Why oh why is iced coffee, cold brew, and all other cold-related coffee beverages so damn expensive? That was the question that started all of this. I figured I could make a superior product for less money. Fast forward, I now make iced coffee at home in an easy and economical way and make a little money!

(Full disclosure - this pic came from Joe Satran of The Huffington Post.)

Problem #1 - Ain't got the money for that!

If you're like me, you've probably had a bunch of these. A lot of them are actually pretty good. But, the problem is, if you get them on-the-go at a gas station, convenience store, or your local cafe they are almost always north of $3 a piece. Ordering in bulk is usually a little cheaper, but good luck finding all of these with a bulk option. I've tried.

Problem #2 - What's even in these anyway?

If you're like me, you like a strong coffee in the morning and a good amount of it. Don't get me wrong, The "Cold Brew: High Brew" is good and pretty strong, but many of the others fall down in the caffeine column. And while I'm talking about whats under the hood, it doesn't take a food scientist or dietitian to see that some of these have some pretty questionable ingredients.

Solution #1 - Here's an idea, let's make our own.

Here is a way to do that... but honestly, it's a boatload of work and you're not likely to make your money back all that quickly.

(I really wanted to do this, but the payoff was like years)

Solution #2 - Buy the ingredients and mix them yoself (my recommendation).

Alright, after research and testing. I found a coffee that I liked that achieved the desired effect and had the quantity minimums that I needed to work out a good price, and to sell some on the side.

1. Buy these - 12 pack, 192 oz. for $80
   
   (Organic, they have a really long shelf-life, concentrate, so don't worry)

2. Buy these - 12 pack, 16 oz. each for $8-9
   
   (Plus, you look super artsy, hip or whatever)

3. Buy these - 32 oz. each for $3-4
   
   (Can be expensive, and bad for you, I recommend just half and half or a dairy / almond based substitute)

4. Play the mix game - so, this is how I do each one.
   
   (Always add the ice last if you're going to add it - or tell your people to add it when they go to drink)

The Math - It works out!

192 oz of coffee concentrate / 4.5 oz each = 42.6 servings
32 oz of creamer / 1 oz each = 32 servings
12 ball jars = 12 ball jars (sunk cost)

$80 of coffee concentrate / 42.6 servings = $1.87 per serving
$4 of creamer / 32 servings = $.13 per serving
$9.00 of ball jars / 32 servings = $.28 per serving

$1.87 coffee concentrate + $.13 creamer + $.28 ball jars = $2.28

32 servings will equal $2.28 each!

The Business Model

I only recommend doing this with co-workers, family, and close friends. You can sell them fresh coffee on a weekly basis for $3.00 each. (This is why you will need to invest in the ball jars.) Then if they return them to you, they receive a discount and get each coffee for $2.80 each ($14 per week). Two customers every week for the summer (12 weeks) should yield you about $62.40. Enough to subsidize some of your habit.

For yourself - just re-use the glass jars that the concentrate comes in.

Yeah man, it's just that simple, and honestly it's pretty good.