Last updated on May 28th, 2024 at 10:34
This article, Iced Americano vs Cold Brew, compares two great summer coffees and talks about the differences and their similarities.
One thing that is sure: you shouldn’t choose one or the other based on caffeine or calorie count as both are fairly similar for both beverages.
Want to know more about Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew?
Yes, then keep reading!
Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Caffeine
Table Of Contents
- 1 Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Caffeine
- 2 Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Calories
- 3 Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Taste
- 4 Is Iced Americano Stronger Than Cold Brew?
- 5 Is Iced Americano Bitter?
- 6 How To Make An Iced Americano
- 7 How To Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions About Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew
- 9 Final Thoughts – Iced Americanos Vs Cold Brew
An iced Americano and cold brew coffee are two very different coffee drinks even though a cold brew coffee and an iced Americano can look the same, let’s see how similar these two drinks are in terms of caffeine content.
Iced Americano:
- Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 150 mg.
- Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 225 mg.
- Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 300 mg.
Cold brew coffee:
- Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 155 mg.
- Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 205 mg.
- Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 310 mg.
It is clear that both these two beverages have a very similar amount of caffeine. The slight difference between the two drinks, which is at most 20 mg, is minimal and is not something that your body will notice unless you have a high sensitivity to caffeine.

Read: Cold brew vs Americano
Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Calories
When you study the nutritional content of cold brew coffee and an iced Americano you will find that both these beverages have the same amount of sugar, fat, cholesterol and protein – Zero!
There is a very minor and insignificant difference in the amount of sodium and the calories that each of the two drinks have.
Neither is a high calorie drink and both can be considered low calorie drinks. Coffee, as it is, or as I like to call it, “naked coffee” with nothing added, no sugar, no, milk has very few calories. It is what you add to coffee that increases the calorie count, milk sugar, flavored syrups, cream and so on.
Check out the table below with all the nutritional details for both drinks.
Drink and Size | Sugar | Fat | Cholesterol | Sodium | Protein | Calories |
Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) Cold Brew | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 mg | 0 | 5 |
Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) Iced Americano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 mg | 0 | 10 |
Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) Cold Brew | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 mg | 0 | 5 |
Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) Iced Americano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 mg | 0 | 15 |
Venti 24 Oz (720 ml) Cold Brew | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 mg | 0 | 5 |
Venti 24 Oz (720 ml) Iced Americano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 mg | 0 | 15 |
Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew Taste
An iced Americano is brewed with hot water and made with a shot of espresso as the base has all the bold flavors, crisp acids and sweet refreshing taste that you would expect from a regular coffee that is hot brewed and chilled with ice.
A cold brew coffee tastes less bitter, less acidic and is very smooth, mellow and well-rounded and balanced. Due to the lower acidity, cold brew coffee is better on your stomach.
If you have GERD or other issues with your stomach, a cold brew will be your best choice. In fact, in the case of making it at home you would be better advised to use Arabica beans which are lower in acidity than robusta and use as high a roast, as dark a roast as possible, French or Italian roast to enjoy a very low acid cold brew.
If you are on a diet and watching your sugar and calories, in take a cold brew coffee requires less sugar and can be easily enjoyed as it is.

Read: Cold pressed espresso
Is Iced Americano Stronger Than Cold Brew?
Yes, in terms of taste, an iced Americano has a stronger and more dominant taste than a cold brew coffee due to the coffee being brewed in the regular way and with a single or double shot or more of espresso as the base of the beverage.
There is a much more prominent and traditional taste of coffee from an iced Americano than a cold brew coffee.
In terms of caffeine content, as we discussed earlier, both beverages are almost the same, there is very little difference between the two.
Is Iced Americano Bitter?
An iced Americano while brewed with hot water with an espresso shot being the base of the beverage it has a low level of bitter tastes and notes. It is bitter but only slightly so thanks to the addition of water and ice cubes.
How To Make An Iced Americano
An iced Americano is a drink that is easy to make, ones of the easiest and tastes awesome and is a summer delight.
Ingredients Needed
- Two shots of espresso.
- 60 ml (2 Oz) of cold tap water.
- Ice cubes.
Method And Instructions
For a balanced coffee flavor, add the cold tap water and espresso shots in equal amounts and then add your ice cubes to make it nice and cool.
Simply pour your shots of espresso into a tall glass, add the same amount of cold water and then carefully drop in your ice cubes. It is that easy!
To make the espresso shots it is much better to use a home espresso coffee machine. If you don’t have one, an Aeropress and moka pot coffee are good alternatives for making the shots.
If you own a single serve coffee maker like a Keurig or Nespresso use two coffee pods to make the coffee base that you need.

Read: Cold brew espresso
How To Make Cold Brew Coffee At Home
Making your own cold brew coffee is just as easy and the best part is no special equipment is needed.
Ingredients Needed
- 240 grams (8 Oz) of coarsely ground coffee beans
- 64 Oz (1.92 liters) of ice-cold water.
This recipe uses a coffee to water ratio of 1:8, which is perfect for a great tasting cold brew coffee.
Use a glass airtight container and add your 8 ounces (240 grams) coffee grounds to it. Slowly add your ice-cold water, and add the lid. Give it a good shake and then put the container with your coffee and water into the fridge.
Let your coffee and water extract for 16 to 24 hours+. Taste test after 16 hours. If it tastes perfect for you, great, if not test again every few hours.
When you have the perfect tasting coffee, use a metal filter or sieve to remove the coffee grounds from the brewed coffee. If you forget, your coffee will continue to extract and will eventually become too bitter.
Save your coffee in an airtight container and store in your fridge.
If you have a French press coffee brewer you can use that; I generally don’t advise it as it is difficult to store in your fridge while your coffee is brewing. You need to use plastic wrap over the top to prevent any scents and tastes from other food items in your fridge.
The advantage of a French press is all you have to do is push down on the plunger to filter out the coffee grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Iced Americano Vs Cold Brew
Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Iced Americano?
Both of these cold coffee drinks are very different from each other. An iced Americano has a more dominating flavor than a cold brew coffee. Despite the use of espresso coffee in an iced Americano, a cold brew coffee has a higher caffeine content.
What Tastes Better Iced Americano Or Cold Brew?
Which is better is very subjective and an opinion based on how you enjoy coffee. Personally, I enjoy the taste of a cold brew coffee more than an iced Americano due to the mellow, more rounded taste. I only occasionally have an iced Americano as I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of it, it is much like a diluted cup of espresso coffee with ice. I’d rather the espresso shot with ice!
Does An Iced Americano Or Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?
A cold brew coffee has a greater caffeine kick than an iced Americano for most drink sizes. Let’s look at the caffeine levels in each drink.
Cold brew coffee:
- Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 155 mg
- Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 205 mg
- Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 310 mg.
Iced Americano:
- Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 150 mg
- Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 225 mg
- Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 300 mg.
A tall Americano is made with a double shot of espresso, a grande with a triple shot while a venti is made with 4 shots of espresso.
Is Iced Americano Just Black Coffee?
No, an iced Americano is not just black coffee. It is an espresso shot that is diluted with cold water with ice cubes added. An ordinary black coffee is drip coffee.
Do Iced Americanos Have A Lot Of Caffeine?
Yes, the caffeine content ranges from 150 mg to 300 mg depending on the drink size and thus is a good caffeine boost.
Is Iced Americano Good For Fasting?
Yes, an iced Americano with no milk and no sugar is good for fasting. I regularly coffee fast. Coffee is good for suppressing the appetite.
Final Thoughts – Iced Americanos Vs Cold Brew
In the battle of the brew, Iced Americanos Vs Cold Brew, which one wins it for you? For me, and suited to my own taste and preference, is cold brew coffee.
If you love cold brew, it is best made in large batches due to the long extraction time. It’s good and fresh for 5 to 7 days in your fridge.
Join our cool coffee community and join in by sharing your coffee recipes, creations and don’t forget to post those hilarious memes and jokes. Find us on Facebook/Meta!