Best bottled cold brew, according to chefs
Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Justine Sterling, Gwynedd Stuart, Alaina Chou, Sam Stone and 3 more. Recommendations come from bonappetit.com, sporked.com and seriouseats.com.
Drinks · The ranking
- 1Top pick
Stumptown Cold Brew (Original)
Chosen by- Sam StoneWriter, Bon Appétit
- Alaina ChouCommerce writer, Bon Appétit
- Carly WesterfieldBon Appétit
- Gwynedd StuartWriter, Sporked
- Justine SterlingEditor, Sporkedsporked.com ↗
Also chosen by- Sporked taste test · Classic Caraway source ↗
Bon Appétit’s favorite of eight: “Stumptown has everything you want in a cold brew,” with berries, toasty malt and butterscotch; Chou called it “the most complex” of the lineup, and Westerfield said it “tastes like the cold brew you’d spend seven dollars on at a coffee shop.” Sporked’s Best of the Best, 10/10: “every bit as good as a $6 cold brew from your local coffee shop.” Serious Eats’ editors disagreed and found it too light. Sold at Sprouts and other grocers, through Instacart and on Amazon.
- 2
Blue Bottle Cold Brew Bold
Chosen by- Daniel GritzerSerious Eats editorial director
- Serious Eats editors
The overall winner of Serious Eats’ blind tasting of 13 grocery-store cold brews. Gritzer: “some complexity and structure, a hint of acid to balance it out,” and tasters praised its aroma and low acidity. Serious Eats added that it didn’t love any bottle in the lineup. Sold on Amazon and in grocery stores.
- 3
La Colombe Unsweetened Colombian Cold Brew
Chosen by- Bon Appétit tasting panel
Another Bon Appétit favorite, second only to Stumptown: it smells of “caramel! molasses!,” and testers “flipped over how smooth” it was, with no harsh acidity but “a bracing bitterness to balance out its sunnier notes.” Philadelphia roaster; sold at most major grocers.
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Questions, answered
- What is the best bottled cold brew, according to chefs?
- MyTastr’s top pick is Stumptown Cold Brew (Original), chosen by Sam Stone, Alaina Chou, Carly Westerfield (Bon Appétit); Gwynedd Stuart, Justine Sterling (Sporked). Bon Appétit’s favorite of eight: “Stumptown has everything you want in a cold brew,” with berries, toasty malt and butterscotch; Chou called it “the most complex” of the lineup, and Westerfield said it “tastes like the cold brew you’d spend seven dollars on at a coffee shop.” Sporked’s Best of the Best, 10/10: “every bit as good as a $6 cold brew from your local coffee shop.” Serious Eats’ editors disagreed and found it too light. Sold at Sprouts and other grocers, through Instacart and on Amazon. Source: bonappetit.com ↗
- What are the other top picks for bottled cold brew?
- No. 2 is Blue Bottle Cold Brew Bold, chosen by Daniel Gritzer and Serious Eats editors. No. 3 is La Colombe Unsweetened Colombian Cold Brew, chosen by Bon Appétit tasting panel. Each card above links to the original source.
- How does MyTastr choose these picks?
- Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.