Citrus & Thyme Iced Coffee

MaryClaire (one of the owners of Piper & Leaf) and her husband Micah, started Caffeinated Ostrich just a couple years ago. Micah has a passion for roasting coffee beans, so they began this venture as a way to introduce more people to fresh, locally-roasted coffee. Now they set up at events together selling delicious coffee alongside MaryClaire’s amazing homemade cookies.

Naturally, they are the coffee of choice for Piper & Leaf! Caffeinated Ostrich is our go-to for the drip coffee, nitro cold-brew, and espresso that we serve in stores. We also sell 1-pound bags of those fragrant coffee beans both in-stores and online!

Shop for Caffeinated Ostrich coffee.

The beans are rich and flavorful on their own, but this orange coffee recipe is truly special. Combining MaryClaire’s citrus-infused simple syrup with Micah’s incredible cold-brew coffee gives you a bright and delicious cup of coffee. Perfect for a morning boost.

Micah’s Citrus Coffee Recipe

1. Fill a 16oz cup (or pint jar) with ice
2. Add cold-brewed Caffeinated Ostrich coffee, leaving about an inch to spare at the top of the cup
3. Add 1oz of your favorite milk or milk alternative
4. Add 1oz of Citrus Thyme Simple Syrup
5. Stir the iced coffee and garnish with an orange peel and a sprig of thyme
6. Enjoy!

To prep the ingredients for this recipe, first you will need to start cold-brewing some coffee! While you wait for the cold-brew to steep, you will infuse a batch of simple syrup with orange and thyme. Then you'll have enough to enjoy this citrus-coffee deliciousness for a few days!

Cold-Brew Caffeinated Ostrich Recipe

1. Coarsely grind 41 grams of coffee beans (medium roast) and pour it into a quart-sized (32oz) mason jar
2. Fill the jar up with boiling hot water until it’s about 1/3 full
3. Let the coffee bloom for about 90 seconds
4. Carefully fill the jar to the neckline with ice water (yes, ice water! None of this lukewarm business)
5. Let it sit overnight in the fridge to steep
6. Gently pour the contents of the mason jar through a cheese cloth to separate the grounds from the liquid. Try not to agitate the coffee as you pour!
7. Strain the cold-brew a second time, this time through a coffee filter. The coffee will be very gritty if it is only filtered through the cheesecloth, so this will help you get a smoother cup
8. Store in your mason jar in the fridge! Use a lid to seal the jar

 Citrus Thyme Simple Syrup

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil
2. Add 2 cups of sugar to the boiling water and stir until dissolved
3. Add about ¼ cup of orange peels & about ¼ cup of thyme sprigs (fresh thyme is best, if you can get some!)
4. Stir the mixture as the simple syrup simmers (without fully boiling). Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the syrup reaches your desired strength
5. When it’s finished, carefully strain out the orange peels and thyme and let the simple syrup cool
6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature