What is New Orleans style iced coffee?

by Nathan
(Orlando, FL)

Community Coffee blend with chicory

QUESTION:

I was listening to a cooking podcast, although it wasn’t really about coffee, and the guest mentioned that she loves New Orleans style iced coffee. Totally raved about it!

I had no idea there was such a thing.

Do you know what it is, or how to make it?

Thanks.

Nathan


ANSWER:

Nathan, hi

New Orleans style iced coffee is a cold-brew coffee flavored with chicory.

A couple of points here.

First, I think it’s more accurate to call it cold-brewed than “iced coffee”.

There’s a lot of confusion in this area.

Coffee over ice, or iced coffee, is when you make regular coffee and pour it over ice to cool it. Great for summer. You’ll usually make a stronger brew to compensate for the ice diluting the coffee. But the coffee is made the regular way, with hot water.

Cold-brew coffee is quite different.

It is made with cold water, not hot. The brew time is at least 12 hours. The result is a much smoother coffee with a lower acid content.

What the guest in that show was likely referring to is actually New Orleans cold brew.

Second point…

Traditionally you’d make this with coffee and roasted chicory. Mix them both with water in a pot and leave it overnight. Then pour it through a fine mesh sieve.

But if you want to make things a little easier, you can use a commercially available blend of coffee and chicory, like Coffee & Chicory from Community Coffee.

Then, brew it in a cold brew coffee maker like the Toddy Cold Brew System, which we reviewed here.

I have tried this myself… and made it the easy way.

Not everyone likes that touch of chicory, but I do. And it works really well with cold brew.

Best wishes,

Nick

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