Iced Greek Coffee : Refreshing and ideal for the summer !

At first it was frappe, then it was freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino and recently, other iced coffees. Maybe, now it's the time to discover iced greek coffee. 

It’s a fact that in Greece we tend to love iced coffees a lot, much more than other countries with summers as hot as ours. There is no better proof of this thant the fact that both frape, as well as freddo cappuccino and freddo espresso were invented here. During the past few years, an iced version of another long-time beloved coffee has made its appearance : iced Greek Coffee.

Lots of people claim that Greek Coffee’s special flavors do not fit in a cold drink at all, but on the other hand, it’s the same thing than an Italian would say when trying a freddo cappuccino. Some common complaints about cold Greek concern its bitterness or the presence of coffee remains in the beverage, but both complaints reveal mistakes in the coffee’s preparation. If prepared properly, cold Greek is refreshing, enjoyable and it  keeps the aromas of Greek coffee, having no trace of bitterness or coffee powder remains.

What do you need to prepare an iced Greek Coffe ?

• Extra fine ground coffee (suitable for Greek or Turkish Coffee)
• Water (room temperature)
• 4 – 5 ice cubes
• Paper Coffee Filters
• A short glass and a short straw

How is Iced Greek Coffee prepared ?

• Prepare a double greek coffee, using a little more water than usual
• When coffee is ready, let it rest for 4-5 minutes - but not longer, because it's needed to be hot.
• Carefully filter your coffee into a shaker. Repeat if necessary, as no remains of the coffee powder should remain in the beverage
• Shake the filtered coffee with the ice cubes.
• Serve in the short glass with a short straw, adding mlik foam, if you wish.

Tips for an enjoyable Iced Greek Coffee :

• Due to the process, your coffee will be dilluted, having a gentler, subtler taste. It's advised to choose a dark roast blend, with intense taste, in order not to end to a tasteless beverage. 
• It's strongly advised to add the desired amount of sugar when preparing the regural Greek Coffee. Adding the sugar in the cold beverage may not end in the desired sweetness, as sugar will not be properly dissolved. 
• Many claim that milk foam's taste is not suitable for the taste of Greek Coffe. Experiment a little bit and if you like the combination, go for it ! 
• If your Iced Greek Coffee tastes bitter, regardless of the sugar, something went wrong during its preparation. Try to use less coffee, let the hot coffee rest for a little longer or be very carefull when filtering it. 
• If you can't find a short straw suitable for the short glass, just use a scissors to cut a regular plastic coffee straw.
• You can prepare two greek coffees at once, and serving them in two separate glasses after shaking them with ice. Don't try the process with more than two coffees, as it will be difficult to handle the right amounts and control the taste.