Brewing Guides · 3 min
Iced Pour-Over in 3 Minutes: The Easy Iced Filter Coffee Recipe
A cold, clean alternative to frappé and freddo — brewed straight over ice with a single drip bag, no machine needed.
Why brew hot over ice
Iced pour-over is filter coffee brewed hot and poured straight onto ice. The hot water still pulls out aroma and sweetness, and the ice chills the cup instantly, so it tastes bright instead of stale like coffee left to cool in the fridge. It is sometimes called Japanese-style iced coffee.
What you need
One Semprevivo ESC drip bag (8g of organic coffee), a tall glass full of ice, and water heated to 87–94°C. That's all — no shaker, no frother, no machine.
The ratio
For a hot cup you would pour 150–180ml of water. Over ice, pour less hot water — roughly 100–120ml — and let a good handful of ice make up the rest. As the ice melts it dilutes and chills the coffee to the right strength. Too much hot water and too little ice gives a watery, lukewarm drink.
The recipe, step by step
1. Fill a tall glass with ice. 2. Tear the drip bag along the dotted line and hook the hangers on the rim of the glass. 3. Pour a little hot water to wet the coffee and wait a few seconds. 4. Pour slowly in small rounds, about 100–120ml in total. 5. Lift the bag out, stir well so the coffee meets the ice, and enjoy.
Tips for a better iced cup
Use a glass wide enough that the hangers hold firmly. Make the ice from water you would happily drink, because it becomes part of the coffee. Stir for a few seconds before the first sip so the drink is evenly cold. If the ice melts too quickly, brew directly over a few extra cubes.
Variations
Add cold milk or a plant-based drink for an iced latte-style coffee. A little sugar or syrup dissolves best if you add it to the hot coffee before it touches the ice. For a stronger drink, use two drip bags with the same amount of water.
A lighter alternative to freddo
If you love a cold coffee in summer but want something cleaner, an iced pour-over gives you the full taste of filter coffee without a machine. Add milk or sweetener if you like — it works either way.
At the office or by the sea
Because the bag needs only hot water and a glass, it works anywhere: at your desk on a hot afternoon, on a boat or at a beach house with a kettle. Individually packed bags fit in any bag for the summer.
Quick answers
- Can I make iced coffee with a drip bag?
- Yes. Brew the drip bag with about 100–120ml of hot water directly over a glass full of ice, then stir.
- How much water for an iced pour-over?
- Less than for a hot cup: about 100–120ml at 87–94°C, with the ice making up the rest.
- Is iced pour-over the same as cold brew?
- No. Cold brew steeps for many hours in cold water; iced pour-over is brewed hot in a few minutes and chilled instantly on ice.
- Can I add milk?
- Yes. Add cold milk or a plant-based drink after brewing.
