Iced coffee is a lot like a teenager: inconsistent, misunderstood and usually bitter. Unlike espressos and cappuccinos, the coddled babies of coffeehouses, iced coffee in most shops doesn't get the attention and care it needs to bring out its best attributes. But there are easy, low-tech ways to make very flavorful iced coffee, either at home or in a cafe.

The first method is to extract the coffee with cold water, rather than hot. This is called the Toddy Method, named after Todd Simpson who patented and commercialized the method in 1964. But ancient Peruvians are likely the inventors of the cold brew method. It remains a common technique in many tropical areas. Cold water doesn't bring out the acidity that hot water does. This is one of the reasons the Schlafly beer brewers favor this method when they prepare Kaldi's coffee to add to their divine Coffee Stout. While there are Toddy coffee brewers you can buy, you'll get the same easy results with a glass jar and a sieve. For a small quantity, grind enough beans to make 2/3 cups of coffee grounds (about 2 grams.) Stir or shake in a jar with 3 cups of water. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 12 hours. Strain twice through a sieve lined with a large paper coffee filter or cheesecloth. Now you have a concentrate that lasts, refrigerated and tightly sealed, for a week. Mix with equal parts cold water or milk, and serve over ice. For larger quantities, steep a pound of ground coffee in 9 cups of water.

You will forgo a little of the complexities of coffee flavor with the cold brew method. So, alternatively, you can use the standard drip brewing method, and do some vigilant chilling. Brew a fresh pot of drip coffee, and cool it down as quickly as possible. At Kaldi's Coffeehouses, we do this by brewing into a wide open container, then chilling in the refrigerator once the temperature has dropped enough that the coffee is no longer steaming. (Never attempt to chill coffee that is not freshly brewed. Coffee's flavor degenerates rapidly after brewing. The only thing worse than an old cup of coffee is a cold, old cup of coffee.) You can also chill coffee rapidly by dropping frozen cooling blocks -- the ones used in lunch boxes and coolers -- into the container. Don't cool with ice, of course, as this waters down the brew. Once cold, serve over ice. For an even tastier version of this method, dissolve a little sugar or baking soda in the hot coffee (about 2 teaspoons per liter,) before chilling. This small amount is not enough to taste, but just enough to neutralize the bitter edge.