How to Make an Iced Americano (& Order it at Starbucks)

Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by brewthatcoffee

How to Make an Iced Americano (& Order it at Starbucks)

The rise of coffee culture seemingly has no end. The Americano is simple in construction, consisting of water and a double shot of espresso. Starbucks constructs a particularly tasty, robust Americano – and it’s even better over ice. 

An Iced Americano is made using espresso, chilled water, and ice cubes. Pull two to three shots of espresso using an espresso machine or Nespresso. Pour 2/3 cup chilled water into a tall glass and add the espresso shots. Top the drink with ice and optional milk or sweeteners to taste. 

An Americano can be enjoyed over ice as a cool and refreshing summer pick-me-up. Here’s how to order your Iced Americano at Starbucks (for those lazy days) and make a homemade copycat version using three simple ingredients. We’ve also included a list of delicious add-ins for those who prefer a slightly sweeter drink.

What Is An Iced Americano?

An Iced Americano is the watered-down and cold version of the classic Americano. The beverage is made using espresso, ice, and chilled water. It is bold, dark, refreshing, and delicious – a must-try!

The Iced Americano is similar to a strongly brewed iced coffee. However, it is exclusively made with an espresso machine or Nespresso.

What It Tastes Like

A traditional Iced Americano tastes like a slightly watered-down Americano or espresso.

The drink relies on espresso beans for flavor and character. An Iced Americano typically boasts rich and bold robust espresso flavors with bitter notes and crisp acid nuances.

Difference Between An Iced Americano And Iced Coffee

While an Iced Americano may resemble a freshly-brewed Iced Coffee, there are several factors that tell them apart.

An Iced Americano is strictly an espresso-based drink with additional ice and cold water. In contrast, an Iced Coffee is hot brewed coffee chilled with ice cubes. You cannot use brewed coffee to make the Iced Americano.

Flavor-wise, an Iced Americano is generally more robust and richer than an Iced Coffee. It boasts deep coffee flavors with bitter and acidic notes. Iced Coffee offers subtle, light flavors with sweet floral notes.

Visually, the primary cue is the ‘crema’ or lack thereof. For those unfamiliar with the term, crema is the signature flavorful, aromatic, reddish-brown foam that rests atop a freshly pulled espresso shot. Crema gives espresso a fuller flavor than drip coffee.

Unlike Iced Coffee, an Iced Americano has crema on top.

How To Make An Iced Americano

You can make an Iced Americano with three simple ingredients and, of course, an espresso machine. Here’s how.

Equipment

  • Espresso Machine or Nespresso
  • Grinder
  • Espresso Tamper (a tool used to tamp espresso grounds evenly into the espresso machine’s basket for a premium quality shot).

Ingredients

  • 3 shots espresso (3 ounces)
  • ⅔ cup chilled water (preferably filtered)
  • 1 cup ice
  • Milk or cream (optional)
  • Sweetener (optional)

Tip: Preferably use 100% Arabica dark roast beans when making an Iced Americano for the best results. If you enjoy the taste of Starbucks drinks, you can grab some beans from their café.

Instructions

Here’s how to copycat a Starbucks Iced Americano at home.

  1. Pull three shots espresso using an espresso machine or Nespresso.
  2. Pour ⅔ cups chilled water into a tall glass.
  3. Pour the espresso shots over the chilled water.
  4. Top the drink with ice.
  5. Optionally add a dash of milk or sweetener to taste. You can also get creative and add flavored syrup and sweet toppings.

Best Add-ins

Iced Americanos can be too robust or bitter for your taste. If so, consider the following delicious add-ins to lighten the drink.

SyrupsSaucesToppingsMilk
Brown Sugar
Caramel
Hazelnut
Vanilla
Cinnamon Dolce
Irish Cream
Mocha
Caramel
White Chocolate Mocha
Honey  
Praline
Cocoa
Cinnamon
Cookie Crumble
Whipped Cream
Whole Milk
2% Milk
Oat Milk
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Best Add-Ins for the Iced Americano

Tip: If you plan to add granulated sugar, ensure you add it to the warm espresso shot to ensure it dissolves properly.

Recommended Equipment (Espresso Machine)

You will need an espresso machine or Nespresso to make a barista-quality Iced Americano.

Our top three recommendations include:

Breville Barista Express

Breville Nespresso Creatista

De’Longhi EC9355M La Specialista Prestigio

Iced Americano

Iced Americano

The rise of coffee culture seemingly has no end. The Americano is simple in construction, consisting of water and a double shot of espresso. Starbucks constructs a particularly tasty, robust Americano – and it’s even better over ice. 

Ingredients

  • 3 shots espresso (3 ounces)
  • ⅔ cup chilled water (preferably filtered)
  • 1 cup ice
  • Milk or cream (optional)
  • Sweetener (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pull three shots espresso using an espresso machine or Nespresso.
  2. Pour ⅔ cups chilled water into a tall glass.
  3. Pour the espresso shots over the chilled water.
  4. Top the drink with ice.
  5. Optionally add a dash of milk or sweetener to taste. You can also get creative and add flavored syrup and sweet toppings.

Notes

Equipment

  • Espresso Machine or Nespresso
  • Grinder
  • Espresso Tamper (a tool used to tamp espresso grounds evenly into the espresso machine’s basket for a premium quality shot).

Tip: Preferably use 100% Arabica dark roast beans when making an Iced Americano for the best results. If you enjoy the taste of Starbucks drinks, you can grab some beans from their café.

How To Order An Iced Americano At Starbucks

You can order an Iced Americano in three drink sizes at Starbucks:

  • Tall (12 ounces): 2 espresso shots
  • Grande (16 ounces): 3 espresso shots
  • Venti (24 ounces): 4 espresso shots

Starbucks makes its Iced Americano with its Signature Espresso Roast. However, you can ask the barista to change it to a Blonde or Decaf Roast. You can also change the espresso shot to a short (ristretto) or long shot.

The drink is traditionally made without any sweeteners, syrups, or milk. However, you can easily add them to your order to spruce up your drink. 

Iced Americano Caffeine Content

Starbucks Iced Americano caffeine per cup size:

  • Tall (12 ounces): 150 milligrams of caffeine
  • Grande (16 ounces): 225 milligrams of caffeine
  • Venti (24 ounces): 300 milligrams of caffeine

Is An Iced Americano Stronger Than Iced Coffee?

An Iced Americano is stronger and contains more caffeine than Iced Coffee. 

Iced Americano Caffeine Content vs. Other Coffee Drinks

Here’s a charted comparison of the caffeine content between a Starbucks Iced Americano and other Starbucks coffee drinks.

Coffee BeverageTall (12 ounces) Caffeine ContentGrande (16 ounces) Caffeine ContentVenti (24 ounces) Caffeine Content
Iced Americano150 milligrams225 milligrams300 milligrams
Iced Coffee120 milligrams165 milligrams235 milligrams
Espresso75 milligrams (single shot)150 milligrams (double shot) 
Café Americano150 milligrams225 milligrams300 milligrams
Blonde Café Americano170 milligrams255 milligrams340 milligrams
Dark Roast Brewed Coffee280 milligrams380 milligrams470 milligrams
Café Mocha95 milligrams175 milligrams185 milligrams
Cappuccino75 milligrams150 milligrams150 milligrams
Flat White130 milligrams195 milligrams195 milligrams
Reserve Cold Brew150 milligrams200 milligrams300 milligrams
Iced Latte75 milligrams150 milligrams225 milligrams
Coffee Frappuccino70 milligrams95 milligrams130 milligrams
Nitro Latte115 milligrams285 milligrams 
Caffeine Content in Iced Americano Vs Other Coffee Drinks

What’s A Korean Iced Americano?

A Korean Iced Americano is identical to a regular Iced Americano. It is a double shot of espresso poured over ice and chilled water.

Iced Americano FAQs

An Iced Americano isn’t regular hot brewed coffee. It is specifically made from espresso shots instead of hot black brewed coffee.

An Iced Americano is crisp and sweet with bitter and acidic notes.

A traditional Iced Americano does not contain additional sweeteners. However, you can add syrups and sweeteners to sweeten the drink if it’s too bitter.

Conclusion

Make an Iced Americano at home with three basic ingredients to enjoy a cool, refreshing spin on the classic Americano. It still offers the same bold and intense flavors as its traditional counterpart.

Resources

https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/406/iced/nutrition
https://baristas-choice.com/best-espresso-machine-for-americano/

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