Like Starbucks Cold Brew? Try These 10 Store-Bought Brands

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If you like cold brew, you’re not alone. People have been drinking it since the 1600s, when Dutch traders introduced coffee beans to Japan. Tea was already being brewed in cool river water over several hours, so adapting coffee to the same technique only made sense. It took a few centuries for this style of coffee to catch on, but when it did, it gained traction in a big way. In fact, the National Coffee Data Trends report published in 2023 showed that cold brew was 300% more popular than it had been just eight years prior. And its market is only continuing to expand. 

For many people, coffee is as important a morning ritual steeped in familiarity, and that extends to cold brew. Pre-packaged cold brews abound, and people are keen on reaching for names they know, Starbucks being chief among them. The coffee giant is no stranger to the bottled coffee game, but when it comes to cold brew, there are plenty of other options on the shelves with similar — and in some cases better — flavor. If you want to go beyond the basic big name chains, this list will give you some of the highest rated options to try and decide which might be your new go-to morning pick-me-up.

In 2016, a new coffee called Stok was created to compete in the booming cold brew industry of the time. The Arabica-forward coffee is brewed for 10 hours before being filtered for smoothness, and there are nine different kinds. The brand is sold in various grocery stores and online platforms, so it’s very easy to find. 

Reviewers note the coffee is very smooth, without much bitterness or acidity. It’s not watery, but it’s not overly strong, either, making it easy to customize with syrups. Several folks say they drink it every morning, and many people enjoy the espresso and unsweetened black bold and smooth versions. There’s a strong coffee flavor to each of the different kinds, and some suggest combining flavors to create the ultimate morning cold brew. One caveat customers mention is that Stok’s cold brew coffee can lack complexity, so if you’re looking for subtle nutty or caramel notes, this might not be the brew for you. 

Bizzy was created in 2013 and began selling its products in 2015 as a subscription service. The coffee is brewed for 18 hours to reduce the acid while keeping the flavor robust. The company makes several kinds of cold brew, including a brew bag kit and bottled versions. For those who enjoy making their cold brew from scratch, there are coarsely ground beans, while those who just want a quick jolt of energy can try the pre-packaged double espresso shots. 

According to fans, the bottled cold brew espresso is some of the best coffee available. It’s smooth, with a nice level of caffeine and a pleasant taste. It’s also reasonably priced, making it a good value when paired with its flavor, which customers call delicious. One person even said it’s the best tasting cold brew they’ve had. Multiple fans have declared the brew is better than most major brands and is consistently high quality. 

Wandering Bear was created by two friends in 2014. They were determined to create an organic cold brew that was smooth and strong. According to numerous fans and reviewers, the two succeeded. The company now has large line of pre-packaged cold brews in cartons, cans, and boxes with nearly a gallon of liquid in 10 different flavors.  

Customers love the coffee, as it isn’t watery, and doesn’t have sugar or dairy added. The brew is indeed quite strong, so people suggest diluting it with your choice of milk or water. Because it’s just water and coffee, the drink is vegan, and even with the flavored versions, like mocha, the taste isn’t overwhelming or artificial. Fans praise Wandering Bear for lacking bitterness; it’s also been called delicious, yummy, and excellent, with one person declaring it’s the only cold brew they’ll buy. 

Cool Brew might not be a name you recognize at first, but the company is one of the oldest on this list. Started in 1989 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the concentrate comes in a unique bottle that pre-measures a shot of cold brew for you. This innovative design is only matched by the strength of the product. 

When Cool Brew first appeared, people weren’t nearly as familiar with the concept of a less acidic, slowly-brewed-in-cold-water kind of coffee. But the idea caught on quickly, and today Cool Brew has eight permanent flavors, with a limited edition peppermint mocha that’s available for the holidays, so customers are sure to find a kind they like. 

Fans of the coffee say they often just buy a bottle of Cool Brew instead of brewing their own, especially when it’s hot outside. Some say it’s better than premium-priced coffees and can be shocked by how flavorful the brew is. It’s a go-to for many, with numerous people calling the brand their favorite for iced coffees. The brew is reportedly always smooth, never bitter, and has consistently great flavor. If want to try Cool Brew and have an even more authentic New Orleans experience, try using a little condensed milk as a sweetener to make your own version of Vietnamese coffee. 

California-based company Califia Farms was founded in 2010 as a plant-based way for coffee lovers to get their fix without dairy. The brand still makes many of the cold brews with almond milk, but there are versions without anything but coffee and water, too. Aside from the unsweetened iced coffee, there are brown sugar, vanilla, and mocha versions, as well as plain cold brews in three different strengths. 

The mocha cold brew is called delicious, not overly sweet, and one of the better vegan coffees on the market. One person on Reddit noted the coffees are great for a road trip, while another said the cold brew was smooth, strong, and one of their favorites. The medium roast cold brew has a caramel undertone, and people enjoy the value of the large Califia bottles. The blonde roast is the most gentle of the coffees, with very low acid for a wonderfully mellow cup. Another fan  said it’s their favorite cold brew you can buy in a store and appreciated the jolt of caffeine it provided. 

Stumptown Coffee Roasters began with a single cafe in Portland, Oregon in 1999. It didn’t take the brand long to expand into eight more cafes, including one in Kyoto, Japan. The company started selling bottled coffees and cold brews in 2011, and the brown glass bottles became known as “stubbies.” Today, the coffee can be found in numerous grocery stores and online retailers. The cold brew comes in several varieties, including three kinds of concentrates, four canned versions, three cold brews with oat milk, and the original cold brew coffee. 

Fans of the concentrate version love that there’s no way to mess up the coffee. They either pour it straight over ice or add water or milk to dilute it to their preference. Another person says the concentrate never disappoints, while the original cold brew is described as richly tart, thanks to the only ingredients being coffee and water. The original is also smooth, without any bitterness, making it perfect to grab on the go. The chocolate cold brew comes highly recommended and is rich, creamy, not too sweet, and is thicker than many other cold brew coffees. Even the canned decaf get great reviews, with customers praising the flavor, although some wish it came in larger sizes. 

Dunkin’ is one of the largest and most recognizable coffee brands in the country. It started in 1950 and jumped on the iced coffee bandwagon in 2017, when it began selling bottled versions in stores. It took until 2023 for the company to develop and distribute its cold brew concentrate, but you can now find it in most grocery stores. And in case you were wondering, it can be used in baked goods, marinades, and even cocktails, depending on your mood that day. 

According to fans, the concentrate is strong and bold, but still smooth and customizable. One person suggested using cold foam with it to enhance the texture and taste. Many customers call the brew tasty and refreshing, while others say its easy to mix and isn’t bitter. Fans also appreciate that the value of the bottle, since they aren’t paying a high price for individual cups every day. Because the concentrate is so strong, multiple people suggest using your milk of choice to help mellow the flavor, with some also adding syrups like Toranito customize the coffee even more. 

La Colombe has been around since 1994. It’s grown from a single roasting machine into nearly 30 cafes and a variety of both roasted beans and ready-to-drink cold brews and lattes. The cold brews come in cans, as a one-gallon fridge pack, or as a concentrate you can adjust to your preferred strength. You can even add Nutella to the concentrate or even crushed berries to make your own coffeeshop-style drink. If you’d rather have your coffee come with milk and sweetener already added, there are eight latte flavors, including s’mores, caramel, and mocha. 

The black cold brew is double-filtered, which fans say leave the drink incredibly smooth, with notes of cocoa. It’s high in caffeine from the 16-hour steeping process, so if you’re sensitive to the stuff, this option might be one to skip. Luckily, the vanilla draft latte has a much lower caffeine count, while still offering a creamy texture and just enough sweetness. There are several lattes with oat milk instead of dairy, and fans say those options are super smooth, creamy, and delicious. Overall, La Colombe drinkers appreciate the coffee’s rich flavor and the fact that there’s very little added sugar. 

High Brew first appeared on Whole Foods shelves in 2014. The founders had the idea for a coffee company after living on a boat where they’d made their own cold brew. Over a decade later, the brand can now be found in a variety of grocery stores and online retailers.  There are more than a dozen flavors of the cold brew, including a few nitro-coffees, which is a type of cold brew infused with nitrogen to keep the taste from diluting. All are sold in cans, and fans enjoy how strong the coffee is, saying it’s the best cold brew they don’t have to make themselves. 

The Black and Bold option is a fan favorite and is dairy free, containing only 20 calories. The can is reportedly great for black coffee lovers, with a strong nutty smell and well-rounded flavor. The Double Espresso has a slight sweetness and is called dark, rich, and very flavorful. The Mexican Vanilla version has a prominent vanilla smell, but the taste is a nice combination of strong coffee and creamy sweetness. Reviewers report the cold brews have very little bitterness and are great to take on the go. Others note that the high caffeine content helps give them energy and is overall cheaper than stopping for a coffee each day. 

Grady’s Cold Brew began in 2011 when the founders were selling the coffee in the elevators of the Conde Nast building in New York. The popularity of the brew let them focus on their new business full-time and eventually acquire their own brewery. The brand has only continued to grow since then, with an ever-expanding fan base as the coffee hits more and more grocery store shelves. The NOLA-style concentrate is made from a blend of chicory, spices, and coffee that’s soaked in cold water for around 20 hours. 

Customers can choose between buying completed concentrates or making their own at home by pouring cold water into one of Grady’s brewing kits. Fans of the kits love how foolproof the method is. The kit comes with the companies “bean bags” of coffee grounds and a pouch to put the bags and cold water in. After a night in the fridge, the coffee is ready to drink and lasts for about two weeks. The reusable pouches even have spouts to easily dispense the brew. Those who try the coffee, no matter which kind they choose, overwhelmingly enjoy the brew, and one person declared it their favorite coffee. Grady’s holds a 4.7 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, with another overwhelming majority of people giving it five stars thanks to the coffee’s natural sweetness and smooth taste. This isn’t the cheapest cold brew on the list, but knowing about the lengthy brewing process helps make the price tag make more sense. 

Deciding which coffees should be on this list was a very difficult task. So after narrowing down a myriad of different brands, I had to examine several factors. I looked at the overall customer experience, the value and taste of the cold brews, price points, and more. I then consulted social media posts, comment threads, professional reviews, and user review sites. Only the cold brew concentrates with the best reviews across several platforms were chosen to be on the final list.