There’s nothing better than sitting outdoors, soaking up the hot summer sun with a refreshing iced latte, or watching the summer sunset with a coffee based cocktail. When it’s just too warm to drink hot coffee; something cool and delicious is required to hit the spot.

Although we’re fans of hot coffee all year long, our cold coffee recipes are the perfect addition to any summer beach trip, BBQ, or outdoor adventure.

It’s all about the brew

Before you start experimenting, note that many of these recipes call for cold brew or a cold brew concentrate. Easy to make at home, cold brew coffee is often brewed in a cold brew coffee maker using cold or room temperature water, and is steeped for 12+ hours. It is surprisingly versatile, and there’s almost no limits as to how creatively you can use it.

Here’s the simplest way to make a cold brew at home:

• Mix cold water and coffee grounds at 2-3x strength

• Steep for 12+ hours at room temperature or refrigerator

• Filter the liquid cold brew concentrate from the grounds

• Dilute with water to taste and add ice for a smooth iced cold brew coffee

Cold brew can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, so it’s easy to make a big batch and use it for any of these recipes.

Now that we have that part taken care of, let’s cool down and kick back and try these 5 summer iced coffee drinks at home…

Almond Milk Iced Coffee

Nut milks are an excellent addition to coffee as they are so flavourful, creamy and possesses a huge range to suit all tastes. Almond milk in particular really stands out in an iced coffee. It makes for a delicious summer drink thanks to its toasty and nutty flavour with a hint of sweetness.

Here’s how to make an iced almond milk-based latte for the ultimate summer coffee/nut milk combo drink: 

• Pour one or two shots of espresso (depending how strong you like your coffee) over ice until cool and then strain.
• Transfer the espresso into a tall glass and fill up with 250ml of cold almond milk, straight from the refrigerator.
• Mix well and add syrups to taste if you like.

Cold Brew Tonic

Not feeling a milky drink and want something a little lighter instead? Switch out that milk with your favourite bubbly water and you’ve got a fizzy, extra-caffeinated alternative to classic soda. Get creative and add your own homemade summer-y flavoured syrup (try a lavender or a basil infused one).

• ⅓ cup cold brew coffee

• ⅓ cup tonic water

• ¼ cup syrup

Mix up the coffee and syrup, then top with tonic water and ice for the ultimate refreshing summer drink.

Cold Brew Martini

There are lots of variations on exactly how to make this coffee-based martini. The original version had two types of coffee liqueur and simple syrup. Our version is much simpler, and it uses ingredients you most likely already have in your home bar.

This is how to make the cold brew martini this summer:

• Pour 2 parts cold brew coffee, 2 parts vodka and 1 part coffee liqueur of your choice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and set to one side.
• Add 1 part simple syrup
• Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with two to three coffee beans on top and enjoy.

Cold Brew Float

Not to be confused with an affogato, a cold brew float is a delectable summer dessert and drink all in one. Simple in its ingredients, but complex in taste and flavour, a Cold Brew Float is composed of a base of cold brew coffee and topped with a scoop of delectable vanilla ice cream. That’s it! Can this summer coffee recipe be any easier?

Cold Brew Lemonade

Cold brew lemonade is a sweet tangy drink that’s great on hot summer afternoons. Without much natural acidity, cold brew coffee blends really well with the zing of freshly squeezed lemon juice. The bitterness of the coffee and lemon is rounded out by the sugar in the lemonade, for a refreshing and delightfully bubbly summer coffee drink. You can easily adjust the below recipe to match your taste, but if you're like us, you might find that you prefer a bolder lemony tang.

Add 1 part cold brew coffee and 1 part fresh lemonade

Mix the two ingredients, add ice, and stir it all together. Simple, refreshing, energising.

Use The Right Beans For These Recipes

For sweet, smooth, and refreshing summer coffee drinks, we strongly recommend you opt for a fresh roasted  specialty-grade coffee. Whether you are looking for whole beans, ground, decaffeinated or coffee pods, premium quality coffee offers a more complex flavour assortment of fruity, floral, sweet, nutty, and bright tasting notes—all desirable for our summer coffee recipes.