Most of you are aware of cold coffee. Which simply put, is hot coffee with ice. But there is another method to have a cold cup. Cold-brew is a more intense method of making cold-coffee.
This method uses coarse or medium grind beans. These are steeped in room temperature or cold water. It takes you a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 hours. What you get is a highly concentrated coffee. People tend to call it full-bodied. You will find it strong and having an intensely rich flavor. Unlike cold-coffee, you would never find a watery cold brew.
For cold brew, time is a binding factor. It ensures the optimum extraction of oils, sugar, and caffeine from the beans. This method also ensures a brew with low acidity. You can choose anything from light to dark roast. It is just a matter of your choice. Whatever you may choose, the quality of coffee beans is central to the cold brew.
How was this list made?
Only the coffee connoisseurs can choose the best amongst some of the best cold brew coffee beans. We looked for several of these for you. Read their opinions, and questioned them about various features. We even took an overview of the most liked brands. What are people saying, how was their experience? We even visited amazon to check the ratings. Read through the websites of the coffee producers to deep dive into their production methods.
Thus giving you a concise list, for you to choose from.
How was this list made?
You need a good cold brew. For that, you need tasty and good quality coffee. Look for the origins of coffee producers. Give detailed attention to how these are produced. Where are these grown and roasted? Do they have an acidic or a milder PH level? What do you expect from your cup and which amongst these will fit your bill?
Enough discussions, let us look at the list below.
TOP PICK
Kick-Ass, Dark Roast
This one is fully organic too. No harmful pesticide, it is as pure as nature. The producers believe in a sustainable environment, for a better tomorrow
CHECK LATEST PRICEBest Coffee Beans for Cold Brew
1. Light roast coffee by Life boost coffee
Our first option for your cold brew is Light roast coffee from Nicaragua. These are brighter in color and are more acidic. However, because of spending less time under heat. These have more diverse flavors. And are closer to their original taste.
Lifeboost promises that these have been hand-selected. That is, optimum care was given for its quality. Some very hard-working farmers had grown them with utmost love and care. only mountain shade was provided to them while growing. The whole process was undertaken without any pesticides.
After their harvest, they were fermented. For 26 long hours for easy removal of the skin. Thus, preventing any damage to the seed. For washing these, only fresh, springwater is used. To attain the perfect level of humidity, they are sun-dried. Until they reach 11.5% humidity, the process goes on. On top of that, they are even laid for 30-days, as their rest period. Further enhancing the taste.
The output is a perfect bean, fully organic, devoid of mycotoxins and pesticides. Which came from a single-origin and received kosher certification for its quality.
Pros
- Whole-bean
- Diverse flavors in a light roast
- Organic
- Hand-selected
- Shade-grown
Cons
- High on acidity
- High on budget
Verdict: Light roast bean by Life boost is one of the best coffee beans for cold brew. If you have a good budget and want something organic. Latin America born beans are high in quality. It underwent meticulous care to give you the desired taste. For those who are okay with high acidic beans. One that will give naturally diverse flavors, you can go for this one.
2. Grande Domaine Vienna Roast Ground by Koa coffee
If you want a darker roast for your cold brew, you can opt for Grande Domaine Vienna Roast. This says aloha because it is from Hawaii. From the famous Kona estate in the Mauna Loa region. This one is a single origin, 100% Kona coffee. Has garnered several contests. One such contest is the Kona Coffee cupping. It gained recognition for its outstanding quality and perfect balance.
Grande Domaine is a blend of Kona coffee and Peaberry Kona. Peaberry Kona is a rare bean. Every coffee cherries has 2 beans sleeping inside. That is what makes the beans flat on one side. Only 3-5% of cherries have one single bean. For its rarity, the peaberry is often called “champagne of Kona”. Hence, making it a taste of luxury.
These beans are harvested by hand and then sun-dried. Upon which, it is given, what is called a Vienna roast. Which is, a tad darker than a medium roast. This pack is pre-grounded. So you need not grind it. Hence, making it one of the best coffee to make a cold brew.
Not only does this one taste good. But, Koa Coffee makes sure it receives the best of care and is of a grade 1 quality. No doubt, they are the receivers of some of the most prestigious awards. Be it the Gevalia cupping competition or the PCCA coffee of the year. Even Forbes listed them amongst the “Top 10 Coffees of the world”.
Pros
- Vienna roast coffee
- Pre-ground
- Award-winning quality and taste
- Harvested by hand
Cons
- Vienna roast maybe medium acidic
Verdict: For those who want somewhere between a medium and a dark roast. Grande Domaine Vienna Roast by Koa coffee is a great option. It is full of aloha (love in Hawaiian). Has been held by the best connoisseurs in the world. Moreover, it is backed by the credence of Koa Coffee. Pick this one for your next cup of cold brew.
3. Kick-Ass, Dark Roast by Kicking Horse Coffee
For a stronger, kicking ass cold brew, you can have Kick-Ass Dark Roast. It has made quite an effort to reach you. Being grown in South America and Indonesia, and roasted in the rocky mountains of Canada. It has a surprisingly bold taste. Being sweet and smoky, at the same time. A delicious blend of chocolate malt, molasses, and licorice.
People at Kicking Horse Coffee believe in fair trade. That is, paying optimum fair-price to the hardworking hands who worked day and night for these beans. Fairtrade also ensures, these farmers leave no leaf unturned while caring for these beans.
This one is fully organic too. No harmful pesticide, it is as pure as nature. The producers believe in a sustainable environment, for a better tomorrow. In that case, even USDA gave it the certification of being organic. Also, it is Kosher certified. Apart from your cold brew, you can use it in your French press, drip machine or pour-over.
All of this, that too, in budget. Aren’t you surprised??
Pros
- USDA certified organic
- A surprising price tag
- Whole-bean
- A unique blend of flavors
Cons
- Multiple-blend
- Grown and roasted at separate places
- High on acidity
Verdict: For some kicking ass energy, you can have the Kick-Ass, Dark Roast by Kicking Horse Coffee. It has a unique blend of flavors from South America and Indonesia. The budget seems negligible while looking at the qualities of this blend. It is USDA certified, the only one on the list. It is indeed, the best cold brew coffee bean for you. But only if you can overlook a few shortcomings.
4. Cold Brew Coffee, Volcanica coffee
If you don’t know what kind of a roast to pick. You can call on the experts. Cold-brew coffee by Volcanica offers you the help you need. They have created a perfect roast. Thus keeping in mind the process of cold brew.
First, let us talk about the experts themselves. The makers of Volcanica Coffee have an eye for quality. They only select high-quality beans from farmers all over the world. These are then grown in fertile, volcanic soil. With an elevation of about 3,000 feet, they mature slowly. Hence, making them mature fully and plump.
They have a highly efficient roasting process. It’s not just roasting, they call it a craft. Moreover, you won’t find them keeping roasted beans. They roast on order. So, you get a fresh bag every time.
Their expert product, Cold Brew Coffee is a blend of beans born in Sumatra. They were added to some low-acid Arabica coffee. Thus, making it one of the best beans for cold brew. You can choose an espresso grind, french press or drip grind, depending upon your usage. The makers recommend brewing this mixture for as little as 12 hours. Thereafter, you can pour ice and enjoy it.
Pros
- Specially roasted for cold-brew
- Highly-efficient roasting process
- grown in fertile-volcanic soil
Cons
- Multiple-blend
Verdict: For a cold-brew novice in you, this is the perfect fit. You get a well-roasted set of beans. Being born out of fertile soil, are juicy and plump. On top of all, it has the credence of Volcanica Coffee. So, it’s time to forget about the details. Just buy it and brew it.
5. Molasses Cookies and Chocolate Syrup, Fitzroy's Blend, by Beanbox coffee
If you are still bent upon having nothing but a medium roast. Then choose the Fitzroy’s blend, for your next cold brew. Remember Fitzroy? He captained HMS Beagle, the one through which Charles Darwin reached the Galapagos Island. And who later gave birth to “The Origin of Species”. So remember when you drink this cup, you are getting a sip of history.
The Fitzroy blend by Zoka Coffee is for the adolescent hidden in you. Beginning with a dark chocolate taste, it slowly moves to a taste of the ginger-molasses cookie. It is both soft and smoky. Drink it and you will agree. The dual nature of flavors is because it is a blend of two regions. From the farms of Central America to those of South America.
Zoka Coffee is the name behind all this hard work. A unique quality of their business is their choice of only COE recognized beans. The cup of Excellence (COE) is an international program. It gives recognition to the best coffees from all over the world. On top of that, they believe in giving back and more. They buy these beans at a higher market price, to ensure the economic welfare of the farmers.
After Zoka Coffee makes the desired effort to make a quality product. BeanBox Coffee with their expert team re-check the entire process. They choose only the trustworthy roasters from all of Seattle. They have a legacy to maintain. So when you make a cup of cold brew from this one, stay assured of its superior quality.
Pros
- Medium roast-medium acidic
- Double-verified quality
- COE recognized beans
Cons
- Multiple-blend
Verdict: For those who need a supreme quality, medium roast. Head forward for Fitzroy’s blend by Zoka coffee, sold by Beanbox. Let your hands grab this nutty chocolaty and molasses blend. You can be sure of yourself here. Because you are not only getting a great taste but a COE recognized quality product. So, go, grab a cup of adolescence now.
Buying Guide: What to look for when picking out beans for cold brew
Whole Beans Vs Grounded
You need a cold brew without much fuss, right? So, you must know what kind of coffee you need.
For cold brew, you immerse the ground for around 12-24 hours in cold water. You don’t heat your ground or your beans. That is why it takes a longer time to bring out the flavors within.
Now, if you want a quick fix. Because already, the cold-brew process is long, you can add coarse grind coffee beans. And you are set. However, with ground beans, some flavor of the beans is lost. Also, there is a dilemma, of whether they are freshly roasted. So, you do compromise a bit on taste.
But, if you are patient when it comes to taste. You can make your cold brew with whole beans. Though, they will take even more time to diffuse. Which is why they will be more delicious. On the other side of it, you need to grind these yourself.
Kind of roast
This one is a personal choice. Many of you will swear at a light roast, others like the medium. While a lot of you might like a dark roast. So, how do you pick one?
Pick light roast for a more complex and wide range of flavors. Because of low-heat time, these are less acidic. And are more loyal to their original taste. However, these will take you the longest time to brew with the cold brew method. You might experience some muted flavors and subtle tones in a cold brew with this one.
You might go for a medium roast, as the safest choice. You get the best of both worlds. It is medium acidic. Moreover, it has just started its journey towards earthly flavors. This one will give you a blend of fruit and earthly flavors.
Dark roast is for you if you love deep earthy flavors. You will get a good brew in less time. Also, because of their high acidity, they retain much of their flavor upon cold-brewing.
Single-Origin Or multiple?
No, there is no hard and fast rule in this one too. Though, they have pros and cons. So, how do you choose?
Single-origin coffee beans mean those that belong to one geographical area. They don’t undergo mixing. Without being afraid of low-quality mixing with high. You will only get a single type, consistent flavor. Therefore, when you make a cold brew with this, you get uniform flavors. This is a specialty coffee and is therefore exclusive. Do expect a bold flavor. You do need a developed taste for this one. Also, this can be expensive.
Blended coffee beans are a mix of different geographical regions or farms. They are mixed and matched with different flavors to create diverse tastes. If you are new to the coffee world, you choose this. This one will always amaze you. Moreover, you can save some money with this one. However, there is one drawback here. Sometimes low-quality beans are added to high-quality, for blending. This might harm you because low-quality beans contain mycotoxins.
Origins: Growth
Don’t you want to know where your cup came from? How was it produced? Well, you must be aware. What should you consider?
Where did it grow?
Since coffee is a plant. Many environmental factors contribute to its taste. One such factor is the soil. You know coffee needs a well-drained, almost needless to say fertile soil. Many coffee producers prefer volcanic soil which is rich in nutrients. Giving them an upper hand.
Now, let us talk about the altitude. High-altitude grown coffees are of high quality. This is because high altitude means late-ripening, hence a more plump bean. That is why this one is more expensive.
Not only altitude, but the shade is important too. Shade-grown beans take less time for maturity, grown in natural conditions. Those which grow in sun, grow fast, unnaturally and are hence the low quality.
What went into the process?
Many times, cultivators use pesticides and other chemicals. Before choosing a bean, ensure these are organic. The manure used is natural.
Country of origin
The best beans are from Latin America and Africa. Many producers buy beans from these regions and then grow them at their facility. Always be on a lookout for these. More often than not, they will give you a more superior taste.
Production: harvest and roast
You know all about growth now. But what next? What all happened before they reached you?
Yes..they need to be harvested. The best of the coffee producers use hand-selection as a harvesting process. With this, you get carefully selected high-quality beans. This avoids mechanization and is more environmentally friendly.
What about roast? Some roast by hand, some by machines. Some others have a state of the art facility for roasting. Pick out the one which has a clear roasting process. One which ensures no harmful chemicals were used. And also, someone who promises you that they were roasted fresh
After getting all the knowledge, we know what’s best for you. Yes, it was difficult, and so it must be for you. So here’s our pick- Grande Domaine Vienna Roast Ground by Koa coffee. For one, this is with lots of Aloha that we liked. It is neither too dark nor too light nor too medium. This one is a Vienna roast, somewhere between medium and dark. Also, this one is a perfect blend of Kona coffee and the unique peaberry. So, enjoy the taste of an exotic cup. This one is the best coffee for a cold brew that will give you the right blend.