Best Coffee For A Cold Brew

Making and drinking cold brew coffee can be a perfectly refreshing and energizing solution to beat the heat. To make an indulgent and rich cold brew that is full of flavor, you need to source the best possible coffee that offers excellent grinds, beans, flavors, and roasts.

There are several brands out there that can successfully meet your expectations. In order to help you out, we have picked our top six coffees that can work well for your cold brew. Through this buyer’s guide, we will review each of these six coffees so that you can get a better idea about them in terms of what they can offer and what they don’t.

Later on, we will also provide you with a list of factors you must consider while buying the best cold brew coffee along with ways to make a good cup of cold brew.

Let’s get brewing, then!

Top 6 Coffees For Your Cold Brew

We have tried and rated 6 coffees on several criteria. You will be able to get a comprehensive idea of the characteristics, edges, and weaknesses of each of these coffees. You can then pick the one that you like the most.

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Best Overall — Stone Street Cold Brew Dark Roast Coffee

Stone Street Cold Brew Coffee comes with a rich and dark roast flavor that is enhanced by its chocolatey, nutty, and mild fruity undertones. With a coarse grind that is perfect for cold brews, this is our best overall choice as it meets all the relevant specifications.

The single-origin arabica beans sourced from Colombia provide good quality and are low in acidic content, making this coffee a healthier alternative for consumption. You can easily make it with your existing equipment at home while also adapting it to your palate.

This fresh coffee is specifically made for cold brews and is also easy to store.

Features

• Roast: Dark

• Grind Size: Coarse or whole bean

• Flavor: Dark roast, nutty and chocolatey tones

• Quantity: 16 ounces

• Origin: Single-origin (Colombian)

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• Since it is single-origin and ethically sourced, this Colombian coffee provides consistency in its flavor, along with very high quality in terms of taste, particularly since Colombia is well known for its coffee
• The dark roast and coarse grind size make this coffee an excellent choice for a cold brew since the flavors can be successfully brought out through this method
• The bag that this coffee is packed in can be resealed and comes with three layers and a foil lining, making it easier for storage while also maintaining the fresh taste without letting it stale over time
• You can use all kinds of equipment to make a cold brew using this coffee, making it a convenient and hassle-free choice to have around.
• You can either buy this coffee with a coarse grind or in the form of whole beans. This can make it easier for you to work with depending on the technique you are familiar with

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• It can be a bit sweet in its taste, although you can adjust this while making your coffee

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Best for Sustainability — Tiny Footprint Dark Roast Coffee

The Tiny Footprint Coffee is another wonderful dark roast option with chocolatey and fruity undertones to provide a balanced taste and flavor to your cold brew. It comes with whole coffee beans that you can then grind and brew on your own depending on your preferred method.

The 16 ounces contained in this bag provide a good quantity that can last you for a sufficient period of time. This coffee is also completely organic and carbon negative, making it an eco-friendly choice to make while enjoying its smooth flavors.

Features

• Roast: Dark

• Grind Size: Whole bean

• Flavor: Dark roast, chocolate, and fruity tones

• Quantity: 16 ounces

• Origin: Blend

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• This arabica coffee has a great flavor palate that combines a dark roast with nutty and fruity flavors as well as a hint of spice, making this a unique but delicious coffee for a cold brew
• The whole beans can allow you to grind the coffee on your own using your own methods and techniques
• This coffee is carbon negative, which means that every time you buy it, the brand will provide funds to an organization that grows trees in Ecuador. This makes it a highly environmentally friendly option
• Since it comes with 16 ounces of coffee, you can make it last for a long time
• The organization overseeing the production and processing steps also provides training and financial assistance to workers to improve their lives, making this brand an overall ethical and sustainable choice

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• Since the coffee is blended and not of single origin, the taste might not be as pure and consistent as a single-origin coffee flavor

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Best Organic — Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee

The Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee is a single-origin and organic coffee flavor that is our choice for the best organic option on this list, due to its assured tests and guarantees. With a medium roast that provides a balanced overall flavor, this coffee can be the perfect choice for you if you are looking for a less strong option.

This whole bean option allows you the choice to grind the beans on your own in your preferred way. Grown in Nicaragua, this coffee is ethical and sustainable, grown under the best possible conditions.

Features

• Roast: Medium

• Grind Size: Whole bean

• Flavor: Organic medium roast

• Quantity: 12 ounces

• Origin: Single origin (Nicaraguan)

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• This arabica coffee has a great flavor palate that combines a dark roast with nutty and fruity flavors as well as a hint of spice, making this a unique but delicious coffee for a cold brew
• The whole beans can allow you to grind the coffee on your own using your own methods and techniques
• This coffee is carbon negative, which means that every time you buy it, the brand will provide funds to an organization that grows trees in Ecuador. This makes it a highly environmentally friendly option
• Since it comes with 16 ounces of coffee, you can make it last for a long time
• The organization overseeing the production and processing steps also provides training and financial assistance to workers to improve their lives, making this brand an overall ethical and sustainable choice

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• It is more than double the price of the other coffee products mentioned here
• 12 ounces of coffee might not last very long

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Best Flavor — Coffee Bros. Medium Roast Cold Brew Blend

The Coffee Bros. Medium Roast Cold Brew Blend is a coffee that is full of flavors that combine the medium roast with dark chocolate, brown sugar, and berry to provide some sweetness and fruitiness to the overall flavor tones.

Coming with a medium roast and a whole bean size, you can easily make this cold brew in the way that you prefer. With efficient roasting techniques and a personal and extensive customer service promise, this is a good brand for you to invest in for your cold brew coffee requirements.

Features

• Roast: Medium

• Grind Size: Whole bean

• Flavor: Dark chocolate, berry, and brown sugar tones

• Package Weight: 12 ounces

• Origin: Blend

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• This coffee provides the best flavors with a vast range that includes medium roast coffee, berry, dark chocolate, and brown sugar. None of these additional flavors overpower the coffee but instead provide a good variety
• The coffee beans are all organically processed, removing any concerns of chemicals
• Roasting methods that include roasting in small batches improve the quality of this coffee. The date of roasting is also provided to ensure freshness
• The bag is resealable, making it easier for you to store it after each use. This also maintains the fresh taste and flavor of the coffee
• In case you have any issues with the coffee or with the brewing technique, you can easily contact their supportive customer service. This is also a family-owned business for you to support

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• 12 ounces might not be sufficient to last for a long enough time.
• There are no ground options for the coffee beans.

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Best Decaf — Bizzy Organic Cold Brew Coffee

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten the decaf coffee drinkers! This Bizzy Organic Cold Brew Coffee offers you the flavors of coffee without any caffeine, along with the nutty cocoa flavors that can give you a smooth taste in your cold brew.

Being single-origin, you can enjoy the consistent taste of this coffee. The coarse grind size also makes it easy for you to brew the coffee. The medium roast enhances the additional flavors, while also allowing you to adapt the cold brew to your taste.

The arabica coffee beans from Mexico are further processed and produced organically and are sourced in an ethical way.

Features

• Roast: Medium

• Grind Size: Coarse

• Flavor: Decaf, nutty cocoa tones

• Quantity: 16 ounces

• Origin: Single-origin

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• The bag contains 16 ounces of coffee, enough to go on for a long enough time
• The coarsely ground size of the coffee beans is ideal for making a cold brew as they can make the process easier while also retaining the maximum amount of flavor
• Since this coffee is of a single origin, the taste and flavors are consistent throughout while also providing you an assurance of a uniform growing and processing technique
• The medium roast combines with the cocoa and chocolatey flavors to give your cold brew a toasty and nutty taste. You can also expect a surprising but very subtle melon flavor that can add freshness to the coffee
• Since there is no caffeine in this coffee, you can enjoy the taste without worrying about the impacts of caffeine

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• There are issues with the balanced taste after adding water to the coffee

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Best Budget — Cafe Du Monde Coffee And Chicory

The Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory is a toasty and nutty flavor of coffee for your cold brew that can provide a unique taste when combined with the dark roast of this coffee. With medium-coarse coffee, you can expect a smooth texture once you prepare your cold brew.

Coming in a can, this coffee is also the most affordable option on this list while still giving you a good quantity of 15 ounces. This coffee is not very bitter in terms of its taste and can allow you to make any kinds of adjustments to the taste.

Features

• Roast: Dark

• Grind Size: Medium coarse

• Flavor: Coffee with chicory

• Quantity: 15 ounces

• Origin: Blend

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• Since the coffee beans are medium coarse in their size, the resultant texture of your cold brew will be smooth and rich.
• This coffee is versatile and can work well even with or without milk products added to it.
• It is not too bitter in taste and can provide a pleasant experience with your required additions to it.
• 15 ounces of coffee for an affordable price can last you a long time without you needing to spend too much money on it.

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• The chicory flavor is quite strong and might not suit universal tastes.
• The can might become dented or the lid might come loose during the delivery process.

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That concludes this product review section. Based on these details, you can pick any kind of coffee that you think will suit you the most.

What Is A Cold Brew?

A cold brew involves using ground coffee that is then combined with cold water and kept aside for several hours. When it comes to a cold brew, the focus is on ensuring that maximum flavor from the coffee beans is absorbed to make a brew.

For making the perfect cold brew, time is the secret ingredient that you need to have, as you should soak your coffee beans in water for at least 12 hours. You can, of course, keep them in for lesser but that might not be enough for flavor extraction.

Once this is done, you can pass the mixture through a filter and collect the brew. Alternately, you can also use a drip method that takes a few hours for the water to drip slowly onto the coffee which can then be filtered.

Making a cold brew will give you a strong, relatively thick, and flavorful coffee flavor that you can then adjust to your liking with cold water or milk.

How To Make A Cold Brew

Making a cold brew is actually a simple process. The thing you require the most is some patience as the process requires a lot of waiting to let the brewing take place most effectively.

In order to make a good cold brew, you can follow the steps mentioned below.

• First of all, you should grind your coffee beans in case they come in whole bean sizes. You can simply do this with a grinder or mixer as long as you ensure that they remain coarse in size instead of becoming powdery. If your coffee is already coarsely ground in the package, you can skip this step.
• The next step is to combine this coarse ground coffee with water that is either cold or at room temperature. Before combining, however, it would be better for you to filter this water out so that all minerals and potential dirt get left behind. This will further be able to enhance the flavor of your brew.
• You can use any container of your choice to soak the coffee in the water. Make sure you cover it up before letting it rest.
• Keep this container at room temperature for 12 or more hours in order to get the best possible flavor. You can even leave it overnight if not during the day.
• After the given number of hours has passed, you can filter out the coffee using a specific coffee filter or a lined strainer.
• Place a jar or container below the strainer so that it can collect the brew. You should make sure that your coffee is smooth and free from any chunks or residues.
• You can then cover this brew and store it in the refrigerator for a week or so. Whenever you want to drink it, you can pour it into a glass and add water, ice, or milk to it along with other flavor extracts of your choice.

Things To Consider While Buying Coffee For Your Cold Brew

There are a few things you should keep in mind while looking for and buying coffee for your cold brew. Let us take a look at some of these factors.

Grind Size

If you are looking for coffee for your cold brew, you should ensure that the coffee beans in the package or bag are of the proper size. These must either be whole beans or coarsely ground beans. The latter would be more convenient as you won’t need to perform an extra step of grinding the beans on your own.

However, if that is something you prefer doing, then whole beans can work equally well.

The reason for this size requirement is that you don’t want small coffee grains to pass through the filter into your final brew. Moreover, coarser coffee is also better when it comes to extracting maximum flavor into the water.

Roast

Whether you choose a light, medium or dark roast is up to you and the coffee flavors that you are used to and prefer. Lighter roasts have a lot more acidity in their flavors which usually gets left out while preparing your cold brew.

In that sense, it might not make much of a difference as the acidic taste will not make it through the final result in any case.

For a dark roast, however, it is possible to extract and retain plenty of additional rich flavors of the coffee such as the strength of the coffee, nuttiness, toastiness, chocolatey tastes, fruitiness, and more, which is why people tend to prefer it over lighter roasts.

Flavor

Coffee beans also have several other flavors in them depending on their growth and processing. For instance, subtle flavors of chocolate and fruit are often found alongside the usual coffee flavor. This also depends on the brand you buy from and how they have roasted their coffee beans.

Based on your tastes, you can pick a coffee that gives you the flavors of your choice without being too overpowering.

Origin

It is important to ascertain whether your coffee beans are single origin or a blend of beans originating from different regions. The former can give you a more consistent, rich, and deep taste while the latter can combine elements of each kind of bean.

While this depends on your own tastes to a certain extent, it is preferable to buy single-origin coffee beans for a cold brew so that flavor extraction becomes more efficient.

Further, since cold brewing can act as a balancing force by itself, you don’t necessarily need a blend to do that for you as this might result in milder flavors after brewing.

Equipment

If you buy whole coffee beans, you will also need the necessary equipment to grind them into coarse grains. The coarseness can also determine what kind of filter or equipment you can use.

Generally, since cold brew coffee usually comes in whole beans or coarse grains, you can make do with your standard strainer or filter. However, if you end up buying finer grains (try not to!), you might need to leave your coffee soaking for longer to make extraction and filtering easier.

You might also be able to use your French press for this process. In case you want to use a drip technique, you will need a separate dripping device.

Caffeine

The caffeine content is also something you must consider before you buy your coffee. This should generally be mentioned in the product descriptions, but usually, single-origin coffees and dark roasts might enable more caffeine extraction for your cold brew.

If you prefer decaffeinated coffee, you must ensure that you confirm this by going through the description.

Quantity

How much quantity does a single bag of coffee contain? Generally, 16 ounces of coffee are a good enough quantity to last you for a while. There are also bags with 12 ounces in them which might work for you if you do not use this coffee too often.

FAQs

Will The Coffee Last Me A Few Months?

The coffee you buy should, ideally, last you for a long enough time as long as you store it correctly by keeping it in a covered container. If your coffee bag is resealable and protective enough, you can keep it as it is as well. You should also confirm the expiry and manufacturing dates to keep track of how long the coffee will stay fresh.

How Do I Retain A Good Flavor In My Cold Brew Without Diluting It?

If you don’t want to dilute your cold brew too much, there are steps that you can take both during and after the brewing process. During the process, make sure you filter out the water you soak the coarsely ground coffee beans in while also keeping them in for several hours. Dark roasts will also serve you better here.

When it comes to drinking the cold brew, you can prevent adding ice cubes or cold water to the brew. Instead, you can freeze coffee or milk into cubes and add them in!

Concluding Remarks

Now that you know everything that you need to about the best coffee for your cold brew, all you need to do next is to make your choice and enjoy brewing your coffee for a refreshing experience.

Make sure you thoroughly go through all the specifications of each product so that you can choose the best possible coffee for your cold brew. Keep all the factors in mind to help make your decision easier.

Remember to follow the steps mentioned in the method so that you can make a good cold brew. Of course, you can make your own adjustments to this process based on your tastes.

That’s all, then! Enjoy that brew-tiful cup of cold coffee!