The Best Store-Bought Cold Brew Comes From This Grocery Chain (It's Not Costco)

If you're after a hefty hit of caffeine without the bitterness and acidity of a classic espresso, cold brew is the answer. This chilled beverage has a silkier texture, smoother flavor, and sweeter taste than hot coffee due to the way it's prepared. That said, not every variety of cold brew is worth your time. In our opinion, the best store-bought cold brew comes from Trader Joe's.

In our taste test of nine store-bought cold brew coffees, ranked worst to best, TJ's offering was crowned the ultimate champ because of its rich and deep flavor. It also boasted a chocolatey taste and rounded character, unlike some of the other options we tried that had a note of bitterness to them. We enjoyed it plain, in its most unadulterated form, signaling the quality of its flavor, but it was also delicious with a dash of sweetened creamer.

Made of 100% Arabica beans that are air roasted and ground before they're steeped in cold water for a minimum of 12 hours, TJ's cold brew is free from additives and preservatives, too. Though it is a little pricier than the other cold brews we tasted (just over $5 for a 1-quart bottle), it's worth the extra expense. While some cold brews are concentrated and require dilution with water, we only tested cold brews that were ready to drink straight from the bottle, which made it easier to judge their flavors par for par.

Trader Joe's also carries a line of canned cold brews (black or vanilla flavor), an organic cold brew that comes in a glass bottle, cold brew concentrates, and cold brew coffee bags for customers who like to make their own java at home. However, the store's bottled and ready-to-drink cold brew has to be the most convenient option because you can stash it in your fridge and make a chilled cup of joe in seconds whenever the mood strikes.

The difference between cold brew and iced coffee is that the former is brewed in cold (or room temperature) water, versus hot water that's then cooled and poured over ice. The cold water extraction process takes a longer time but results in a coffee that doesn't taste bitter or acidic but is smooth and rounded. Cold brew tends to have more caffeine than iced coffee because of the lengthier extraction period, so it's a great choice if you want a quick pick-me-up without the astringent notes of a hot or iced coffee.

The worst cold brew we tasted came from Nature's Promise because it had an almost burnt-tasting bitterness. It also smelled like instant coffee, even though it's made with a coffee bean blend from Peru and Honduras.