The Healthiest Bottled Cold Brew Money Can Buy
We’re in the midst of peak iced coffee season. But if you ask us, the beverage of choice is cold brew. It just hits different on a sweltering summer day.
But like most products, there’s an overwhelming array of options available in delis, grocery stores, and specialty shops. If you’re health-conscious, you want to steer clear of the cappuccinos, mochas, and vanilla lattes. Many of these beverages contain just as much, if not more, sugar than soda. For example, Starbucks’ Salted Dark Chocolate Frappuccino Crafted With Cold Brew contains 43 grams of sugar per bottle, that’s more than double the sugar in a Snickers candy bar!
Our suggestion: Stick to black coffee cold brew with no added sugar or other ingredients. That way you still get the flavor of the coffee without all the added calories, sugar, and fat. As the name suggests, cold brew is brewed cold (never heated), sometimes taking up to 24 hours, resulting in a more concentrated, bold, and smooth product. Some are even infused with nitrogen to produce a silky texture and creamy head. And because it’s less acidic than normal coffee, you don’t need milk or sugar to make it more palatable.
Best of all, canned and bottled cold brew is now ready available outside of coffee shops. Here are the healthiest ones you can buy.
Jordan Mazur, M.S., R.D., is the coordinator of nutrition and team sports dietitian for the San Francisco 49ers.
1. La Colombe Single Origin Cold Brew
Brewed overnight, cold pressed, and filtered from single-origin beans, each can of La Colombe Single Origin Cold Brew contains the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee. What it doesn’t contain: sugar, preservatives, and unnatural flavoring or additives.
[$36, 12-pack; lacolombe.com]
2. Wandering Bear Straight Black Cold Brew
Wandering Bear cold brew is organic, sugar free, and contains 25 mg of caffeine per ounce, which is twice the amount of regular coffee.
[$48, 12-pack; wanderingbearcoffee.com]
3. Caveman Nitro Cold Brew
Caveman Coffee Co. produces a single estate nitro cold brew that’s brewed over 16+ hours for an irresistibly smooth finish.
[$40, 12-pack; cavemancoffeeco.com]
4. Blue Bottle Bold Cold Brew
If you like a bold, deep-flavored cold brew, go with Blue Bottle. It comes in a convenient 8 oz single serve can and has chocolate notes.
[$40, 6-pack; amazon.com]
5. Black Stag Black Cold Brew
Black Stag uses 100 percent Arabica coffee that’s pleasantly smooth and refreshing.
[$22, 12-pack; amazon.com]
6. Rise Brewing Co. Original Black Nitro Cold Brew
This award-winning nitro cold brew is made with purified water and organic coffee—that’s it. The nitrogen creates a creamy, naturally sweet finish. Pour it in a glass over ice and watch it “rise.”
[$34.99; risebrewingco.com]
7. Chameleon Organic Black Cold Brew
Chameleon’s bottles of organic black cold brew have low acidity, 200 mg of caffeine, and a smooth finish—hallmarks of the perfect cold brew if you ask us.
[$46.68, 12-pack; amazon.com]
8. Secret Squirrel Black Cold Brew
You won’t find any sweeteners, preservatives, or stabilizers here. This cold brew is steeped for up to 22 hours, so it’s smooth and highly caffeinated. It’s also organic, non-GMO, BPA- and rBST-free.
[$26.79, 6-pack; squirrelbrew.com]
9. Stumptown Original Cold Brew
Stumptown is known for their high-quality roasted coffee. This holds true with their original cold brew. It’s simple, delicious, and smooth.
[$47.88, 12-pack; freshdirect.com]
10. High Brew Coffee Nitro Cold Brew
High Brew uses a nitrogen-infusion widget to release tiny nitrogen bubbles once you pop the top of the can. The result is never-bitter black coffee with a subtly sweet, creamy finish. Each can contains 200 mg of caffeine.
[$14, 4-pack; highbrewcoffee.com]