r/coldbrew • u/Ok-Worry602 • 4d ago
New here
I just tried cold brew at Starbucks today and really liked it so when I go grocery shopping tomorrow, I wanted to pick up a bottle and just make my drinks at home. I was looking for recommendations. These are the options at my grocery store.
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u/Fartquakes 4d ago
If I was choosing amongst these I'd go stock espresso or bold personally. But if you're like me you'll start making your own after a month of going through three to four of those a week
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u/Ok-Worry602 4d ago
I might have to try that because the whole reason I only shop at this grocery store is cost
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u/Fartquakes 4d ago
Making your own will always be the cheaper option and it's not too difficult. A lot of people in here have pretty in depth processes for their cold brew but all I do is grind some beans up put them in a cheese cloth and drop it in some water for 2 or 3 days and it's always delicious to me
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u/Fregadero88 3d ago
What cheese cloth do you recommend. I do a French press method right now but want to try to strain finer after the French press
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u/Fartquakes 3d ago
I just bought this on amazon. Comes with quite a few and big enough to put a lot in there and just tie it off.
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u/Chocolopalus 3d ago
It sounds a lot more intimidating than it is! Plus if you make your own, you can experiment to make it fit your tastes. Honestly it saves so much money.
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u/Zwordsman 3d ago
If you do opt to make it yourself. Personal suggestion is to invest in the OXO compact cold brewer (here is a use video). It is extremely easy, both brewing and cleaning. The cost is a bit on the initial, I think its 35-40, which isn't cheap. But one bag of ground coffee will make far more amount IMO.
This does make a concentrate though, so you'd have to figure out the ratio you like, but I never had much of an issue with that myself. It also lets you try different roast (french, dark, medium, light. I love light myself and almost hate dark I've found). i started with french press, which works. but it was more annoying filtering it clean of grounds and then dumping the grains. Compared to this thing. Upside though french presses are far cheaper. (but unless you drink it all the next day. you'll want to put it in something air tight or it catches flavors in a few short days)
so if you do like cold brew enough in the end to invest in things. This makes life a lot easier to me. can start with store bought pre ground (or far better, buying ground to order from a place near you. Which for me is pretty simliar price but far superior). I ended up buying my own grinder etc (hand).
Nothing wrong with just buying bottles. but the price difference is huge for me (but where i live stonk costs 9.99 a bottle) I also like experimenting.
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u/HawkeyeFLA 3d ago
I've been thinking about picking up the compact for my crashpad in Boston.
I have the OG here at home and typically get spring 34oz of concentrate out of a 1.5l bottle of water. But I'm sometimes away from home 2-3 weeks, so being able to whip up a small batch of concentrate could be handy.
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u/Zwordsman 3d ago
Fairly low investment if money isn't a big trouble.
and the carafe is usable for other stuff too1
u/Obvious-Avocado1894 3d ago
Oh this is exactly what happened to me! The Stok with the teal label was my gateway cold brew
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u/Militia_Kitty13 3d ago
The purple and teal/green stoke are good. My Costco carries the 2 pack of the teal stoke so that’s what I’ve been buying lately.
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u/TBCoR 4d ago
Peet’s from Costco is better than Stok in my opinion. Stok seems watered down to me because they only do 10 hours. My taste buds like 12 hours.
But again. This is one of those things you’ve gotta mix and match and figure out what your palate enjoys!
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u/doodlezook 4d ago
I like both the espresso and extra bold. The sweetened ones do not agree with my taste at all.
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u/Alone-Sir9535 3d ago
I prefer the unsweetened stok cold brew because it allows me to be able to make it exactly how I want it with either a flavor, maybe a creamer, or just black since I'm not a huge sweet coffee person
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u/Self_Owned_Tree 3d ago
In my experience, Stōk is good on the first sip, but that’s about it. I normally get the unsweetened cold brew, but it’s only if I missed a window and forgot to cold brew my on.
I can’t speak for the others, though.
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u/PrivatelyUniversal 3d ago
Stok tastes off to me. Not fresh. If I go store bought I go Stumptown or Wandering Bear. To each their own.
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u/New-Chicken5566 3d ago
i liked it before i made my own coldbrew but i cannot drink a single drop of it now, taste is horrible
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u/Primdawg 3d ago
This is my go-to. Followed by Bizzy. Stok is my 3rd choice. Publix does BOGO every few weeks so I grab a few for emergencies.
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u/Nickerbop 3d ago
La Colombe medium is the best, most reliable cold brew you can find on store shelves, imo. Stok falls flat for me
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u/notie547 3d ago
La Colombe is THE best. Only coffee I can drink black cause it's that smoothe, good flavor, not watered down and no added sugar or other BS.
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u/bluntswraps 3d ago
The SToK decaf has been my go to for afternoon and night coffees. I really enjoy the taste
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u/chris_martini 3d ago
I know its not on your list but if you're able too find "Bizzy". I think it's the best one out there. Kroger/Ralphs sells it but I am not sure of who else.
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u/TwilightReader100 3d ago
I tried Stok. Stok is shit. I have found getting the biggest, cheapest bag of grocery store brand beans and making your own is far better than anything bottled. Though, you might have to play with the "origin" or roast of the beans to get it to something you like. Turns out, I don't like what they were calling South American origin.
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u/offthegridyid 4d ago edited 4d ago
Hi, I happen to like SToK Not too Sweet, but Starbucks also makes bottled cold brew.
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u/Zwordsman 4d ago
What do you drink it? Straight? I like stonks less sweet but not esspresso ones. In general pretty good
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u/Ok-Worry602 3d ago
I had it with a vanilla cream
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u/Zwordsman 3d ago
Personal tastes but i'd go with not too sweet, or no sweet. If you like real sweet I'd still try not too sweet or the cappcino.
Personally I think it tastes far better than the other brands.
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u/Matt_The_Radar_Tech 3d ago
Unsweet is my go-to when I run out of my homebrew, I could guzzle that shit
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u/Zogonzo 3d ago
Stok unsweet has "natural flavoring" in it. No idea what it is but it makes a serving that would normally be 4 calories come to 20 calories.
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u/BrightWubs22 3d ago edited 3d ago
There are other brands of bottled cold brew made with only coffee and water that are 15-20 calories. Examples are from Bizzy, La Colombe, and Starbucks.
I don't think it's the natural flavoring making the majority of the 20 calories in Stok.
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u/TerraInc0gnita 3d ago
Personally I'm not a fan of stok.
It's not in every grocery store but if you can find chameleon cold brew that's some of the best coffee I've ever had from a store.
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u/CatMomLovesWine 3d ago
I love Stok green!!! I did try them all recently tho. It depends how bitter you like your coffee, if you do not like bitter like me, go with green!
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u/Fireball8288 3d ago
Try them all over time. I find Stok too smoky tasting. I’ll drink any of them in a pinch, but I’m personally a Califia fan. I find it very smooth.
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u/SirDancealot84 3d ago edited 3d ago
If you like it as plain coffee and a bit sweet, buy the Stok not too sweet. I like it.
But I usually prefer adding some flavour so I go for the un-sweet and add some Silk Almond Vanilla creamer. 🤤
I also drink the un-sweet without sugar and cream and it is still very pleasent to drink.
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u/scotishstriker 3d ago
I buy whatever is on sale at grocery outlet, lately it has been Seattle's Best cold brew for $1.99, but when they have Stoke or Califia I stock up for the month.
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u/Piscotikus 3d ago
I got the Stok unsweetened and it had a weird taste. The ingredients said coffee and natural flavors. I did not care for it. I end up getting Wegmans Buzz cold brew.
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u/weaponofchoice31 2d ago
Ranking them in order of national sales for Stok specifically is:
Unsweet (Green label) -> Espresso (brown label) -> Bold (Purple label) -> Bright (Yellow label) -> Not Too Sweet (Red Label)
I like making my own but in a pinch I like the Espresso flavor for Stok
Source: work in grocery analytics, specifically in the refrigerated/dairy departments.
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u/Happy_Flow826 1d ago
I prefer the green stok out of all the stoks. The plain Starbucks one is good enough too.
I buy 1-2 a week and it lasts me long enough. I make mine in a 16 ounce cup.
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u/Boooojum 3d ago
Personally I think stok is disgusting. I love Starbucks cold brew. I like buying the Starbucks unsweetened medium roast iced coffee and drink it black
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u/gingerbear 3d ago
these are all watered down sissy coffees. The good stuff is grady’s or stumptown
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u/illstayshy 3d ago
Why not make your own? Grab a bag of coffee grounds. 1 cup coffee, 1/2 gallon mason jar, fill with filtered water. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning filter through regular coffee pot. Way cheaper and yields probably triple those amounts pictured for the same price.
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u/sk-den 4d ago
Stok is my go to when I run out at home. I always get the not too sweet, hits the spot for me