sweetener (Optional)
For those who need to soften the caffeine taste in an Iced Long Black, there is also the option of adding a sweetener. This is also comes down to personal taste and there is no right or wrong.
But for those of you who have breathing conditions (such as Asthma) the recommendation is to enjoy your Iced Long Black sugar free! Read a Vibe article on how caffeine has been scientifically proven to help Asthmatics.
The Final Word:
Summer is coming, and even through the temperature is changing your need for caffeine won’t change. This makes the need to create cool versions of your favourite hot caffeine drink important. We at Vibe Coffee hope this information helps you keep your fix going and not feel pressured to always need to race to a cafe to get it.
