The Best Coffee Concentrates of 2024
I’ve seen coffee concentrates all over social media and I couldn’t decide which ones to try. They all looked so easy to make iced coffee’s so I knew I had to give it a try. For six months I tried the most popular ones and ranked them here!
Javy Coffee Concentrate
Javy’s Coffee Concentrate blew me away from the second I saw it. This was the one I saw all over the internet where people were re-creating their favorite Iced Coffee’s right at home. Here’s my honest review and why I placed this Coffee Concentrate at #1 on my list. It was the fastest, easiest, and tastiest Iced Latte that I ever made. It tasted so rich, smooth, and creamy that I couldn’t believe that I made it myself!
- Ultra fast, easy, and convenient iced coffee
- Makes up to 35 coffee’s in one bottle
- Fresh, rich, and silky-smooth
- Zero sugar, and zero calories
- Delicious limited release flavor drops
- Over 20,000 raving reviews
- They sell out often
- They aren't sold in grocery stores
Javy's Coffee Concentrate is a standout for its ultra-convenient, rich, and smooth flavor. It's a fan-favorite for recreating popular Iced Coffees at home, and its versatility is commendable.
Instantly craft any style coffee that you want in seconds. Simply add 1-2 tsp of Javy Coffee Concentrate and enjoy your favorite drink.
Stok Cold Brew
Meet the smooth operator of cold brews. Stok Coffee offers a consistent flavor, available right at your local grocery store. Ideal for those who seek convenience without compromising on taste. Your everyday cold brew, reimagined.
- Smooth flavor
- Available in grocery stores
- Convenient for cold brew coffee
- Only a few servings per bottle
- Limited flavors
Stok Coffee offers a smooth flavor and is easily available in grocery stores. It's a solid choice for those who prioritize convenience and cold brew coffee.
Stok Coffee is a readily available choice for cold brew enthusiasts. With its smooth flavor and grocery store availability, it's a go-to for many.
Cometeer Coffee
Elevate your coffee game with Cometeer. Boasting a diverse flavor profile with a variety of roasts, it's a treat for the palate. Though it requires some space in your freezer, the taste journey is worth every sip. A modern twist to traditional brewing.
- Tasty flavor profile
- Variety of roasts to choose from
- Good customer service
- Bulky to store at home (stores in freezer)
- Expensive pricing $64/month
- Just as time consuming as making a normal cup of coffee
Cometeer brings a unique flavor profile to the table with a variety of roasts. However, its bulky storage and pricing can be a turn-off for some.
Cometeer offers a flavorful coffee experience with a wide range of roasts. Its unique storing method and taste make it a distinct choice.
Jot Ultra Coffee
Simplicity meets elegance. Jot provides an effortless coffee experience with its easy pouring mechanism and visually appealing packaging. While its taste might be an acquired one, its charm lies in its no-fuss approach. Coffee, made easy.
- Easy to use and pour
- Great packaging
- Quality customer service
- Bitter tasting coffee
- Overpriced $24 for 12 servings
- No flavor selection
Jot impresses with its ease of use and packaging. While its flavor might not be for everyone, its quality customer service compensates for it.
Jot offers a straightforward coffee experience with easy pouring and attractive packaging. It's a choice for those who prioritize usability over flavor.
Chameleon Coffee
Your handy coffee companion. Chameleon Coffee promises convenience without the hassle. Whether you're on the go or relaxing at home, its familiar flavor from the grocery aisles is just a pour away. Simplicity in every sip.
- Convenient to use
- Available in grocery stores
- Only a few servings per bottle
- Bitter tasting
- Bulky in a fridge
Chameleon Coffee provides a convenient coffee solution, especially for those who shop at grocery stores. However, its flavor and storage might not appeal to all.
Chameleon Coffee is a practical choice for those who seek convenience. Easily available in grocery stores, it's a regular for many households.
Cappio Cold Brew
The classic coffee choice for everyday moments. Cappio Coffee balances convenience with taste, making it a staple in many households. Available in grocery stores, it's your go-to coffee for those regular caffeine fixes. Reliability in a bottle.
- Convenient to use
- Available in grocery stores
- Only a few servings per bottle
- Bitter tasting
- Bulky in a fridge
Cappio Coffee, similar to Chameleon, offers a convenient coffee solution with easy grocery store availability. It's a choice for those who prioritize convenience.
Cappio Coffee brings forth a convenient coffee experience with its easy availability in grocery stores. Its simple use and taste make it a common pick.
Stumptown Original Cold Brew with OATLY
Stumptown Coffee Roasters' Original Cold Brew with OATLY is a premium ready-to-drink coffee that combines quality, convenience, and sustainability. Its smooth, balanced flavor and ethical production practices make it stand out in the crowded cold brew market. While it comes at a higher price point, the taste and convenience justify the cost for cold brew enthusiasts and those who value sustainable products.
- Smooth, balanced flavor
- Convenient ready-to-drink format
- Sustainable packaging
- Vegan and low sugar
- Higher price point
- Limited size options
- May not suit those who prefer stronger coffee
Stumptown's Original Cold Brew with OATLY stands out for its perfect balance of flavor, convenience, and sustainability. It's a premium product that delivers on taste and ethical production.
Stumptown's Original Cold Brew with OATLY is a ready-to-drink coffee beverage that combines Stumptown's cold brew coffee with Oatly oat milk. It's vegan, low in sugar, and comes in a 100% recyclable 11 oz carton.
La Colombe Cold Brew Concentrate
La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate offers a convenient, customizable cold brew experience with a strong coffee-forward flavor. Its high caffeine content and ease of use make it a great choice for coffee enthusiasts who value both quality and convenience. While the plastic packaging might be a concern for some, the overall product delivers on taste and versatility.
- Rich, coffee-forward flavor
- High caffeine content (170mg per serving)
- Convenient and long-lasting
- Customizable strength
- Makes large quantity (1 gallon) per bottle
- Plastic bottle packaging
- May require experimentation to find ideal ratio
- Slightly more expensive than some competitors
La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate stands out for its rich flavor, high caffeine content, and convenience. It offers cafe-quality cold brew with the flexibility to customize at home.
La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate is a versatile, coffee-forward concentrate made from single-origin Brazilian coffee. It offers 170mg of caffeine per serving and can be easily diluted to make refreshing cold brew at home.
Blue Bottle Coffee Cold Brew Set
The Blue Bottle Coffee Cold Brew Set offers a premium cold brew experience at home. With its exceptional Three Africas blend and commitment to quality, it's a great choice for coffee enthusiasts looking to elevate their cold brew game. While it requires some preparation time, the resulting smooth, flavorful coffee is well worth the effort.
- Exceptional flavor profile
- High-quality, freshly roasted beans
- Versatile brewing options
- Requires advance preparation
- More expensive than some alternatives
- Lack of specific caffeine content information
Blue Bottle's commitment to quality and their unique Three Africas blend creates a superior cold brew experience, perfect for discerning coffee lovers.
Blue Bottle's Cold Brew Set features their Three Africas blend, offering a complex and flavorful cold brew experience. Perfect for coffee enthusiasts who appreciate quality and are willing to invest time in preparation.
Grady's Cold Brew
Grady's Cold Brew offers a premium, New Orleans-Style cold brew concentrate that stands out for its unique flavor profile and versatility. With its all-natural, dietary-friendly ingredients and convenient concentrate format, it caters to a wide range of coffee enthusiasts. While more transparency on caffeine content would be beneficial, the product's taste, ease of use, and convenience make it a strong contender in the cold brew market.
- Unique New Orleans-Style flavor
- All-natural and dietary-friendly
- Convenient concentrate format
- Versatile for hot and cold drinks
- Lack of specific caffeine content information
- Requires refrigeration
- Limited recipe suggestions
Grady's Cold Brew stands out with its unique New Orleans-Style flavor and convenient concentrate format, catering to health-conscious coffee lovers with its all-natural ingredients.
Grady's Cold Brew is a New Orleans-Style coffee concentrate, cold brewed for 20 hours with chicory and spices. All-natural, sugar-free, and vegan, it offers a smooth, flavorful coffee experience in a convenient concentrate form.
Best Coffee Concentrate Buying Guide
Elevate your coffee ritual to unparalleled heights. Whether you're streamlining your morning routine or boosting workplace productivity, transitioning to cold brew might be your best move. But how do you pick a cold brew concentrate that rivals barista-crafted coffee? Our comprehensive guide simplifies the selection process for you.
How to Choose The Best Coffee Concentrate
When diving into the world of coffee concentrates, it's essential to understand what you're investing in. Our dedicated community of coffee lovers frequently shares their insights and questions about the best coffee concentrates. Here's our top advice based on their shared experiences.
How concentrated is a coffee blend?
Concentration levels can vary, ranging from mild (50%) to ultra-strong (200%). A higher concentration allows you to enhance or even double the potency of your coffee beverage.
Are there any other vital factors to consider?
Always peruse the product's details and ingredients. Before purchasing, it's the right time to check for any additives or preservatives in the coffee concentrate.
How versatile is a coffee concentrate?
Versatility can differ among brands. Ascertain the variety of drinks you can whip up using the concentrate. Some might be perfect for cold brews, while others excel in lattes or espresso-driven beverages.
How can I optimize the value of my coffee concentrate?
The most exceptional coffee concentrates offer added bonuses, such as sustainably sourced beans or tantalizing flavors like vanilla or caramel. Seeking these extras can significantly elevate your coffee experience.
Distinct Advantages of Using Cold Brew Concentrate:
Integrating a cold brew concentrate into your daily routine offers numerous benefits. It boasts a lower acidic content compared to the conventional pour-over coffee, ensuring gentler effects on your stomach—even if you have acid reflux. Additionally, those battling arthritis or chronic pain might find cold brew concentrate helpful in alleviating inflammation.
The concentrate's ready-to-use nature means zero prep time for every cold brew cup. Simply dilute the concentrate with water or milk, and voila! Plus, its extended shelf life is a bonus.
Key Aspects to Reflect on While Choosing Cold Brew Concentrate:
Coffee Bean Type
Begin by evaluating the coffee beans. Organic, single-origin, and ethically sourced arabica beans reign supreme. If sourcing ethical, roasted beans proves challenging, prioritize those with Kosher or USDA certifications. Besides the beans, the roast's quality matters. Various roasts, such as light, medium, and dark, offer diverse experiences. For cold brews, medium or dark roasts, rich in flavor and oil, are ideal.
Brewing Technique
Brands employ diverse brewing methods. For a full-bodied flavor and aroma, many opt for slow-drip machines. It's also vital to discern whether the brand utilizes cold or hot brewing, as it influences the final product's flavor and consistency.
Shelf Longevity
Like other edibles, cold brew concentrate has an expiration. For those buying in bulk and consuming sporadically, a long shelf life is crucial. With cold brew concentrates, there's no strict expiry as they're typically stored at ambient temperatures. Aim for products lasting at least two months post-opening.
Taste Profile
The market teems with a plethora of flavors, from the overly sweet to the intensely bitter. Some tantalize with hints of vanilla or hazelnut, while others surprise with subtle chocolate and cherry undertones. Sampling a smaller bottle first before committing to a larger one can be a prudent strategy.
Crafting Your Cold Brew Concentrate:
For the cold brew aficionados, mastering this timeless classic is a must. The preparation is refreshingly straightforward, sans any specialized equipment:
- Coarsely grind your choice of coffee beans.
- In a sizable jar, blend the coffee grounds and filtered water, ensuring thorough saturation.
- Seal the jar, allowing it to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
- A longer duration yields a more potent concentrate.
- Stir again upon completion.
- Employ a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth atop a bowl or pitcher.
- Gradually pour the coffee, separating the grounds.
- Repeat in batches if required. Your cold brew concentrate is now ready!
- For iced coffee, combine one part concentrate with two parts water, milk, or any non-dairy milk alternative over ice.
Cold Brew Concentrate FAQs
Coffee concentrate offers a rich and intense coffee flavor. Its taste can be likened to a strong cold brew or espresso, but it's meant to be diluted, which allows you to control the strength of your beverage.
Yes, you can heat up coffee concentrate. Dilute it to your preferred strength with water or milk and then heat it in a microwave or on the stovetop for a warm coffee drink.
Coffee concentrate is versatile and can be used as a base for various coffee beverages, from Americano to lattes. The flavor profile might vary based on the coffee beans and roast used to make the concentrate.
To make homemade coffee concentrate, coarsely grind your favorite coffee beans. Mix about 1 cup of coffee grounds with 4 cups of cold water. Let it steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours. After steeping, strain the mixture to remove the coffee grounds. The liquid left is your coffee concentrate, which can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Yes, many coffee companies produce and sell ready-made coffee concentrates, which can be found in grocery stores or online.
Yes, you can heat diluted coffee concentrate in the microwave. However, it's best to dilute it with hot water for a more even temperature.
To adjust strength, simply change the ratio of concentrate to water or milk. Use more concentrate for stronger coffee and less for weaker coffee.
Yes, a French press is an excellent tool for making coffee concentrate. Simply steep the coffee grounds in cold water in the French press for 12-24 hours, then press and strain.
Coffee concentrate and cold brew are similar, but not always the same. Cold brew refers to the brewing method, while concentrate refers to the strength. Some cold brews are concentrates, but not all concentrates are cold brewed.
Yes, coffee concentrate works well in baking and cooking recipes that call for strong coffee or espresso, such as tiramisu, coffee-flavored cakes, or marinades.
The caffeine content can vary depending on the brewing method and coffee-to-water ratio, but it's generally higher than regular brewed coffee. Always dilute before consuming.
No special equipment is required. You can use a large jar or pitcher, a fine-mesh strainer, and cheesecloth or a paper filter.
Yes, you can use any type of coffee, but medium to dark roasts typically work best as they provide a richer flavor.
Coffee concentrate made through cold brewing may have less acidity, which can be easier on the stomach for some people. It also retains the antioxidants and caffeine found in regular coffee.
While coffee concentrate is strong, it's typically not as concentrated as espresso. However, it can be used as a substitute in many recipes calling for espresso.
- Iced coffee
- Cold brew
- Iced lattes
- Frappés
- Coffee smoothies
- Coffee cocktails
Yes, you can dilute coffee concentrate with hot water to make a quick cup of hot coffee.
Dilute the concentrate with water, milk, or your preferred liquid. A typical ratio is 1:1 for strong coffee or 1:2 for regular strength. Serve over ice for iced coffee or heat for hot coffee.
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, coffee concentrate can last up to 2 weeks.
A common ratio is 1:4 (1 part coffee to 4 parts water), but you can adjust this based on your preference for strength.
To make coffee concentrate:
- Combine coarsely ground coffee and cold water in a 1:4 ratio
- Steep for 12-24 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth
- Store the concentrate in an airtight container in the refrigerator
Coffee concentrate is much stronger and more concentrated than regular brewed coffee. It's designed to be diluted before drinking and can be served hot or cold.
Coffee concentrate is a highly concentrated form of brewed coffee, made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold or room temperature water for an extended period, typically 12-24 hours.