I was first introduced to iced coffee during my summer in New York in 2014. Since then it has become a taste of the summer season for me. Much as mulled wine remains the preserve of late October to early January, iced coffee has a place somewhere between May and September (depending on the particulars of the English summer), and evokes the same mood as the smell of sun cream, the site of a picnic rug, or a long summer evening, warm enough to sit out until dark.
When I’m enjoying my usual coffee shop haunts, my iced coffee of choice is an iced Americano with a dash of oat milk. But if you keeping your distance from cafes at the moment there are plenty of pre-mixed iced coffees on the market to sample.
My top three choices (all vegan, because I am!) are:
Rebel Kitchen, Iced Coffee Mylk
It’s rich and delicious and tastes incredibly indulgent. If you really want to push the boat out, their Mocha version is even better. You need to give it a good shake before opening as the coconut in mylk can separate and I like to pour it over lots of ice, mainly to make it last that little bit longer.
Read more about Rebel Kitchen’s manifesto and supply chain here.
Minor Figures, Cold Brew Coffee Mocha
Don’t let the can confuse you: this is not a fizzy drink but a scrummy oat milk iced coffee. I stumbled across this coffee at our local Italian pizzeria while they were serving takeaway. I’ve only tried the mocha so far, but they also do a latte, chai latte and black coffee, all of which are on my list to sample. What is more, Minor Figures trace the coffee in their cold brews all the way back to farm to guarantee quality, consistency and a sustainability sourced product, while coffee itself is brewed at a micro-brewery in East London.
Read more about Minor Figures here.
Vita Coco, Cold Brew Coffee
You may think of Vita Coco predominantly as a coconut water brand, but their cold brew coffee is also worth a try. It doesn’t feel quite as indulgent as the other two, but it is lower in calories and still really tasty. What’s more is there is a recipe for Cold Brew Cream Slices available on the Vita Coco Instagram feed, which I will be trying very soon!
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