Be your own barista: 3 refreshing coffee concoctions for a hot day

MANILA, Philippines – Some days are just too hot for coffee – especially when you can’t just pop on over to your neighborhood coffee shop for an iced coffee or frappuccino made just right.

But believe it or not, you can beat the heat and get your caffeine fix right from home – and no, it doesn’t just mean dissolving your instant coffee in cold water instead of hot.

The next time you feel like you’re wilting in the tropical heat, bring yourself back to life with these coffee drinks, as shared by photographer and coffee enthusiast Iya Forbes.

Zesty Iced Coffee

Zest at least half a lemon and slice into thin strips. Avoid including the pith (the white part of the rind) to keep the drink from tasting bitter. Mix the zest strips with 3 to 4 teaspoons of maple syrup and let it chill overnight. The next day, put lemon zest syrup into a glass and add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add ice and coat everything with the syrup. Add coffee before serving. Garnish with more lemon zest and/or add a slice of lemon to the drink.

You can opt to use orange instead of lemon if you prefer.

Kori Kohi

The famous UCC drink can be easily made your home. Make a strong batch of coffee and freeze overnight. Put coffee ice cubes in glass and pour in hot milk. Once the coffee ice cubes melt, you’ll have a nice iced latte that isn’t diluted! Add simple syrup (sugar plus water solution) or honey to sweeten.

Ginger Ale Iced Coffee

This recipe – which Iya borrowed from Ben&Ben’s percussionist Toni Muñoz – includes 1 part coffee and 2 parts ginger ale. If no ginger ale is available, you can substitute it with a lemon or lime soft drink like Sprite. Pour coffee into a glass with ginger ale and ice. Garnish with mint and/or slice of lemon to brighten it up some more. – Rappler.com

Make your own refreshing coffee at home and use this Lazada voucher when you shop for your ingredients!