The Supersmart Coffee Brewing Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner

If you’re an iced coffee lover, you know the struggle of brewing a fresh pot only to be stuck waiting around for it to cool. The alternatives? Either risk watering down your drink by pouring it over ice while it’s still hot, or use up precious time brewing cold brew that needs to steep overnight. Luckily, TikToker @gabriellabowmannn has shared a genius trick that solves your iced coffee woes—and it’s as simple as opening your utensil drawer.

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How to Brew Almost Instantly Cool Coffee

In her now-viral video (with 4.4 million views!), Gabriella demonstrates how you can brew hot coffee directly over a metal spoon to speed up the cooling process. It works like this: the metal acts as a heat conductor, pulling away some of that excess heat before it ever hits your cup. This means your coffee cools down much faster, allowing you to pour it over ice without turning your drink into a watery mess. It’s a small hack with a big payoff, especially for anyone who’s in a rush to get their caffeine fix (everyone?).

Related: The Pantry Item That Will Make Your Homemade Iced Coffee Taste Like It Came From Starbucks

How a Metal Spoon Cools Off Coffee 

There are a few theories here. One is that when a hot liquid comes into contact with a metal spoon, the heat transfers from the coffee to the metal, which disperses it into the surrounding air. A TikTok commenter posited another reason: “It’s not the spoon itself doing most of the cooling, it’s adding more time and surface area for the air to cool it before hitting the ice,” they said. And another commenter weighed in with another tip altogether. “I brew it into a metal cocktail shaker and then put the shaker in cold water.” Intriguing. 

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So, the next time you brew a K-Cup or shot of espresso but don’t have the time (or patience) to wait for it to cool, reach for a spoon. You’ll be sipping your perfectly cooled iced coffee in no time—no fancy gadgets or overnight prep required. 

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