To make cold brew coffee, you can use Brazilian, Colombian, Ethiopian, Sumatran, Kenyan coffee beans etc. We suggest grounding these beans coarsely and roasting them at medium to dark levels. The best types of coffee brands (packaged in powdered form or ready-to-drink) for cold brew coffee are Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Blue Bottle Coffee, Chameleon Cold Brew, Bizzy Cold Brew, Stone Street Cold Brew, Intelligentsia Coffee, Death Wish Coffee etc.
Here we have presented different best types of coffee beans for cold brew. Also, we have suggested the best brands for beginners, some budget-friendly options and some premium quality options for you. You can choose any of these for cold brewing. Then you will find a brief recipe for cold brew coffee and a simple way to drink concentrated cold brew. For more information about cold brew, check our website “Coffee Mart Blog”.
Top Coffee Beans for Cold Brew
You can use various coffee beans for your tasty cold brew. But always keep in mind that you have to roast and grind the beans perfectly to get the best taste. Here we are suggesting some best types of coffee beans for cold brew coffee.
- Colombian Coffee Beans
Try to roast these beans from medium to dark levels. It will provide you with a nutty flavor with well-balanced acidity.
- Brazilian Coffee Beans
Medium to dark-level roasting is required for Brazilian coffee beans. It has a chocolatey and nutty flavor.
- Ethiopian Coffee Beans
Roast these beans in a light to medium range. This is a low-acidity coffee bean. You can get an earthy and natural flavor from it.
- Sumatran Coffee Beans
This requires dark roasting to get the best flavor. Expect an earthy and chocolatey vibe from these beans.
- Costa Rican Coffee Beans
Try a medium level of roasting to create bright acidity.
- Kenyan Coffee Beans
For Kenyan Coffee Beans, a medium to dark level of roasting is required. These can give you a bold flavor of wine and fruits.
- Guatemalan Coffee Beans
These beans also need a medium to dark roasting level. It can give you a spicy and rich flavor.
- Panamanian Coffee Beans
Light to medium level of roasting is required for Panamanian beans. These beans have a balanced sweetness and you can get the floral freshness from it.
After roasting any of these beans, grind them coarsely. These can give you the best taste of cold brew coffee. So, you can count them as the best coffee for cold brew.
Affordable Cold Brew Options: Low Budget to High Budget
If you don’t want the hassle of roasting and grinding, you can easily pick a brand for coffee grounds or ready-to-drink cold brew options. Many brands are offering the best coffee for cold brew.
Here we are suggesting some brands that are beginner-friendly, budget-friendly and also premium quality brands. Choose from your preferred category of coffee brands for cold brew.
Best Cold Brew Coffee For Beginners
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Stone Street Cold Brew Reserve Blend
This Stone Street Cold Brew is generally made from Colombian coffee beans. You can use it as a beginner. It saves the time of roasting and grinding. If you like strong and bold flavors, this will be perfect for you.
But this may taste bitter for its dark roasted beans. So, control the bitterness by decreasing the brewing time.
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Stumptown Cold Brew Concentrate
This is a very popular brand and offers smooth medium roasted coffee. They also ensure consistent quality. Choose this for a combination of chocolatey and well-balanced nutty flavor. This can be a good choice for beginners.
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Death Wish Cold Brew Coffee
This is another strong coffee for your cold brew. If you like bold flavor and more caffeine in your coffee, try this for your cold brew. But caffeine-sensitive people should avoid this coffee. High caffeine intake might make them sick.
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Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Cold Brew
This brand is affordable compared to the other beginner-friendly options. This can give you a comforting flavor with a chocolatey taste. But this brand is not available everywhere. You can find it in some regions. Try Peet’s Coffee, if it is available in your region.
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Bizzy Cold Brew
This brand offers smooth and sweet coffee. It is quite famous as a beginner’s choice. It is a combination of caramel and chocolate. You can pick this as the best coffee for cold brew.
Best Budget-friendly Cold Brew Coffee
SToK Cold Brew
This is one of the most budget-friendly options. Don’t think it will taste bad as it is cheap. This brand offers a tasty variety of flavors. If you have a low budget and a craving for cold brew, try this option.
Trader Joe’s Cold Brew
Trader Joe’s Cold Brew is another affordable option for you. This brand is available almost everywhere. They offer concentrated cold brews along with ready-to-drink cold brews.
You can pick any of them as your preference. Add water or milk to the concentrated cold brew for a better and smoother taste.
Chameleon Cold Brew
Chameleon Cold Brew costs a bit more than other options in this category. But still, it is affordable. You can get well-balanced flavors in it.
People like this for its unique taste. Choose this if you like low-acidic coffee options.
Peace Coffee Cold Brew
This is also a budget-friendly option for cold-brew coffee. The most interesting thing is, they offer decaf options. Decaf coffee has low or no caffeine in it. If you are caffeine-sensitive, you can choose the decaf option from Peace Coffee.
Best Premium And Expensive Cold Brew Coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee Cold Brew
This cold brew coffee is quite expensive. But they offer premium-quality coffee. Normally they collect coffee beans from different regions and offer the best taste possible. If you can afford it, you can give it a try.
Intelligentsia Cold Brew
This coffee usually uses Ethiopian coffee beans. The price of Intelligentsia Coffee is high compared to other cold brew coffee. You can taste an aromatic and floral flavor from this coffee. Try this as the best coffee for cold brew.
Phil and Sebastian Cold Brew
This is another high-range cold brew coffee. They offer smooth and unique flavors. This brand is quite popular as it has won awards for its unique taste.
They offer both concentrated and ready-to-drink cold brew. You can pick any of these if the price is suitable for you.
Cold Brew Basics: Simple Recipe & Easy hacks
As you know which is the best coffee for cold brew, let’s check out the making process. You can make it from fresh coffee beans or ground coffee from reputed brands.
Ingredients
- Coarsely ground coffee beans (any of the best types)
- Cold or room temperature water
- Sweeteners, milk, toppings or flavorings (Optional)
Steps to Follow
Take any fresh beans that we have mentioned earlier like Colombian or Brazilian beans. Grind it coarsely or medium-sized like breadcrumbs.
Otherwise, take ground coffee from any brands we have mentioned previously. Take 1 cup of coarsely ground coffee beans for every 4 cups of cold or room-temperature water.
- Take your preferred container and add the ground coffee and water to it. Make sure the coffee grounds are covered with water well.
- Keep the container in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours and let the coffee soak. If you keep it for a long time, you will get bold and strong flavors.
- After the steeping period, remove the container from the refrigerator and use any filter to get the concentrated brew. You can then add water or milk to it if you think the concentration is too strong. Your cold brew coffee is ready to serve. You can serve it over ice or customize it as you like.
Drinking Tips for Ultimate Flavour
We have already mentioned the best coffee for cold brew. All brands don’t offer powdered or ground coffee. Many brands offer concentrated cold-brew coffee. It is a ready-to-drink type of coffee; already brewed. For example- Chameleon Cold-Brew, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Death Wish Coffee etc. Here we are presenting a simple way to drink this concentrated cold brew.
- Dilute if you prefer
The concentrated coffee which you may buy from shops is very strong. If you like strong and bold coffee, then you can skip this step. Otherwise, dilute (Add water or milk to make the coffee mild) your concentrated cold brew.
- Customize
You can serve it straight over ice without any customization. But if you want you can add sweeteners, toppings, syrups, cream etc. to make it match your taste buds. This is how you can drink your concentrated cold brew easily.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Can I use any coffee beans for cold-brew coffee?
It would be best if you choose the best types of coffee beans for cold brew as we have mentioned. But other coffee beans can be used also. You have to check the perfect roasting of the beans and focus on coarsely grounding the beans.
Why is coarsely ground coffee needed for cold brew coffee?
Grind size is important for coffee extraction. Suppose you have chosen fine grounds or big-sized grounds. What will happen? Fine grounds will make your coffee too bitter as it will result in over-extraction.
On the other hand, big-sized grounds will not extract that much flavor. So keeping the size medium or coarse results in the best extraction and the cold brew tastes amazing.
Can I use leftover concentrated cold brew coffee?
Yes, you can use leftover concentrated cold brew coffee within 4 to 5 days. Remember to store the leftover coffee in the refrigerator to keep fresh.
Conclusion
To sum up, we can say that cold brew coffee is one of the most comforting and refreshing beverages. Use the best coffee for cold brew to get the perfect taste every time. Now you know the different best categories of brands offering cold brew coffee. So, choose which one tastes best for you.
Follow our suggestions to experience the best cup of cold brew coffee. Visit our website “Coffee Mart Blog” to learn more about different coffee brands and recipes.
I am Mojoon, a certified and award-winning barista by choice, with 7 years of experience in the field. I have served and trained coffee shop baristas worldwide. I worked at Krispy Kreme for an extended period, and now I aim to help regular people brew coffee like me. I pursue this job with my passion for writing and also provide one-on-one coaching for newly minted baristas.