La Colombe vs Stok
Why They Make The Cut?
Review Summary
Flavor Profile
La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate offers a coffee-forward flavor profile. Made from single-origin Brazilian coffee, it provides a rich, authentic taste that true coffee lovers will appreciate. The concentrate allows for customization, so you can adjust the strength to your liking. Some users might need to experiment with the ratios to find their perfect balance, but the result is a smooth, refreshing cold brew with no bitterness or acidity typically associated with hot brewed coffee.
Okay, so here’s the most redeeming part about Stok. It’s the fact that they have a wide variety of delicious flavors for you to choose from.
Un-Sweet.
Extra Bold.
Un-Sweet Bright Mellow.
Not Too Sweet.
Protein.
Pumpkin.
Mocha.
Vanilla.
Now, I haven’t tried all of their flavors yet, but the Mocha, Un-Sweet, and the Extra Bold flavors are delicious! It’s nice that they have different flavors for different types of coffee drinkers. However, just keep in mind, Stok does have a few reviews of people claiming that their coffee tasted expired, so maybe try a single bottle before buying a bigger package.
Flavor Notes
Caffeine Content
Each serving of La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate contains 170mg of natural caffeine, equivalent to about 2.25 cups of regular coffee. This high caffeine content makes it a potent energy booster, perfect for those who need a strong pick-me-up. However, the ability to dilute the concentrate allows users to adjust the caffeine level to their preference, making it versatile for different caffeine tolerances.
Okay, I’ll be honest here, Stok comes LOADED with caffeine. Each bottle comes with 145 mg of pure energy-kicking caffeine...
And that can be a good thing, or a bad thing. If you’re used to drinking normal black coffee, it’s going to feel like a bit much for you. So the first time you drink it, you might get an EXTRA BIG kick, and that might be what you want.
However, the problem is, if you go back to drinking normal coffee, it’s not going to feel exactly the same. And that’s because you’re going to get used to having 145 mg of caffeine in each serving, so the next time you drink regular coffee, you might not feel quite as energized.
Now, what I do is if I’m ever feeling extra tired, or if I'm in a pinch. I’ll grab one of the cold brews, because I know that it will give me an extra big boost. However, I try not to drink them on a regular basis, so that I can still drink regular coffee while getting the energy boost I need.
Convenience Factor
Convenience is a strong point for La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate. The 32 oz bottle makes 1 gallon of cold brew, providing multiple servings from a single purchase. It's shelf-stable until opened, and then lasts up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, allowing for easy storage and extended use. This makes it ideal for those who want to enjoy cold brew regularly without daily preparation. The concentrate format also saves space compared to ready-to-drink options.
Ughhhhhh…
This is where I have a problem with Stok, and other cold brew coffees who make similar products. You see, each serving of coffee that you want comes packaged in it’s own bottle. So every time that you want to drink a new serving of Stok…
You have to open up a new bottle, which means you either have to drive to WalMart to pick one up, or you have to order a bulk package on Amazon. And I don’t know about you, but that’s SUPER annoying to me! Plus, can you imagine how much plastic you would waste in a single year if you drank Stok consistently?
And while this isn’t an environmentally-themed review, I just want to point that out. So let’s move onto something more positive for Stok, and talk about how easy it is to use.
Ease of Use
La Colombe's Cold Brew Concentrate is straightforward to use. The recommended ratio of 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water is simple to follow, whether making a single serving or a large batch. Some users might prefer more precise measurements for consistency, but the flexibility allows for personal taste adjustments. The concentrate mixes easily with water and can be customized with ice, milk, or other additions as desired. Overall, it offers an easy way to enjoy cafe-quality cold brew at home.
This is probably the biggest selling point for Stok as well as other products like it. Because when you want to drink coffee, you don’t have to worry about mixing, heating up water, or doing any work at all…
All you have to do is tear the plastic seal at the top of the bottle, twist the lid off, and your coffee is ready to drink! It really doesn’t get easier than that, and you can see why so many people like drinking cold brew from a bottle.
However, for me, it doesn’t make sense for me to stock up on 20-30 bottles of Stock in my pantry. I just don’t have the room. So unless you’ve got room to spare, I recommend that you find a more space efficient way to drink coffee.
Scoring Breakdown
Coffee
La Colombe Cold Brew Concentrate
Stok Cold Brew
Attribute Ratings
Origin
La Colombe Cold Brew Concentrate
Stok Cold Brew
Quick Facts
Recommended Preparations
Mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water. Can be customized with ice, milk, or other additions according to taste preference. Works well for both single servings and large batches.
Ready to drink straight from the bottle, best served cold. No preparation needed.
Ideal For
Pros and Cons
La Colombe Cold Brew Concentrate
- 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
Stok Cold Brew
- Smooth flavor
- Available in grocery stores
- Convenient for cold brew coffee
- Only a few servings per bottle
- Limited flavors