Chameleon Cold Brew Review 2024 - Is It Worth It?"
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!
Alrighty!!!! For this review, I’m going to be talking about Chameleon Cold Brew’s Black Coffee Concentrate. And if you’re a coffee fanatic, and you love finding great tasting coffees… but you’ve also tried plenty of brews that taste sour, acidic, and like plain old battery acid…
Then you better strap in, because this Chameleon Cold Brew review is about to get fun! And that’s because I’ve spent the last week of my life drinking it. And a little bit about me, I drink one cup of coffee in the morning, one in the afternoon, and if I’m feeling extra special, then one more in the evening…
So it’s safe to say that I’ve drank A LOT of Chameleon Cold Brew. And it has given me plenty of great moments, and a few not so great moments. But we will get to that in just a few minutes…
Before we do that, I want to tell you about myself, and this website you’re on right now. My name is Kenny, and I’m a coffee aficionado. I’ve tried HUNDREDS of different copies, and my goal with this website is to describe and rank the best coffee I've tasted. And right now, I’m on a quest to review the top coffee concentrates and cold brews, so Chameleon Cold Brew is another one in a long line of reviews. (If you want to see the other reviews, I recommend you start with this Javy review).
Anyway, I think that’s enough buildup, let’s see how Chameleon’s Black Coffee Brew stacks up!
Quick Facts
Flavor Profile
So, let’s start with the positives of Chameleon. What I like about it, is that it tastes clean and gentle. The flavor isn’t too harsh, and it feels smooth when drinking it. The only downside, is that some coffee drinkers report Chameleon having an unpleasant sour taste. Now, I didn’t experience that myself, but a few of the people I’ve talked to, as well as people online have reported that sour taste.
And compared to many of the other cold brews on the market, I’ll say that Chameleon ranks pretty close to the top. I don’t have a lot to complain about here, and I had a pleasant time drinking it during the last week. However, I will also say that it’s not the BEST coffee I’ve tasted. In my opinion, pure coffee concentrates usually taste a lot better, as long as they aren’t freeze dried, and the company doesn’t add in a lot of chemicals. (For example, Javy is a good alternative).
Caffeine Amount
I’m going to be honest here, and this is something that really irked me. The Chameleon packaging doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in the cold brew, and their website doesn’t say anything either.\
I don’t know how a company can get away without providing that information, it just doesn’t make sense to me. However, what I can say is that after drinking their concentrate, I got a pretty strong buzz after drinking it. So there’s definitely caffeine in the brew, but I’m not quite sure how much. (And it also makes you wonder, if they’re leaving out crucial information like that, what else are they leaving out?)
Convenience
Now, while I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t find the caffeine information I was looking for.I was even more disappointed with their concentrate. And here’s why:
To make normal hot coffee with Chameleon, it takes 2 parts concentrate, and 1 part water. (For example, that would be 2 cups of concentrate, and 1 cup of water). And that’s super annoying, because what’s the point of using a concentrate if it takes SO MUCH of it to make your coffee with? I’ve used other concentrates that only take 1 tsp to make a full cup of coffee, and that makes the bottle last a lot longer.
And in other words, this means if you’re using Chameleon’s Concentrate to make your coffee every day. Well, you better stock up on bottles, because you’re going to need A LOT of them. (And you’ll have to spend a lot more money as well!)
Easy to Use
Ugh….
Honestly, I can’t stand the way that you have to measure their concentrate. I don’t have time to pull out a notepad and a pen just to calculate how much concentrate and how much water that I’ll need. PLUS- they also recommend that you use different ratios for different kinds of drinks!
WHAT!
We’re making coffee here, and it shouldn’t have to be like rocket science to make your favorite drinks. And I might be exaggerating a little bit here, but I just like the idea of being able to use 1 tsp of a concentrate for ANY drink that I want. This 1 part concentrate, 2 part water thing is just annoying…
Customer Service
If you thought it couldn’t get worse…
Then you would be DEAD WRONG!
Because using Chameleon’s customer service portal on their website is like trying to defuse a bomb. First, you have to type your message, then attach your files (why?), then add ALL of your contact information, your phone number, tell them that you’re “not a robot,” and agree to their processing information…
I’ve never used a support form that was so complicated and annoying. I love it when a company has a NICE, simple form that takes you a few seconds to fill out. Or at least a live chat where you can directly talk to a customer support representative. Plus, I couldn’t find a support number on their page, or an email, Chameleon, step up your game!!!
Pros and Cons
- Convenient to use
- Available in grocery stores
- Only a few servings per bottle
- Bitter tasting
- Bulky in a fridge
Ideal For
Recommended Preparations
Different ratios required for different drinks, with a basic ratio of 2 parts concentrate to 1 part water for hot coffee.