There are few things about my routine I take more seriously than my morning cup of coffee. I start each day with fresh coffee from my french press — all the way from grinding the coffee beans, to boiling water in a kettle, and perfecting the amount of time before pouring it into my favorite mug. Especially during the pandemic, it has become a ritual that fuels me both mentally and physically.
Aside from the time it takes from start to finish, the only flaw is that I also love iced coffee. My process remains the same, but iced coffee requires hours of advanced planning to allow time for the coffee to cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator for a few more hours. I often prefer iced coffee, but it's something I rarely think to prepare the night before.
When I got the opportunity to test Jot's Ultra Coffee ($24), a liquid concentrate that is 20 times more concentrated than regular coffee, I jumped at the opportunity. I hoped this would be my entry into quick and easy iced coffee without compromising taste or cost. It did not disappoint.
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I followed Jot's iced coffee recipe by combining 1 tablespoon of Ultra Coffee, 6-8 ounces of water, and ice. Without any milk, I really enjoyed sticking to the 8-ounce recommendation. It was strong without being overpowering. With milk, the 6-ounce recommendation worked perfectly. It was still rich and creamy without being watered down. Either way, my morning coffee tasted like I got it from a high-end local coffee shop, but saved me the time it took to get there and back. From start to finish, the iced coffee only took about a minute to make, rather than the usual 10 from my routine.
Each bottle of Jot Ultra Coffee costs $24 and is supposed to make 14 cups of coffee, which totals to less than $2 a cup. After taking my kettle, coffee grinder, french press, and coffee beans (anywhere from $5-$15 a bag) into account, this definitely reduces the price of each cup without losing the taste. Jot's website offers free shipping if you purchase more than one bottle, allowing your end-of-day cost to truly remain lower than those of high-end local coffee shops.
I was also impressed by the waste (or lack thereof!) of Jot's process — from bean to your mug. The glass bottles can be recycled (though the company recommends removing the cork for easier processing) or upcycled, the coffee is ethically sourced, and the beans are composted. Adding that to water, ice, and possibly plant-based milk, a morning cup leaves little trace other than that associated with shipping.
For mornings I'm craving iced coffee (or simply don't have the time for my usual routine!), I will definitely be switching to Jot's Ultra Coffee. It is too good and efficient not to. While Jot offers the same hot water or hot milk amount recommendations to make a black coffee or hot latte, I love my slow french press coffee routine too much to give it away fully, especially as fall and winter roll around. That said, Jot's Ultra Coffee has certainly also won its rightful place in my routine.
