Iced Coffee vs Iced Latte: Know the Differences

Iced coffees and iced lattes are arguably two of the most popular go-to drinks for coffee lovers during summers. Both are smooth, tasty, refreshing drinks that cool your head and give you the boost needed to push through those harsh summer afternoons. Even though they may look quite similar, iced coffee and iced latte are not one and the same. Let’s dive deep into the world of these cold beverages and uncover the differences between the two.

What is an Iced Coffee?

Iced coffee is the chilled version of regular or brewed coffee. It’s made by brewing any coffee, whether it be an espresso, Americano, or even instant coffee and pouring it over ice. Sweeteners or milk, if needed can be added afterwards. 

Brewing an iced coffee at home is as simple as it gets. As long as you have coffee beans, a good grinder, water, and ice cubes, you’re good to go! 

What is an Iced Latte?

The iced latte is the cold relative of the traditional latte and is made up of ice, a shot of espresso and cold milk. Since espresso is an integral part of the iced latte, you’ll be needing an espresso machine for this. 

An iced latte is brewed by pouring espresso over ice and adding frothed milk on top. You can even try brewing an iced latte at home and top it off by adding flavoring syrup to give it a unique flavor.

Iced Coffee vs Iced Latte: The Differences

The main differences between an iced latte and an iced coffee can be seen in the brewing method used and the coffee to milk ratio. Here’s what we mean: 

Brewing Method

Iced coffee can use any type of brewed coffee. The freshly brewed hot coffee is simply poured over ice and served.

Iced latte on the other hand uses only a shot of espresso. The espresso is mixed with milk and poured over ice.

Coffee to Milk Ratio

The ratio of coffee to milk is much higher in an iced latte than in iced coffee. Iced coffee doesn’t necessarily need milk, although you can add it depending on your preference. 

On the contrary, an iced latte wouldn’t be the same without milk in it, since iced lattes are one part espresso to three parts milk. 

Taste

With iced latte ingredients being quite different from the ones used for iced coffee, a differentiation in flavor is bound to arise. 

Iced latte has a light, milky flavor with just a hint of coffee. Iced coffee on the other hand has a strong coffee taste that’s just a tad bit softer because of the ice.