History of Iced Coffee: Origins Vs Where We Are Today | Crazy Cups

As the warmer months finally begin to roll in, we’re finding ourselves once again reaching more and more for the satisfying sip of an icy glass of our typical morning joe rather than a steaming hot mug. We all have our reasons: the colder temperature is more refreshing on a hot, summer day, the drink is easier to consume more quickly when you’re on the go, or simply because we just prefer it. Nonetheless, iced coffee is here to stay!

Yet as we reached for that frosty glass and our hands met with that cool condensation covering its surface, it got us to thinking. Where does this intoxicating alternative to the typical brew even come from? We were eager to find out.

The history of iced coffee is a fascinating tale of humanity’s adaptation to its environment and our never-ending yearning for small comforts anywhere we are. Follow with us as we trace it from its earliest origins across the world to serving on the counter of your local neighborhood coffee house on any given morning.

The Birth of Iced Coffee

While there are tales from the early 17th century of brewing experimentation in Vienna that may have involved iced coffee, it is generally agreed that the most formative moment for iced coffee happened in 19th century Algeria during the Siege of Mazagran by the French following the Treaty of Tafna in 1837. It is stated that during the siege, French colonial troops began supplementing their coffee with cold water once they ran out of milk rations. This cold coffee drink, often made with concentrated coffee syrup, was said to be instrumental in helping the soldiers beat the Algerian heat.

When the French returned home to Paris, they began requesting this drink in their local cafes. Ultimately, the shops obliged their honored veterans, and this drink would come to be known as a “Cafe Mazagran,” and the standard tall, clear glass it was served in was called a Mazagran. The drink is still served in coffee shops to this day and very early on came to prominently feature a little sweetener and a slice of fresh lemon.

Variations Around the World

Since then, the chilled variety of the drink, which was already a worldwide phenomenon, has continued to spread and evolve. Initially, nearby countries like Portugal, Austria, and Spain began to experiment with their own interpretations of the Mazagran. Many of these versions would often feature alcohol like brandy or rum but would almost always also contain lemon and some kind of sweetener.

Beyond that region, the drink began to take hold in Asia as well. Soon after coffee was brought to Vietnam around 1857, they too began to make the drink their own. Eventually, they would become a major exporter of coffee beans, and one of the signature drinks of Vietnam would also start spreading around the world: the Ca Phe Sua Da! This famous concoction involves brewing very dark roast coffee, often in a unique metal “phin” filter, before throwing it over ice and mixing it with sweetened condensed milk. The result is a creamy, bold treat that was born from scarcity due to the early limitations of both Vietnam's young coffee economy and fledgling dairy industry at the time, causing a lack of fresh milk.

In many countries, like Germany, Italy, and Australia, iced coffee often first appeared specifically as a dessert that was mixed with fresh ice cream. The Germans called their invention Eiskaffee, a float-style drink with a cup of drip coffee poured over a large glass of ice cream. In contrast, the Italians called theirs: Affogato; typically, a single espresso shot poured over a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

How Iced Coffee is Drank Today

Even though many of these original iced coffee forms are still drunk today in their regions of origin and beyond, there are many more enjoyed in the present day that are slightly more recent in founding.

Chief among them is arguably the Greek frappe, invented by Dimitris Vakondios in 1957, which was initially a shaken coffee drink made from instant coffee, water, sugar, ice, and milk that resulted in a frothy, milkshake beverage. While this was many years ago, this treat would go on to inspire the even more famous Starbucks Frappuccino, which would become one of its bestsellers to this day.

Another more common coffee drinking method today also has older roots. Head into any coffee shop nowadays, and you will likely find a new “cold-brew” on the menu, usually advertised as a sweeter, less acidic variation of your average cup. However, this technique of steeping your beans in cold or room temperature water for long periods of time has actually been used for quite a while.

The Japanese have been utilizing this method for many years, and it was actually first introduced to America in the mid 20th century by Todd Simpson. It is said that Simpson first tried the technique while visiting Peru and fell in love with the flavor profiles it evoked. In an effort to bring that flavor back to his home country, he inevitably invented the “Toddy” coffee maker, which became the first commercial cold brew-making product on the market in the United States.

Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find a coffee shop that doesn’t have iced variations of almost everything on the menu (plus typically a few iced exclusives like cold brew). It’s crazy to think that just a few centuries ago, such a thing didn’t exist at all. Understanding this deep, rich history has caused us to savor our iced cup just a little bit more with each sip.

Exploring all of the different flavors of coffee is our passion, and we guess you could say that we’re a little obsessed. Follow us on Instagram to keep up with our journey to understanding everything coffee has to offer and to try out all of the different recipes we’re constantly unveiling for you to explore too. We can’t wait to see what exciting paths coffee will take in the future, and we look forward to sharing it with you!