Cold Brew Lab Organic Coarse Ground Coffee
Cold Brew Lab is all about quality, and this is why their coffee is USDA organic certified and free of chemicals. You will receive a freshly roasted bag of a proprietary blend of medium and dark roasts to create a smooth cold brew coffee with well-balanced flavors.
Key Features
- Custom-crafted specifically for cold brews
- 100% organic Arabica coffee
- Proprietary roast blend
Cold Brew Lab is located in the heart of New York and offers a signature cold brew roast designed for your chilled coffee needs. You can choose between pre-ground beans or whole beans to grind them freshly at home. Either way, the beans are just right for the long brew times of your cold beverage.
Pros
- Roasted and shipped from New York
Cons
- Packaging is a bit flimsy
- Pricier than othes
You can buy this full-bodied flavored coffee in different flavors such as hazelnut, pumpkin spice, chocolate mocha, and more. Enjoy deliciously roasted cold brew that is all about quality with Cold Brew Lab in New York.
The 15 Best Cold Brew Coffees For 2021
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Cold brew coffee is a type of coffee made by steeping coffee beans in cold or room temperature water for up to 24 hours.
In addition to creating a smoother, richer flavor than regular coffee, cold brew coffee is also less acidic and tends to have a longer shelf life.
Cold brew coffee has recently catapulted in popularity, and many coffee lovers have started trading their coffee makers for cold brew concentrates.
However, there are several factors to consider when picking the right cold brew coffee for you, including the added ingredients, flavor, and content of sugar and caffeine.
Here are the 15 best cold brew coffees for 2021.
Price: $$This high quality cold brew offers a clean, rich, and complex flavor with subtle hints of chocolate.Made with just water and coffee, it can be easily tailored to your taste buds using additional ingredients like milk, cream, or sugar.It also packs quite a punch, compared with other varieties of cold brew, with around 279 mg of caffeine in each 10.5-ounce serving.
Secret Squirrel Cold Brew
Secret Squirrel Cold Brew Coffee stands apart from the competition because of the brand’s passion for creating delicious cold brew without preservatives, additives, or stabilizers. Its commitment to quality ingredients makes us want to choose this brand every time.
Secret Squirrel started in the farmer’s market, though you can now typically find it in nationwide grocery stores with a bit of a crunchy focus, like Whole Foods. As for the actual brewing process, the brand stays clear of heat to ensure the best-tasting cold brew coffee it can produce. Without heat, Secret Squirrel uses cool water and time up to 22 hours, to be exact to create this brew. According to the company, the cold process leaves the oils behind, resulting in smooth and full-flavored coffee .
We love a cold brew concentrate because we can mix it with hot or cold water, milk, or flavored syrups to create our ideal coffee beverage in the morning. You may love it, too, so long as you don’t mind a tiny bit of extra mixing work in the morning.
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What Is The Correct Brewing Time
The longer you let your brew steep, the more flavor it will extract from the coffee grounds. Thats amazing until it isnt. But then, over-extracted coffee has a harsh flavor, similar to the taste of coffee made with a too-fine grind.
16 hours is my preferred sweet spot.
Dont be concerned about the 16-hour deadline. Anywhere between 14 and 18 hours is acceptable. Weve discovered that the water and coffee reach a balanced state, which causes extraction to slow dramatically.
Make sure you dont go too much longer, or youll end up with muddy flavors. If you want a stronger profile, dilute it a little less than steeping it for a longer time.
Lifeboost Coffee Biotics Cold Brew
Lifeboost Single Origin beans are unquestionably the best choice. Their roasts are chosen, rinsed in spring water, and are free of mycotoxin and pesticide residues, among other things. When cold-brewed, all of their roasts are quite delicious!
Their medium roast has moderate acidity and hints of wood and sweet chocolate, allowing the single-origin tastes to come through. In Nicaraguas mountains, Lifeboost sources Arabica and Maragogipe beans for use in its products.
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Driftaway Cold Brew Coffee Subscription
Tired of shopping for coffee beans? You may want to look at Driftaways Cold Brew Coffee Subscription, which offers easy to use cold brew kits. To make this cold brew, all you need is a jar and some water no fancy equipment!
You can choose between bold, bright, and balanced flavor profiles, and all of the coffee comes pre-ground. The coffee arrives in compostable mesh bags with plenty of information and tasting notes. Plus, you get Driftaways stylish travel-themed packaging!
Prefer to use your cold brew maker? You can choose Driftaways loose grounds instead. Keep in mind that this coffee isnt cheap all that convenience comes at a gourmet price. And you cant preserve fresh flavor by buying whole beans. Still, this is a great option if you drink a lot of cold brew.
Cold or hot, its difficult to beat the enticing value offering of any AmazonFresh coffee. This affordable but high-quality coffee is a great way to get a delicious drink at a great price.
The Colombia Ground Coffee option here is a three-pack, which further enhances the value offering. Though these grounds are not specifically made for cold brewing, they will work as long as you steep for a shorter time. As a Colombian-style bean, the flavor is very bold and rich.
It may not be quite as flavorful as some of the higher-end options on our list, but the value more than makes up for any shortcomings.
- Not quite as tasty as some other options on our list
Wandering Bear Organic Cold Brew Coffee Straight Black
Pros:
- Tap. One of the features that sets this brand apart is the tap in front of the box. For a user that often likes to take their coffee on the go this proved extremely convenient with easy access right out of the fridge
- Strength. Wandering Bear Cold Brew provides 150mg of caffeine per cup. Many brands sit at less than 100 mg
- Storage. This product conveniently does not need refrigeration after purchase. For someone hoping to store up for with one bulk purchase, the cubic shape and ability to store at room storage makes this cold brew ideal. Perfect for offices and large organizations
Cons:
- Mild flavor. Though its taste had all the cold brew characteristics someone typically expects, the flavor didnt hint very strongly at secondary notes
The Wandering Bear Cold Brew is an all natural cold brew boasting only Fair Trade coffee beans and water as ingredients. The cold brew comes in a specially designed box meant to allow for easy pouring, easy storage, and longer-lasting coffee.
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How To Choose The Best Cold Brew Coffee
Alright, what are some of the things you should look out for when selecting your cold brew coffee? Below are some of them:
Roast Type
One of the most important things to look out for when choosing your cold brew coffee is the type of roast used in making it.
There are three major types and these are as follows:
Light Roast: This is the most tea-like coffee. If you want a high acidic content in your coffee, opt for a cold brew made from light roast. It usually has a fruity smell.
Medium Roast: As the name implies, it balances the acidity boasting of a medium acid level. Its generally sweeter than light roast and dark roast.
Dark Roast: If you suffer from acid reflux when you take coffee, the best cold brew coffee for you is the one made from a dark roast. Dark roast has the lowest acidity of the three and typically has a bittersweet taste.
Convenience
This largely depends on the products, but some are brewed to be highly concentrated and strong while others are diluted and primed for drinking.
Cold brew coffee is generally smoother than hot brew however, the smoother the cold brew is, the easier it is to drink without dilution and vice versa.
If you want something you can readily be drunk, opt for a diluted brew that isnt too concentrated. If you want to use it for longer periods, you should opt for a large, concentrated quality that can be diluted.
Flavors
The fact that cold brew coffee is a concentrated product opens your world up to a variety of flavors and cocktails.
Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker
The Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker is the perfect choice for coffee connoisseurs. Its makers strived for a “clean and functional design while also making no compromises to the brewing experience,” a goal which they certainly achieved. The clear, borosilicate glass tower allows you to witness the full journey of each individual drop, making for a lovely viewing experience. Additionally, the coffee it produces is top quality. The reviewer at Seattle Coffee Gear described how the extraction “does something really unique with the flavors” in that it “pinpoints” each individual taste. Amazon customers agree, with one user saying the Cold Bruer “pulls some amazing, unique flavors out of the coffee grounds.”
The Bruer also receives high marks for speed, coming in at only four hours on its quickest setting. You can also adjust the brew speed for a bolder, more concentrated flavor, but the longest batches still only take 12 hours, which is shorter than most makers. The Cold Bruer is perfect for people who want a hands-on brewing experience, and those who want to taste each specific flavor in their beans.
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Is The Immersion Or Cold Drip Brewing Method Recommended
When it comes to cold brew coffee, the two most common methods are immersion and slow drip. The immersion method is popular among homebrewers because of its ease of use and effectiveness.
With the immersion method, It is necessary to soak the ground beans in cold water for 1218 hours before filtering them. Then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
The cold-drip process is where ice water is dripped onto coarsely ground beans and collected in a carafe or glass called the slow drip method.
If youre going to make cold brew at home I would suggest buying the right equipment, you will end up with a higher quality flavor and texture.
The specialized cold brew equipment necessitates a financial commitment but will yield amazing results.
In terms of flavor, the immersion method produces a concentrated, full-bodied brew, whilst the drip method produces a more dilute medium-bodied beverage. Therefore, when selecting beans for cold brew, the brewing technique is a key factor to consider.
What Makes A Cold Brew Perfect
Theres nothing more rewarding than a perfect cup of cold brew. And to ensure its smooth and flavorful every time, you need to keep some tips in mind.
The first thing you need to check off your list is getting freshly ground and roasted coffee. Get it done right to make all the difference in this world.
As roasted coffee beans get oxidized with time, they tend to lose flavor and become bitter. Whereas, whole coffee beans stay fresh a bit longer for around 2 to 3 weeks.
So, its best to get whole beans and grind them yourself with a coffee grinder.
After the coffee is ground, it loses flavor pretty quickly. So try brewing it within thirty minutes after you grind it.
This act might feel like a chore but it adds so much flavor to your favorite brew. You might not want to go back once you start doing it.
The next important thing is the coffee-to-water ratio. The optimal ratio of coffee to water is about 1:15 to 1:17, or say 1 gram of coffee mixed with 15-17 ml of water.
You can tweak it according to how strong coffee you want.
Since you will be making a concentrate for cold brew, you can keep the ratio between 1:4 to 1:7 and top it up with water to drink it.
The third thing you should consider is how fine your coffee grind is.
For the immersion method, a coarse grind works best. In this method, you leave coffee in water for a long time of 12 to 24 hours.
The process will take less time if you use finely ground coffee but it might not get strained out completely.
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High Brew Cold Brew Coffee
Here we have another set of cold brew coffee cans. High Brews simple black coffees are convenient, moderately priced, and delicious. The cold brewing process has stripped the beans of their bitterness. What remains is a smooth, mellow drink that doesnt overwhelm the taste buds.
However, not everything about this coffee is mellow. The caffeine count is nearly twice that of average coffees. If you really need a pick-me-up, this feature may actually hold some appeal, but we found the drink to be a little overwhelming in that regard.
- Caffeine content is a little too high
Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Reserve Colombian Supremo Coffee Best Dark Roast Beans
Stone Street Coffee Colombian Supremo brings single-origin beans that are sourced from one of the worlds top growing regions in terms of quality. Their bold flavor is especially enhanced after cold brewing, and the notes of fruit caramel and chocolate shine gloriously under the chocolate undertones.
The dark roasted bean produces a well-balanced taste, which is well accentuated by the coffees bold flavor. Although it is a bit on the more expensive side, the extra premium paid for these single origin beans is completely worth it, in our opinion. The strong taste may surprise the people who are drawn toward cold brew because of its subtle flavor profiles.
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Where Can I Buy The Strongest Cold Brew Coffee
If youre wondering where to buy cold brew coffee, then my, do we have a pleasant surprise in store: Death Wish Cold Brew is now available! Weve got three all-natural options: Unsweetened Black , Slightly Sweet , and Cream and Sugar Latte , which is on its way.
For those looking for a highly caffeinated cold brew, theres 300 mg of caffeine packed in an 8-ounce can of Death Wish Coffee Cold Brew. Highest-caffeine energy drinks hover around 110 mg. Our high-caffeine coffee cold brew is about as strong as three of your average energy drinks!
Our Unsweetened Black and Slightly Sweet flavors are also USDA organic-certified, gluten-free, vegan, and made with all-natural ingredients. Check it out and try the taste were confident youll love these bold flavors!
How We Tested Each Cold Brew:
I set up a blind taste test to compare the flavors, then had full cups of each brand over the course of a couple of days. I drink my coffee with milk typically, but I tried them all black at first, at fridge temperature to really compare the flavor. For my full-cup tests, I did add milk and ice and took note of how the coffee mingled with both.
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Whole Beans Vs Ground: Whats The Best Coffee For Cold Brew
Grinding your own whole beans is ideal, since a medium-to-coarse texture is the gold standard for making cold brew, and most pre-ground coffee is much finer than that. That said, if you dont have a grinder at home, youre not doomed to instant mixes and to-go orders. Ground will work weve just found that you may need to stir the coffee grounds around within the filter, just so they get fully immersed in water. Once youve dumped the grounds, it can be helpful to run the cold brew concentrate through the filter one more time, just to sift out any stray grounds.
Ninja Hot And Cold Brewed System
For those who want more out of their cold brewer, consider the Ninja Hot and Cold Brew Coffee System. This machine makes cold brew, iced coffee, hot coffee, as well as hot and cold teas. It’s variety of brew modes, including a stronger “rich” mode and a cool “over ice” pour, ensures you’ll have a beverage for whatever mood you’re in. The Ninja also has great size control, with six specific brew measurements ranging from a small mug to a full coffee pot. It also comes with a “smart scoop” which makes for the perfect ratio of grounds to water, and a built-in milk frother that makes hot or cold foam. Seriously, this thing is like the Swiss Army Knife of coffee makers.
The only downside to this multi-faceted machine is that, like on a giant menu at a restaurant, no individual option will be the best-in-class. Little Coffee Place noted that the cold brew “isn’t as strong” as one from a dedicated brewer, a complaint which severalunhappy Amazon reviewers agreed with. However, plenty of people still like it, like Consumer Buddy, who says it’s “just as smooth” as brews from longer-steeping models. Additionally, it is one of the best-reviewed brewers on Amazon, with 84% five-star ratings. For a machine that is easy to use, a snap to clean, and provides great variety, we recommend this Ninja model.
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