How do I keep iced coffee from getting watery
Freeze leftover coffee in an ice tray instead of using water cubes. Pour last night's pot into the tray and freeze overnight; these cubes melt into more coffee rather than diluting your drink. Brew the coffee stronger than you'd normally drink it so the melt stays flavorful.
How to do it
- Brew the coffee stronger than you'd drink itMake the pot stronger than your usual cup. Since the cubes melt into your drink, the extra strength keeps the final result tasting like coffee instead of watery.
- Pour leftover coffee into an ice trayInstead of tossing last night's pot, pour it into a standard ice cube tray. Use coffee, not water, so nothing gets diluted later.
- Freeze overnightLeave the tray in the freezer overnight so the cubes set fully before you need them.
- Use the coffee cubes in your iced coffeeDrop the frozen coffee cubes into your drink. As they melt they turn into more coffee rather than watering it down.
Questions that come up
How much stronger should I brew the coffee?
Brew it noticeably stronger than you'd normally drink it. The cubes melt into your glass and dilute as they go, so starting stronger means the drink still tastes like coffee once the ice has melted rather than turning weak and watery.
Does making it stronger take extra time?
No. It's the same twenty minutes and the same heat as a normal pot. The only difference is that one batch ends up as stronger coffee for freezing while a regular pot would just melt down into iced water.
What can I do with leftover coffee instead of throwing it out?
Freeze tonight's leftover pot into cubes rather than tossing it. That turns what you'd normally waste into ready-to-use coffee cubes for your next iced coffee, so nothing goes down the drain and your drink never gets diluted.
Full transcript
Iced coffee going watery? Freeze leftover coffee into cubes, not water. Pour last night's pot into an ice tray, freeze overnight. They melt too—into more coffee. Just brew it stronger than you'd drink it. Same twenty minutes, same heat—one's still coffee, one's iced water. Freeze tonight's pot instead of tossing it. Follow for more.