Oh, look. Another coffee post. I mean hey, this column isn’t called The Weekly Brew for nothing.

This time, instead of giving you all options from an overpriced coffee menu, I decided to sharre some coffee “hacks.” The following will mostly include iced-coffee related methods because brewing a good ‘ole cup of hot joe is obvious and a no brainer. Aka: you should already be doing that.

When you’re sick of regularly brewed coffee, try this:

1. The Vanilla Trick

Brew yourself a strong cup of American coffee. Fill up 1/4 of your mug with heated milk of your choice. Add two tablespoons of vanilla extract. Not only does it add a sweet little twist to your coffee – but it also smells heavenly. #AromaTherapay.

Pour in your hot coffee, stir and enjoy.

2. Quick Iced-Coffee

Go to your nearest grocery store and pick up a carton of iced coffee. Most of these cartons are super concentrated, which means you’ll most likely have to dilute the mixture – even if it says “ready to drink.” Play around with adding water or milk and see which combination works best for you. One of my favorite brands is Delight’s Caramel Macchiato Iced Coffee. This stuff is strong. I usually fill up my cup halfway with the coffee, add a decent splash of 2% milk (or half and half) and leave room for a few ice cubes. Easy and delicious.

3. Homemade Cold-Brewed Coffee

Why spend $5 on a cup of iced-coffee when you can make a pitcher for the whole week for less? Cold brewed coffee is excellent for those that don’t like the acidity of hot-brewed coffee. Grab a pitcher, add a decent amount of coffee grounds of your choosing. The amount of this really depends on how strong you like your coffee. Measure it by the cups of water you’ll use. In other words, use the amount of coffee you would normally brew for one cup – but this time, bump it up for 8-9 cups. Cover the pitcher and let it seep overnight (at least 12 hours). In the morning, you’ll have ready cold-brewed coffee concentrate – just strain the coffee grounds out. Remember, it’s a concentrate, so you’ll have to dilute your drink!

4. Coffee Cubes 

Instead of adding regular iced cubes to your iced-coffee – go the extra miles and make coffee cubes. It’s really self explanatory: brew some hot coffee, and pour into a clean ice tray. Once ready, drop them into your next cup of iced coffee for an extra kick! Yum. Coffee.

Did you find these tips helpful? Or do you have some hacks of your own you’d like to share? Be sure to let us know!