Summer Coffee

I love coffee. But when the weather gets warm, I find myself drinking less of it. There's just something about hot coffee in the summer that doesn't work for me.

The great thing about specialty coffee drinks is the variety that exists for summer coffee drinks. For people like me who really love the taste of coffee, iced coffee drinks provide a cold option that quenches that espresso thirst.

Iced Coffee
Some specialty coffee shops are happy to give you regular (or decaf) coffee poured over a cup of ice. Sugar or flavored syrups are often added.

Iced Cappuccino

Like iced coffee, this drink is a cappuccino over ice. After pulling a shot of espresso, milk (sometimes heated, sometimes not) is poured over ice, followed by the espresso. Often the froth present in a cappuccino is omitted in favor of whipped cream. Sugar or flavored syrups are often added.

Iced Latte

This drink is similar to an iced cappuccino, but comes in a larger size (as with the hot version).

Blended Coffee Drinks

Called Frappucinos by Starbucks, these drinks are where iced coffee drinks and smoothies meet. Many blended coffee drinks are created using powdered mixes, flavored syrups, and milk, then topped with whipped cream. The strong flavoring in these drinks provide a great option for people who want to order something at a coffee house, but aren't sure if they like coffee.

Cremosa
This isn't really a coffee drink, but is often found in coffee shops. It's an Italian drink made up of ice, carbonated water, flavored syrups, and cream. The water is poured over ice first, then the syrup, and it's topped with the cream to allow it to swirl together on its own. These drinks are available without the cream, which is a drink called an Italian soda.