If You Make Iced Coffee This Way, You're Ruining It

Along with food, water, and oxygen, caffeine is an important staple that keeps many of us functioning throughout the day. One early morning cup of coffee isn't always enough, so we may brew a full pot to come back to when in need of energy. Yet, if you often find that the once-smooth brew tastes bitter when turned into ice coffee, you may need to make a fresh pot.

Brewing an entire pot of coffee in the morning ensures that you'll have enough for a cup every few hours, but using leftovers could be one of the mistakes that you're making with iced coffee. Even if it did seem fine when fresh, it's not uncommon for coffee to take on an astringent taste as time goes on. The chemical compounds that give coffee that smooth, rich taste when first brewed break down as it sits, causing it to develop different acids that lead to a stale bitterness. Additionally, coffee's appeal partially comes from its smell, which dissipates as the coffee cools. The loss of that smell affects how our palates perceives coffee at colder temperatures.

The oxygen molecules in water lead to a quality breakdown of these compounds, and the oxidation continues the longer the coffee is left out. Additionally, oxidation speeds up at higher temperatures, so using the "keep warm" setting won't help your iced coffee either. There's no specific timeframe on when your coffee will take a bitter route, but the lower quality it is, the more apparent the harsh taste will be.

If you do have some leftover coffee that's reached room temperature, don't reheat it in hopes of regaining the lost flavor. When coffee is reheated, even more of those acids that appear during the cool-down process are formed, exacerbating the bitter flavor. If you don't want to toss the room temperature drink, you can use sweet syrups and spices to elevate your regular cup of coffee. Some caramel syrup, a dash of cinnamon sugar, or zesty peppermint can mask the staleness of iced coffee made with leftover brew.

To completely prevent the coffee from turning bitter, store the remaining liquid in the fridge right after making it. This way, the oxidation process slows down, so the drink will still taste fresh when it's time to whip up a cup of iced coffee. You can also cool and sweeten your iced coffee by pouring the brew into an ice cube tray ahead of time. This step helps to preserve its smooth taste while ensuring that your iced coffee doesn't get watered down with regular ice cubes.