No Time For Cold Brew? Grab This Instant Fix Instead

Making cold brew at home can be satisfying (Here's how baristas make cold brew off the clock), but it can also be a time-consuming process. One way to circumvent this is by drinking the best store-bought cold brew, but some brands are better than others, and none are what you'd call truly budget friendly. There is a quick, easy, and cheap way to enjoy a chilled coffee beverage, however, and it all starts with instant coffee. Michael Phillips, the director of coffee culture at Blue Bottle Coffee, told The Takeout, "Instant coffee performs very well as a cold offering, weather it is as a base for an iced latte or a glass of cold brew."

Instant coffee has long been the Rodney Dangerfield of caffeinated beverage products, getting very little respect. But that may be gradually changing since instant coffee is fancier than it's ever been. No matter whether your brand is a gourmet variety or a supermarket exclusive, Phillips pointed out, "The coffee it produces will be very consistent and stable. You also can very easily adjust the strength to your preference by adding more or less coffee." For this reason, it makes an excellent starting point for cold coffee drinks as well as hot ones.

In Michael Phillips' opinion, "The most important step is to choose an instant coffee that has a flavor profile you enjoy." In his experience, a stronger roast is better if you're planning to add cream and sugar, while you might prefer a lighter roast if you'll be drinking your coffee black. You can also adjust the strength based on how much coffee you use per cup (or glass, in the case of cold coffee drinks). "Once you have the flavor profile, it is just a matter of deciding what strength you like and it should work out just right," Phillips assured us.

But don't just dump your instant coffee directly into cold water. Instead, dissolve it in a small amount of warm or hot water, first. As Phillips explained, "The main benefit of mixing instant with hot water is that it helps dissolve the coffee quickly and completely. There is a chance with cold water that some of the coffee may not dissolve completely, which could have the brew feel a bit lighter than intended." Once the coffee is dissolved, add ice and cold water to taste. You could even use milk in place of water to make an iced latte or café au lait.