Cold brewed coffee has long been a popular drink in Japan, but is still a new concept to the rest of the world. Immersion cold brewing is simple to do at home and doesn’t need any special machines or equipment.
However, when you first start making your own cold brew, it can be difficult to know which beans are the best for the type of coffee you want.
Quick NavigationComparison ChartBest Coffee Beans for Cold Brew Reviews1. Cold Brew Lab2. Tiny Footprint Cold Brew3. Stone Street Cold Brew4. Unique Coffee Roasters Cold Brew5. Faro Roasting Houses Cold BrewFINAL VERDICT
Trial and error will be a big part of finding the flavor you want, but before starting it’s also helpful to know which are the best coffee beans for cold brew, so you know where to start your cold brew coffee journey.
Comparison Chart
Best Coffee Beans for Cold Brew Reviews
1. Cold Brew Lab
This organic cold brew coffee offers a mild flavor with a smooth aftertaste. Forget buying your next cold brew at an expensive café – with these beans you can enjoy the same great taste in your own home.
Product Review
The Cold Brew Lab coffee beans have been custom made for cold brewing and allow you to make the perfect mild cup of delicious cold brewed coffee. The coffee beans are sourced, roasted and blended to create a well-rounded, low acid, full-bodied, smooth flavor.This coffee uses certified 100% organic Arabica Colombian beans that have been grown without the use of pesticides, guaranteeing that they are safe for you and the environment.This coffee has been crafted with a blend of medium and dark roasted beans which creates a unique roast that is ideal for mild cold brewed coffee. Each cup is very smooth while still having a flavorful and bold taste.This coffee is available is extra coarse ground and whole beans. If you are just starting out with cold brew coffee, pre-ground may work best. But if you have experience grinding your own at home, this will suit you well too.
- CUSTOM CRAFTED FOR COLD BREWING: Look no further for the perfect coarse coffee grounds for making cold brew coffee. We source, roast, & blend our beans for optimal cold (slow) brew extraction – creating a strong and bold taste with well-rounded, smooth, low acidic, & full bodied flavor.
- ORGANIC 100% ARABICA COLOMBIAN COFFEE: We only use pesticide free USDA certified organic coffee because we care about the quality of our product. Specialty-grade, 100% Arabica, Colombian Supremo.
- DARK ROAST BLEND: We use a blend of medium & dark roasted coffee beans to create a unique roast level that is perfect for cold brewed coffee flavor. This creates a cup that is extremely smooth, yet bold & flavorful.
- 1LB WHOLE BEAN BAG: Grind our fresh groumet beans at home. Perfect for at-home brewers (pitchers, percolators, & mason jars), gifts, restaurants, offices, and businesses.
- FRESHLY ROASTED IN NYC: Cold Brew Lab is an artisan specialty coffee roaster located in the city that never sleeps – New York City, NY USA. We roast
What’s to like about the Cold Brew Lab
- Smooth, mild flavor that can be enjoyed by most people
What’s not to like about the Cold Brew Lab
- Not as bold a flavor as some people prefer
PROS
- checkCoffee beans are certified organic and pesticide free
CONS
- Not as bold a flavor as some people prefer
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2. Tiny Footprint Cold Brew
If you are looking for a tasty cold brew coffee bean with an environmentally conscious promise, then Tiny Footprint’s cold brew blend may be the perfect bean for you.
Product Review
Of course, the flavor of your coffee is the main factor when considering coffee beans, but you also need to look at how your beans are grown. Tiny Footprint has managed to create a fantastic bean while treating the growers well and keeping the carbon footprint to a minimum.This coffee bean is ideal for cold brewing and is brilliant as a cold drink on a hot summer’s day. The flavor is well balanced and the seductive hint of chocolate makes every sip a pleasure. The bold flavor reminds you that you’re drinking real coffee.Overall, this coffee bean is great for cold brewing that gives you a sense of protecting the environment each time the coffee touches your lips.
- COLD BREW BLEND: A blend crafted perfectly for cold brew - our Cold Press Elixir is a mix of our light and dark roasts spiked with our best Ethiopian coffees.
- ORGANIC COFFEE BEANS: USDA Organic, Fair Trade & Shade-Grown Arabica Coffee.
- FLAVOR PROFILE: Sweet, silky richness with subtle flavor notes of bright fruit and floral tones infused in a cocoa like body.
- SMALL BATCH ROASTED: Craft roasted in our vintage 90 kilo German-built Probat drum roaster retrofitted with modern fuel-efficient ribbon burners, delivering perfectly roasted coffee every time.
- CARBON NEGATIVE: The world's first carbon negative coffee - For every pound that’s sold, we donate a portion of the proceeds to fund reforestation in Ecuador’s Mindo cloud forest. Over time, these trees will remove 54 lbs. of CO2 from the atmosphere as well as provide habitat for native plant and animal species.
What’s to like about the Tiny Footprint Cold Brew
- The balanced flavor has a hint of chocolate
- The warm but punchy tones provide an unmistakable coffee flavor
What’s not to like about the Tiny Footprint Cold Brew
- There are occasionally flavor consistency issues
PROS
- checkThis organic coffee helps make the earth greener with every bag
CONS
- There are occasionally flavor consistency issues
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3. Stone Street Cold Brew
Stone Street has been roasting coffee since 2009 and takes pride in ethical sourcing of their coffee beans. This cold brew offers a unique character and full flavor.
Product Review
Colombian coffee is one of the most flavorful coffees in the world. It is well-known for its smooth yet bold flavor, and once you try Colombian coffee, it is hard to be satisfied with any other coffee blend. Stone Street has taken the warmth of Colombian coffee and paired it with the cold brewing process, making something truly unique and delicious.Stone Street boasts brilliant consistency of their beans, which are all single origin. These beans have a bright, warm aroma that features some rich chocolate notes that enhance the flavor of the coffee. Plus, the beans look like they have just been roasted when you open the bag.The price of these beans is a little higher than others in this category, but the cost shouldn’t deter true cold brew enthusiasts who will enjoy this high-quality coffee.
- CRAFTED FOR COLD BREWING – Our cold brew coffee blend uses fresh gourmet arabica coffee beans from Colombia. You can coarse grind them right before brewing for the freshest flavor. Perfect for using in your at-home cold brew coffee maker or system, French press, pitcher, or mason jar.
- DARK ROAST COLOMBIAN SUPREMO – Our beans are classified as ‘supremo’ which are the largest and highest quality beans from Colombia. When these beans are dark roasted, it brings out the nutty/chocolate notes and makes the most delicious tasting cold brew coffee.
- STRONG & SMOOTH BLEND – Our coffee is specially formulated to make a bold, balanced, low-acid, slightly sweet cold brew or iced coffee. You can easily adjust the strength to make it extra strong (more coffee or longer brewing time) or even lighter (more water).
- 1 LB RESEALABLE BAG (16 Ounce) – Our 3-layer natural kraft bag is foil-lined and has a one-way valve for optimal coffee freshness. The wide top opening makes for easy scooping and the seal keeps your one pound of coffee fresh. Our premium packaging makes the perfect gift for the special coffee lover in your life.
- FRESHLY ROASTED IN BROOKLYN, NYC – Stone Street Coffee Company is specialty small-batch roaster, we’ve been making artisanal coffee since 2009.
What’s to like about the Stone Street Cold Brew
- Very smooth, flavorful and rich taste that most drinkers will enjoy
- The beans are not acidic, making them suitable for sensitive stomachs
What’s not to like about the Stone Street Cold Brew
- Some drinkers have said that the coffee has a slightly burnt aftertaste
PROS
- checkThe flavor of the coffee is consistent in each bag
CONS
- A bit more expensive than some would like
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4. Unique Coffee Roasters Cold Brew
This cold brew from Unique Coffee Roasters is a single origin organic coffee bean that has been grown, handpicked and sun-dried in Guatemala.
Product Review
The coffee beans are roasted once to a light degree and then are slightly darkened separately. They are then mixed after they are roasted, giving you a flavorful, strong cup of coffee with seductive chocolate notes and a syrupy smooth feeling in your mouth.Unique Coffee Roasters use an advanced technique to roast their beans. The beans never come into contact with flames but are rather heated in a closed cylinder allowing the heat to roast the beans to perfection.The bright yet earthy tones are welcome flavors that leave you with a balanced cup of coffee that will have you wanting more with every sip.
What’s to like about the Unique Coffee Roasters Cold Brew
- Wonderful, bright, earthy flavored beans
- Coffee beans are certified organic
What’s not to like about the Unique Coffee Roasters Cold Brew
- Coffee has a slightly bitter and burnt aftertaste
PROS
- checkSeductive chocolate notes add a warm twist to the coffee
CONS
- Coffee has a slightly bitter and burnt aftertaste
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5. Faro Roasting Houses Cold Brew
Faro’s cold blend coffee beans are every coffee enthusiast’s delight with their smooth and luscious bold coffee flavor.
Product Review
This cold brew blend is packed with rich beans giving an indulgent flavor, making every cup a memorable experience. The amazing aftertaste leaves you with a refreshed feeling that will keep you coming back for more.The Faro cold brew is made using premium quality beans that have been processed to perfection and is a caffeine treat that gives you a cool coffee rush. The best Arabica beans have been used, allowing you to make appetizing cold brew coffee with ease.This coffee has a long shelf life, allowing you to use it as much or little as you want without worrying that the beans will spoil. Faro cold brew coffee is less acidic and produces a smooth coffee that is highly caffeinated with a delicious taste.
What’s to like about the Faro Roasting Houses Cold Brew
- The coffee is smooth, bold and highly caffeinated
What’s not to like about the Faro Roasting Houses Cold Brew
- The taste of the coffee is very similar to other products
PROS
- checkThe coffee is made from premium quality beans
CONS
- The taste of the coffee is very similar to other products
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FINAL VERDICT
Finding the right beans for a delicious cup of cold brew involves some experimenting. But knowing what flavors and tones you enjoy in your coffee is a great starting point. In the end, coffee preferences are very subjective. One person may like a bold flavor while another prefers a more subtle, smooth taste. It is highly advised that you start with a dark roast and move your way to a lighter bean until you have found what you enjoy.Our recommendations above give you a great starting point to begin your coffee explorations. With that being said, our recommendation is Cold Brew Lab coffee because it has a mild, smooth flavor that most people will enjoy and it is 100% certified organic and pesticide free. Plus, it is easy to make and easy on your wallet.If you have a more sensitive stomach or prefer a less acidic coffee, Stone Street Cold Brew is a great option. It’s a smooth, rich and flavorful coffee that most people will enjoy, and the flavor is consistent from one bag to another, allowing you to know what you are getting every time.
Amazon Disclaimer: prices updated on 2023-10-02 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API