Give Your Iced Coffee An Elegant Upgrade By Smoking It (Yes, Seriously)
While most people associate culinary smoking with mouth-watering meats, adding smoke to beverages is nothing new. However, it's probably more common to envision a smoked Manhattan or other cocktail rather than something coffee-based.
If this sounds like something you'd like, it's simple enough to do at home. All you need is something to smoke (be it wood, herbs, or another aromatic), coffee, and ice. A sweetener, such as simple syrup, and a milk product are optional. Start by lighting your smoking element on fire (make sure you're doing this on a nonflammable surface) and capturing the vapor in an upturned glass. After enough time has passed (around two minutes is preferred for smoked cocktails), add your chilled coffee and ice. Don't forget to give your drink a nice sniff before consuming it to fully appreciate the smokiness.
Expanding on simplicity
While you can use something as simple as a match for combustion, you can also upgrade with a handheld smoking "gun." On the higher end, you have the Breville Smoking Gun, which can be used to infuse smokiness into a variety of mealtime mediums, from meat to cocktails, sauces, and of course, coffee. At close to $100, it's not cheap. A comparable product is the Cypress Sunrise Portable Smoke Infuser Gun, which is about half the price of the other. Both have good reviews, being praised for their ease of use and producing a good amount of smoke.
You can also purchase a smoker that is similar to a tea infuser, but instead of tea, you fill it with wood chips. And instead of sinking it into the glass, it rests on top like a lid. Light the wood chips and rest it on the glass until you've achieved optimal smokiness. The Spiritlabs Cocktail Smoker Kit is one option; it costs about $29, including wood chips and butane torch.
Speaking of wood, which wood is best for a smoked iced coffee? While there's information on the best types of wood to use for smoked meats and cocktails, you may want to experiment to see what you like best for this. In fact, some wood may be better or worse depending on whether you're drinking the coffee black or adding milk. Fruit woods like cherry and apple are generally a solid option, and maple wood has a subtle yet sweet flavor that should also complement the brew well. You're not limited to just wood, either. Cinnamon, lavender, and dried orange peel are flavors commonly associated with coffee that would also smoke well.