This Is the Best Coffee for Cold Brew, Based on 3 Years of Testing & Reviewing
Life’s too short for a weak brew
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It doesn’t matter if it’s 40 degrees outside or after 4 p.m. For true cold brew obsessives, there’s never a bad time to indulge in the icy beverage. The only challenge? The effort involved in making this type of coffee at home. Unless you keep your fridge stocked with the canned stuff, you’ve got to plan a day or two in advance—because most cold brew takes at least 12 hours to brew—and you don’t want to spend all that time waiting only to end up with a weak, watery drink.
Whether you're into eye-opening, jolt-you-into-tomorrow-strong brews (like our best overall pick, Counter Culture Hologram) or a smooth, mellow java (ahem, Bizzy), there’s an option for you here. So, without further ado, let's check out the best coffee for cold brew, so you can get a pitcher going ASAP.
The Best Coffee for Cold Brew At a Glance
1
Best Overall Coffee for Cold Brew
Counter Culture Hologram Medium Roast Coffee Beans
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2
Smoothest Cold Brew
Bizzy Cold Brew, Smooth & Sweet Blend
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3
Most Refreshing Cold Brew
Sightglass Blueboon
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4
Most Consistent Cold Brew
Starbucks Pike Place Roast
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5
Most Robust Cold Brew
Joyground Unicorn Powers Espresso Roast
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6
Most Unexpectedly Awesome Cold Brew
Death Wish Light Roast
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7
Best Decaf Cold Brew
Blue Bottle Whole Bean Organic Coffee, Decaf
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8
Best Cold Brew Subscription Service
Trade Cold Brew Collection
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How I Tested the Best Coffee for Cold Brew
PureWow’s third year of cold brew testing continues its multi-tiered approach. First, I spoke to baristas and editors to get their top recommendations, then researched the top-reviewed brands on the market. From there, I tested 24+ types of coffee—from companies ranging from major chains, like Starbucks and Dunkin', to small businesses, like Speedwell and Bizzy—to bring you our top picks. At least two people tasted each blend, rating it on its body, finish, aroma, aftertaste and—most importantly—overall flavor. If it was too watery or bitter, it had to go. Each received a 24-hour steep, though I also tested grounds with the OXO Rapid Brewer (which makes cold brew in five minutes flat) to see how consistent the brew was across different cold brew methods and devices.
The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what's worth the spend—and what's total hype. Learn more about our process here.
Which Coffee Beans Are Best for Cold Brew?
The best type of beans used to make cold brew "really depends on the person's preference and the flavor profile they want out of it," says Michelle Kawahara, Lavazza's West Coast Training Manager, who's spent more than a decade teaching people all about making the perfect cup of joe—hot or cold.
Her sentiment was echoed by just about every barista we spoke to; the big thing, honestly, is the grind of the beans themselves. A medium-to-coarse texture tends to be best, both because it's easier to filter out (who wants little crumbly bits in their cold brew?!) and because it tends to be less bitter-tasting that way.
The Best Coffee for Cold Brew, Reviewed
- Value: 18/20
- Consistency of Brew: 20/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Aroma: 9/10
- Body: 9/10
- Overall Flavor: 20/20
TOTAL: 95/100
Have you ever rolled your eyes at paying $6 for a cup of cold brew, only to take a sip, lean back and go, “whoa, what was that?” The richness and complexity of the brew makes it seem worth the splurge, and after testing half a dozen renowned hipster brands, Counter Culture is the closest I’ve come to replicating that experience at home. We’ve been fans of its dark roast, known as Forty-Six, but Hologram is a whole different beast: It’s a few different coffees blended together, creating a full-bodied drink with layers of flavor. As you sip, the notes change from fruity to chocolatey.
Fast Facts
- Roast: dark
- Origin: Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya
- Value: 18/20
- Consistency of Brew: 19/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Aroma: 8/10
- Body: 8/10
- Flavor: 19/20
TOTAL: 91/100
If you’re never without your cold brew, a flavorful-yet-smooth sip is crucial. That’s what we love about Bizzy Brew; it has the rich, roasted flavor we crave, but it isn’t so potent that it’ll give you a stomachache if you drink a glass (or two) every day. Plus, it’s convenient—not only can you have it regularly delivered to your door via Amazon (and save up to 10 percent by subscribing), but the organic, ethically sourced beans are also already ground to coarse perfection, so you don't need a grinder to whip up a batch.
Fast Facts
- Origin: Central and South America
- Roast: medium
- Value: 17/20
- Consistency of Brew: 19/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Aroma: 7/10
- Body: 8/10
- Flavor: 19/20
TOTAL: 90/100
When a heat wave hits, these are the beans to reach for. (Or if you have company coming over and need something light and crowd-pleasing.) Blueboon makes for a smooth, crisp cold brew, with light notes of milk chocolate and stone fruits. I didn’t notice the citrus as much, but the flavors combined make for an easy-to-sip drink you can savor all day long.
Fast Facts
- Roast: medium
- Origin: Central America and East Africa
- Value: 19/20
- Consistency of Brew: 20/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Aroma: 8/10
- Body: 7/10
- Flavor: 17/20
TOTAL: 90/100
One of the challenges of cold brew is that each batch can taste wildly different, based on a number of factors. There are some you can control—like how much you dilute your concentrate with water or how many ice cubes you add in—but sometimes, bean blends change or a variation in your steep time makes all the difference between a tea-like, weak brew, something extraordinary…and, on the other end of the pendulum, something bitter and burned tasting.
While some complain that Starbucks’s iced coffee can taste burned, I’ve found the cold brew pretty smooth. And, if you’re making it at home, the Pike Place variety offers that robust-yet-smooth flavor and finish pretty much every single time. It has a rich flavor, with subtle praline and cocoa notes, making for a solid, everyday sip to kickstart your day.
Fast Facts
- Roast: medium
- Origin: Latin America
- Value: 17/20
- Consistency of Brew: 18/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Aroma: 9/10
- Body: 10/10
Flavor: 17/20
TOTAL: 89/100
On the flip side, if you enjoy your coffee with milk (or flavored creamer), but you don’t want to lose that coffee flavor entirely, turn to Joyground’s Unicorn Powers. This dark roast is intense, with a strong espresso flavor and somewhat cocoa-like finish, which shines through even if you have a heavy half-and-half pour.
Plus, the My Little Pony packaging (part of a collab with Hasbro) is peak nostalgia, practically guaranteeing a smile as you pop open your pantry each morning. And you can order bags of whole beans or coarse-ground, ideal for whipping up a batch of cold brew—even if you don’t have a grinder at home.
Fast Facts
- Roast: medium
- Origin: South America
- Value: 18/20
- Consistency of Brew: 18/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Aroma: 8/10
- Body: 7/10
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 88/100
While dark and medium roasts tend to be best for cold brew, the R&D team at Death Wish recommended their light roast for iced drinks, and they weren’t wrong. Their coffee is notoriously intense, and the light roast has a somewhat gentler flavor, with a brightness to it (thanks to notes of agave and golden raisins) that feels refreshing in a cool drink. It’s less bitter than darker roasts, though if you don’t like fruity notes in your coffee, this may not be for you. If you do, prepare to brew this on repeat all summer long.
Fast Facts
- Roast: medium
- Origin: Central and South America
- Value: 17/20
- Consistency of Brew: 18/20
- Quality: 20/20
- Aroma: 10/10
- Body: 10/10
- Flavor: 19/20
TOTAL: 94/100
"Death before decaf" has become a mantra among hardcore coffee drinkers, largely because the flavor always seems a bit off. It's usually code for bitter, watery brews, but that's not the case with Blue Bottle. Their decaf beans are every bit as intense and flavorful as their traditional medium roast, and after sampling more than half a dozen decaf beans over the past two years, this was consistently the best-tasting, closest-to-the-real-deal cold brew around. Plus, if you freeze your own coffee ice cubes, you can basically recreate the in-store experience from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Fast Facts
- Roast: medium
- Origin: Latin and Central America
- Value: 18/20
- Consistency of Brew: 18/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Aroma: 7/10
- Body: 8/10
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 90/100
If you like a little variety in your life—or you’re not sure which beans, exactly, you want to commit to—check out Trade’s Cold Brew collection. The brand has partnered with roasters to offer an array of made-for-cold-brew beans, which you can order a la carte, or sign up for their subscription service. To do so, you take a short quiz outlining your preferences—from taste to whether you’d like whole or coarse-ground beans—and every four weeks, they ship you a bag to try. I tried a three-month subscription, and I loved the surprise-and-delight factor of getting to sample a brand I was previously unfamiliar with (and couldn’t easily buy in my local grocery store). It’s easy to pause, cancel or adjust your subscription too, should you find you burn through beans more often—or have a backlog you need to go through.
I was really impressed by the quality and variety of beans offered and found myself noting a few faves to restock the moment I run out.
(Note: The PW100 score is an average of the different bags tested during the subscription service.)
Fast Facts
- Roast: varies
- Origin: varies
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Make Cold Brew?
Unlike iced coffee (which is simply hot coffee that’s chilled and poured over ice), cold brew is made by steeped ground beans in cool or room temperature water for 12-plus hours. The grounds are filtered out, and the resulting liquid is actually a coffee concentrate. From there, water is added—often a 50:50 mix, but you can adjust it based on your tastes—so it isn’t too intense. Sure, you can use a French press to make it, but we love the simplicity of these cold brew makers.
Whole Beans Vs. Ground: What’s the Best Coffee for Cold Brew?
Grinding your own whole beans is ideal, since most pre-ground coffee is much finer than the medium-to-coarse grind you're looking for in cold brew. That said, if you don’t have a grinder at home, you’re not doomed to instant mixes and to-go orders. Ground will work (and there are some ground types that are specifically made for cold brew); we’ve just found that you may need to stir the coffee grounds around within the filter, just so they get fully immersed in water. (If you don’t, you may wind up with cold brew that looks and tastes like unsweetened tea the next day.) Once you’ve 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.
Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Brewed Coffee?
That depends on how you make it—and how much you dilute it. (At Starbucks, for example, a 16-ounce hot Americano coffee averages about 225 mg of caffeine, according to the brand, whereas a 16-ounce cold brew has 205 mg.)
In general, cold brew clocks in at 200 milligrams of caffeine per 16-ounce serving, and hot coffee is about 192 milligrams. A 2020 Thomas Jefferson University study backs this up, adding that since cold brew tends to be less acidic, it can taste smoother. You may associate that smoothness with a less strong brew, but based on caffeine levels, it's every bit as potent.
How Long Is Cold Brew Good For?
"Cold brew concentrate can last up to two weeks in the fridge," Kawahara says. "Once it is diluted, I would say about two to three days.
That said, she offers a pro tip for anyone who's trying to make each batch last as long as possible: "I will keep my cold brew concentrate as-is and then I will dilute with water as needed to ensure that my cold brew can last up to two weeks—which it never does."
VP of editorial content
- Oversees home, food and commerce articles
- Author of two cookbooks and has contributed recipes to three others
- Named one of 2023's Outstanding Young Alumni at the University of South Florida, where she studied mass communications and business
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