Iced-Coffee Talk

“Coffee can and should become as rarified and subtle as vintage Bordeaux,” says George Howell, CEO of Acton’s George Howell Coffee Company. While skeptical, I’m listening: This man’s been acclaimed as a java savant since the ’70s, when his Coffee Connection chain was Boston’s first to source, roast, and blend high-quality beans. His latest crusade is to replace the porous jute bags used to transport and store raw beans with vacuum-packing at the source. “When we prevent its volatile essences from evaporating and oxidizing,” he says, “coffee can actually evoke its terroir, just as fine wines do.”

As edifying as all this is, though, it’s not why we came to talk to Howell on this sweltering summer afternoon. Instead, what we’re here to learn is: How do the principles of great coffee apply to making top-shelf iced brews? Howell is happy to oblige. “Freshness is paramount—yesterday’s brew will be bitter and stale,” he says. “Frozen coffee cubes are preferable to ice, but that’s a luxury busy cafés can’t afford. And close-to-regular-strength brews still work better for iced than superstrong ones.” Thus informed, we set out to uncover the most delicious, distinctive iced coffee options around.