Coffee recipes · Make it at home
Japanese-style iced coffee is hot-brewed filter coffee that lands directly on measured ice. It keeps the aroma and clarity of a fresh pour-over while giving you a cold drink almost immediately.
Ingredients & equipment
- 20 g coffee, medium to medium-fine grind (adjust for your dripper)
- 200 g hot brew water
- 120 g ice in a heat-safe serving carafe
- Paper filter and pour-over dripper, scale, kettle
How to make it
- Place 120 g of ice in your serving carafe; set the dripper and rinsed paper filter on top.
- Add 20 g coffee. Wet with about 40 g of hot water and allow a short bloom, around 30–45 seconds.
- Pour the rest of the hot water gradually to reach 200 g total water poured. The brew runs onto the ice and melts much of it.
- Swirl the carafe so the drink cools evenly. Serve immediately, adding a little fresh ice only if needed.
Why this ratio works
In this example, 20 g coffee meets roughly 320 g total water when the 120 g of ice melts—an overall 1:16 ratio. Using less hot water for brewing can make extraction more demanding, so you may need to grind a little finer or adjust your pour compared with your usual hot coffee.
Do not chase an arbitrary three-minute target. If the drink tastes sharp and underdeveloped, check grind and water contact. If it is harsh or slow, try slightly coarser. For a related diagnosis, see how grind size changes extraction.
Japanese iced vs cold brew
Japanese iced coffee extracts with hot water and cools quickly. Cold brew extracts over hours with cold or room-temperature water. They can taste very different even with the same beans.
