This Is How The Rest Of The World Drinks Iced Coffee

Now we're thirsty.

Cold brew coffee seems to be the caffeinated iced beverage of choice these days in the U.S. Starbucks has put it on its menu, and Dunkin’ Donuts has, too. And even though cold brew contains less caffeine than regular coffee, folks stateside are still reaching for it.

But that’s not true around the world. In fact, the rest of the world is drinking their iced coffee in all sorts of delicious ways. Some countries even use instant coffee to make theirs ― ahem, Greece ― and it’s better than you can imagine.

Check it out:

1
Frappe, Greece
Robert Gourley/Flickr
Greece proves that there is a time and a place for instant coffee, and that it can in fact be absolutely delicious. The Greek frappe is traditionally made with instant coffee, water and milk, shaken and served over ice with sugar to taste. It's the perfect answer to sultry afternoons.

Get a recipe here.
2
Aisu Kōhī, Japan
momoko77/Flickr
To make Japanese iced coffee, the coffee is brewed directly onto ice which means you can get it from cup to mouth even faster because there's no need to cool it first. Not only is this super efficient, it also creates a complex flavor that can't be achieved with cold brew.

Get a recipe here.
3
Oliang, Thailand
nanovivid/Flickr
Traditional Thai iced coffee is brewed with soybeans, sesame and corn. That's what gives it a special kick. (Though you'll commonly see it just brewed with cardamom, too.) It's served over iced with sweetened condensed milk -- another nice touch -- or evaporated milk with simple syrup. It basically tastes like heaven.

Get a recipe here.
4
Ca Phe Da, Vietnam
James Ransom/Food52
Vietnamese iced coffee is famous for its use of sweetened condensed milk, but that's not the only thing that makes it so memorable. Just like with Oliang from Thailand, Vietnamese coffee is interesting right from the start with the brewing process. Sometimes it is brewed with chicory and other times it's a mixture of Arabica and Robusta beans, which are notably harsh but blend well with the sweetness of the condensed milk.

Get a recipe here.
5
Mocha Cola, Brazil
ell brown/Flickr
This is not your everyday iced coffee. Brazil's take on this beverage is... unique. There is coffee in it. And chocolate, lots of chocolate. But there's also cola -- which means double the caffeine -- served over ice with whipped cream.

Get a recipe here.
6
Yuanyang, Hong Kong
Premshree Pillai/Flickr
Hong Kong is another spot where you'll find extra caffeine in iced coffee. Yuanyang is a mixture of milk tea and coffee served over ice.

Get a recipe here.
7
Affogato, Italy
Ralan808/Flickr
This isn't exactly an iced coffee, but it is a beautiful, strong shot of espresso served on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That's good enough for us. (And, ahem, that's Italian espresso and Italian ice cream, so... )

Get a recipe here.
8
Eiskaffee, Germany
Fitz_Carraldo/Flickr
Italy might have the affogato, but Germany has the Eiskaffee. And if ordered at the right place, that eiskaffee will come in a tall glass full of strong, cold German coffee with a scoop of ice cream, grated chocolate, whipped cream AND a fancy wafer cookie. If you're really lucky, you get a party streamer too.

Get a recipe here.

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