This year I did summer (mostly) right.

Beach days, sundowners, mornings spent at open-air markets, picnics at Kirstenbosch…I’ve crammed it all in.

Of course, it isn’t over yet. I just checked out the weather for the coming week in Cape Town, and it’s mostly blue skies all the way through to Friday.

There’s only one thing that gets in the way of what has otherwise been a perfect couple of months.

I can’t function without at least two cups of coffee a day, and a boiling hot cappuccino in 30°C heat is not ideal.

I’d planned on suffering through it, until I heard about cold brew coffee.

You might have come across the cold brew coffee trend over the last couple of years. I assumed it was just another way of saying ‘fancy iced coffee’.

You know, like in the same way that calling some meat, cheese, and rocket on a large roll, ‘artisanal’, is just a fancy way of saying ‘sandwich’.

Turns out, I was wrong. The difference lies in the method.

Unlike regular coffee, used to make iced coffee, cold brew is never exposed to heat. Cold brew uses time, rather than heat, to extract the coffee’s oils, sugars, and caffeine.

Then, master roasters like the good people over at Terbodore Coffee Roasters, kick it up a notch, by adding that little something extra.

Take the Lemonade flavour, for example.

It’s a non-alcoholic, crafted mix of smooth cold brew coffee made from their Great Dane blend, carbonated mountain spring water, and natural flavours.

Featuring zesty and bright natural lemon, complemented by caffeine-rich cold brew coffee, this drink is ideal for that necessary and refreshing pick-me-up on a hot summer’s day.

If you’d like something a little more dry, the Sparkling Cold Brew: Honeybush + Orange boasts a uniquely South African flavour, with a hint of citrus. It’s low-calorie and full of local flavour.

Finally, for those of you who like something with a fruity twist, there’s the Sparkling Cold Brew: Marula, with hints of the Marula fruit and low calories.

I’ve found that these tasty caffeine infusions work best if you need a lunchtime pick-me-up, as an alternative to an energy drink if you’re the designated driver on a night out, or if you want to take something, with a bit of a kick, along to the beach.

Believe me when I say that it doesn’t get better than a cold brew after a morning swim. With all of those boxes ticked, we’ve finally perfected summer.

Added bonus – if you spend more than R950 on Terbodore’s site (browse the full range here), they’ll throw in a four-pack of Sparkling Cold Brew for free.

You keep up to speed with the latest from Terbodore, like specials and promotions, on their Facebook page.