6 Cold Brews to Quench Your Summer Caffeine Cravings

By Ann Binlot Published June 28, 2014

6 cold brews quench summer caffeine cravings iced coffee — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We can’t tell you how excited we get to have a cup of ice-cold coffee when the weather warms up. In fact, we even drink iced coffee when it’s not so hot outside. What we love more is the convenience of all these cold brews that have been popping up. There’s nothing like pulling out a delicious cup of iced coffee to get you caffeinated for your work day — or any day for that matter. Here are some you should try.

Grady’s Cold Brew
Grady’s is New Orleans-style iced coffee at its best — with a hint of spiciness for an extra added kick.
$12 for 32 oz at gradyscoldbrew.com.

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Blue Bottle Iced Coffee
The packaging of this VC-funded iced coffee reminds us of our elementary school cafeteria milk cartons, and it’s perfect for those of you who like your iced coffee milky and sweet.
For more information, visit bluebottlecoffee.com.

Stumptown Cold Brew
This stuff is smooth, sweet and full-bodied with a long chocolate finish, now how’s that for iced cold cup?
For more information, visit buy.stumptowncoffee.com.

Birch Iced Coffee
Sustainable coffee you want? Pick up a jug of Birch and feel good about it till the very last drop.
$25 a jug at birchcoffee.com.

Kickstand Coffee Concentrate
Kickstand is probably the most versatile of the bunch. Not only can you drink it cold, but you can drink it hot, use it in recipes or turn it into a cocktail (not that you can’t do that with the others, but that’s what their website says).
$23 for 32 oz at kickstandglobal.com.

La Colombe Pure Black Cold Brew
Bold and black, this stuff is “steeped for 16 hours in stainless steel wine tanks, free from oxygen, pressed and filtered twice.” With all that work put into it, it has no excuse not to be good.
$6 for 2 12 oz bottles at shop.lacolombe.com.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…

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RISE Brewing Co.’s nitro cold brew variety pack hits the spot for every coffee lover

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Most of us can't get through the day without a little coffee. Well, good news: Rise Brewing Co. has recently released a delicious Nitro Cold Brew Variety Pack which contains smooth, velvety nitro cold brew right from a ready-to-drink can. The variety pack offers a taste of each of the four flavors: Original Black Nitro Cold Brew, Oat Milk Mocha, Oak Milk Vanilla Latte, and Oat Milk Latte. Each can of RISE is infused with organic naturally sweet cold brew and nitrogen, creating a delicious and unique taste that is specific to nitro cold brew.

In celebration of the upcoming National Coffee Day on September 29th, RISE Brewing Co. has announced an exciting contest for followers to get in on. Offering the chance to win free coffee for a year, entering requires only a few simple steps. First, follow RISE on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter on their website to automatically be entered. Plus, you'll earn an exclusive discount to use on your purchase of any of RISE Brewing Co.'s awesome coffee products.

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9 best cold brew coffee makers to get your chilled buzz on in 2024

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Cold brew ice coffee

Not everyone wants a hot, steaming cup of joe first thing in the morning. Sure, many people might gravitate to something that warms the soul as much as it does the body, but some people want to stick with what they've come to know and love over the last few years: Cold brew coffee. This smoother and equally delicious version of java is good any time of the year.

Cold brew coffee is also shockingly easy to make at home — some might say even simpler than making hot brews, which are very easy to over or under-extract — provided that you have a good cold brew coffee maker. It will save you a lot of money, too, as it will minimize your trips to your local coffee shop. If your taste for cold brew has evolved beyond exchanging cold water for hot in your trusty French press, then read on: These are the best cold brew coffee makers to up your home barista game.
Best overall: OXO Cold Brew Coffee Maker

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Cool cold brew coffee cocktail recipes for the summer

Blend coffee with rum, Averna, and fruit juices with this Curtain Call recipe

cold brew cocktail recipes curtain call

While coffee has a great flavor that fits well in deserts, baking, and cocktails, it isn't always the easiest ingredient to use to mix drinks. You get your classic hot coffee drinks like the Irish Coffee, but when you want a cold drink then using hot coffee can be awkward. Firstly, you need to chill it down or it'll melt all your ice too fast and make the drink watery, and secondly, coffee which tastes great when it's hot can taste bitter or flat once it's cooled down.

That's why I like to use cold brew coffee for mixing cocktails. You can easily prepare this ahead of time yourself -- just make sure to brew your coffee stronger than you usually would so that it can stand up to strong liquors (you can always add water if you want to drink it on its own). But another option is to use a coffee liqueur like Mr Black. It's a vodka-based liqueur made with real coffee, and it is most often seen in the espresso martini.