High Brew Coffee Cold Brew Coffee - Salted Caramel

Cold brew coffee has become quite the rage. I've tried a few in the past but haven't tried any of the cold brews that are ready to drink (meaning they have some amount of sugar/milk in them). I spotted the High Brew Coffee Cold Brew Coffee - Salted Caramel at my local Target and decided to pick up a can to give a try.

I popped the can in the refrigerator and decided to have it alongside my breakfast one morning ... and I have to say, I was really impressed. It's a bolder coffee flavor, but it's not bitter/acidic (which is typically what cold brew is known for). It's smooth, slightly sweet and has a mild creaminess to it. The salted caramel flavor is in the background, but it's more of a subtle caramel then say a bold salted caramel.

Overall it was quite an enjoyable glass of iced coffee. I liked that the flavors all balanced well against one another, without any singular flavor category cancelling another out or being overwhelming. That reason alone, I tend to steer away from prepackaged coffee beverages (that already have sugar and cream/milk in them) because they can either be too sweet or too overly creamy. This was a perfect balance.

A serving, 1 can, is 60 calories or 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee

When I saw the Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee on a trip through my favorite store I was initially tempted to buy two bottles. My boyfriend said it might make more sense to only buy one incase we found it wasn’t our “cup of tea.”  We both are big coffee (iced or hot) fans … but I have to say I’m glad I took his advice.

I’m a bit torn with this cold brew.  I’ve made cold brew at home and even though it can be a bit tedious, I enjoy mine a lot better.  The coffee itself is concentrated where in order to make a cup of ice coffee it’s one part coffee to two parts milk or water (or any combination of the two).  I made my coffee with ½ cup milk and 1 cup water along with 1 tablespoon of sugar free creamer.  But I have to say … the coffee itself is very bitter.  I felt it was a little reminiscent of Dunkin Donuts coffee but DD’s coffee is not as strong and not quite as bitter.

I’m kind of on the fence. Its okay for a rush type situation where I want ice coffee but don’t have any on hand to make. But it’s definitely not a coffee I’d willingly reach for.  So I guess we can say I’m just meh about this whole experience!

QUESTION:

Have you tried cold brew coffee?

Cold Brew Coffee

I happen to LOVE coffee, especially ice coffee.  Unfortunately that love for ice coffee usually puts a pretty dent in both my pocket as well as my boyfriends.  To try to save money we’ve begun making ice coffee at home.  I try to jazz it up using different flavors of coffees, different creamers and even different sugar free syrups. One night I stumbled upon this online topic around cold brew coffees.  I decided I needed to try it at home, so I ordered a sifter and a set of funnels on Amazon. Sure, quite an investment for something I wasn’t sure if I was going to like … but I figured I could use these tools in the kitchen regardless.

 

I have made 4 separate pitchers of this coffee and I have to say, I am QUITE a fan. My boyfriend loves it as well, so this is going to be a staple coffee in my household.  It is a time consuming process because you have to let the coffee sit for at least 12 hours overnight in the refrigerator.  You then need to strain the coffee grounds off the liquid and then strain the liquid through a coffee filter.

Tasks aside, this is the smoothest, tastiest coffee I’ve ever had.  The flavors are far more pronounced, the brew is not bitter and it just makes a perfect iced coffee.

Depending on how strong you like your coffee, you’d have to play with the ratio but this is how both my boyfriend and I enjoy our coffees:

Cold coffee brew:

1 ¾ cup ground coffee

3 ½ cups of cold water

Shake contents and place into a refrigerator for at least 12 hours.  When done sift off grounds and then strain liquid through a coffee filter.

Ice coffee:

1 cup cold brew coffee

1 cup cold water

Ice

Milk or creamer (to your color consistency)

Sweetener (if you take it)

When I make my ice coffee it’s either 0 or 1 points plus (depending on the amount of skim milk I put into it).  Overall, I love it and cannot wait to experiment with more coffee flavors!

QUESTION:

Have you ever made cold brew coffee?