Starbucks has announced that it’s going to start offering…wait for it…coffee ice cubes. That right. Coffee. Ice. Cubes. And they’re charging extra for it. It’ll be an offered add-on, like soy milk or syrup. And they’re being tested in 100 stores throughout St. Louis and Baltimore for the next couple of months. Here’s a pro-tip: You can easily make your own ice coffee and will be a whole lot more affordable.
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Related Story:Â 11 Coffee Hacks That Will Make Your Mornings So Much Better
Coffee ice cubes are great, because they keep your iced coffee from getting diluted with regular ol’ water. And they take no time at all to create, assuming you have a freezer and access to espresso, cold brew, or other strong coffee. You can also add flavored syrups, chocolate, raw sugar or creamer to the coffee before freezing. The possibilities are endless! Just stick your favorite combo into an ice tray and freeze. Next time you make yourself an iced coffee, you’ll have some extra support to keep your drink flavorful and fully caffeinated.
Here are 5 other tricks to create a perfect DIY iced coffee.
1. Flavor Your Ice Cubes With Fresh Mint
The oil in the mint will naturally flavor your iced coffee. Top your drink off with a splash of soda water, add a little simple syrup, garnish with mint, and you have a refreshing drink that would cost you a handsome sum at any coffee shop. Bonus: You can use this trick in any summer drink, not just iced coffee.
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2. Make Vanilla Ice Cubes
These gems are great for those who think coffee ice cubes are too strong. To make these, you’ll need vanilla, sugar and milk (hemp and soy milk work great). Once melted, the combo adds a touch of sweetness to your iced coffee, not to  mention will keep “Ice Ice Baby” stuck in your head for hours.
3. Try Your Hand At Cold Brew
There are tons of “how to” videos and instructions on making the perfect cold brew. Here’s one we like. Also, Bon Appetit went ahead and made a “things not to do” list for you to peruse before you begin.
4. Make It “To Go”
If you rarely have time to make coffee in the morning, stick your iced coffee in a tumbler or some other type of traveling mug, place in the freezer overnight, then grab before you head to work. By the time you get to the office, your coffee will be ready to drink.
5. Turn It Into Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Just add sweetened condensed milk (and get yourself a Vietnamese coffee press). It’s addicting and you might never go back to regular iced coffee. Steamy Kitchen has an easy technique that’s also the base of a Vietnamese coffee ice cream recipe.
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