What is an iced espresso beverage at Starbucks? (What is in an iced espresso beverage at Starbucks + More information)
What is an iced espresso beverage at Starbucks? It is worth knowing the answer to this question to help you know whether it works for you or not.
Like many Americans, I love starting my day with coffee, regardless of what form it comes in. In light of this, there are days when I get into a Starbucks café and do not have anything in mind to order – and that is where iced espresso comes in. Despite its simplicity, iced espresso is an underrated beverage that you may not know much about, such as confusing it for iced coffee.
Starbucks iced espresso is a coffee drink that baristas brew by using strong espresso shots as the base of the drink, then adding ice and sometimes cold tap water, a splash of milk, sweeteners, and cold foam. You are free to choose the roast you want (decaf, blonde, or dark), as well as the number of shots and any customizations you want. Read on to find out more.
Table of Contents
What is in the Starbucks iced espresso?
This beverage is as simple as it gets because it only contains ice and espresso shots. Depending on how you want the drink to be, you can also customize it by asking for sweeteners like classic syrup, changing the number of espresso shots, as well as adding small amounts of milk and cold water.
The flavor of an iced espresso is quite strong because the espresso shots are made from concentrated coffee. You can choose the roast level you want, and it will serve your needs if you love espresso coffee.
In terms of the number of espresso shots, you have four options: Solo (one shot containing 0.75 fl. oz.), Doppio (two shots containing 1.5 fl. oz.), Triple (three shots containing 2.25 fl. oz.), and Quad (3 fl. oz.). By default, the iced espresso comes with the doppio option, though you can increase or decrease it as you wish.
Although iced espresso seems to be the same as iced coffee, the difference is that iced coffee consists of coffee that is brewed hot and then poured over ice, rather than the cold brewing process that iced espresso goes through.
What is the nutritional content of Starbucks iced espresso?
For people who are looking for low-calorie Starbucks drinks, the iced espresso is a good drink to start with. It only contains 10 calories on average if you do not add any customizations like sweeteners and milk. On its own, it does not contain any fat or sugar but contains 1g of protein.
In terms of caffeine content, iced espresso contains an average of 140 to 150mg of caffeine, which is enough to give many people a quick caffeine boost.
What recipe does Starbucks use to make iced espresso?
This is a dairy-free and vegan drink that is very easy to make. Starbucks only uses ice and espresso shots, and these espresso shots are from very strong coffee roasts.
To make it, Starbucks uses the following recipe:
- Use the coffee beans to make 2 shots of espresso coffee, which is roughly equal to 30ml.
- After brewing the espresso, transfer it to a large glass.
- Add ice cubes to the glass.
- If you want to dilute the espresso, add cold water to the iced drink, as well as other options such as milk (dairy and non-dairy options are okay), sweeteners, and other additions.
What does Starbucks iced espresso taste like?
The iced espresso uses concentrated espresso shots as the basis of the drink, resulting in an intense and sharp flavor. The espresso shots come from the coffee brewing process that forces pressurized hot water into coffee beans to extract the flavors, sugars, and oils from the beans. The result is the espresso liquid and crema, which is the layer on the top.
The formation of the crema creates flavors that are very complex compared to when you brew the coffee on its own. Depending on the specific coffee brewing methods used, the espresso flavors will change significantly – for instance, a chocolate-like, strong taste is an indicator that the espresso was made through a French press, while a floral and balanced taste indicates the use of the Chemex brewing method.
The coffee roast used also affects the espresso flavor. By default, Starbucks uses dark roast coffee in iced espresso to give it a strong flavor, although you can request for a lighter or decaf roast to be used instead.
How can I order Starbucks iced espresso?
Similar to other coffee drinks from Starbucks, you should ask for the cup size you want, the coffee roast (whether it is decaf or a regular option), the number of espresso shots, and whether you want syrup, milk, or other customizations.
When ordering it, you should keep all these customizations in mind, including whether you want the solo, doppio, triple, or quad shots if you need an extra boost.
If you are ordering through the Starbucks app, go to the “Cold Coffees” menu, and scroll to the “Iced Coffees” sub-menu. From there, you can order the iced espresso and customize it through the quantity of ice, the flavors, the toppings, the number of shots, and the cup size.
Conclusion
Iced espresso is a very strong drink that you can order if you are a fan of strong coffee. Its base is espresso shots, in which ice is added to chill the liquid quickly, although you can add any flavors you want to customize it if you want.
FAQ Section
Is iced espresso the same as iced coffee?
No, they are not the same drink. Iced coffee uses hot-brewed coffee that is allowed to cool, poured over ice, and then served cold, so it contains more water. Iced espresso consists of ice poured over espresso shots, so it is a stronger drink.
Is espresso better than drip coffee?
In many ways, yes it is. Unlike drip coffee, espresso does not use paper filters, it is stronger by 6 to 8 times, and it is thicker and more flavorful due to containing more coffee bean solids than drip coffee.