I love a refreshing cup of cold brew during warmer months, so I set out to find the most flavorful organic coffee beans specifically blended for this method. The best coffee for cold brew is a coarsely ground dark roast made with freshly roasted, certified organic beans tested to be free of mold, mycotoxins and pesticides.

What is Cold Brew?

Cold brew is a method of making coffee through cold water extraction, which basically means allowing ground coffee to steep in cold or room temp water for an extended period (12-24 hours).

It’s different from iced coffee in that Iced coffee is just regular hot-brewed coffee poured over ice, while cold brew is never exposed to heat. Heat is what causes a lot of the acidity in coffee to come out, so cold brew ends up tasting smoother, richer and less bitter. It’s much lower in acidity, so it’s great for sensitive stomachs. Cold brew is a concentrate with higher levels of caffeine, so if you don’t dilute it after brewing it will be super strong!

It’s also so easy to make in big batches at home, and it lasts in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Once the cold brew is ready, I love being able to just grab it from the fridge and drink it right away versus making a new cup of hot coffee each time. On the downside, you do have to wait that initial 12 hours for the batch to be ready.

Best Types of Coffee Beans for Cold Brew

1. Roast Level

Dark roast coffee beans are best for cold brew because they bring out all the wonderful notes that taste rich and smooth when cold. But super dark roasts can start tasting bitter.

2. Grind

Always choose a coarse grind. Nerding out on coffee here, but the larger granules slows down extraction and prevents over-extraction which leads to a bitter taste.

3. Freshly roasted

Freshly roasted beans produce the best flavor versus stale beans. If they’re stale, it won’t matter whether they come as pre-grounded or whole bean. But if you get freshly roasted whole beans then that would make for the most flavorful cold brew.

4. Arabica vs Robusta

The bean type makes a noticeable difference and Arabica is the better choice. Most specialty coffee is 100% Arabica already, but this bean is sweeter, smoother and more complex.

4. Single Origin vs Blend

Single origin is fancy coffee lingo for beans that come from one specific farm, region or country. This can be great for a more nuanced cold brew or if you’re a coffee enthusiast who wants the distinct flavor profile of a certain country. A blend is totally fine if you’re making large batches and you’re adding milk or sweetener anyway, since that would mask the nuanced origin notes.

How to Make Cold Brew

1. Grind your beans coarsely or get pre-ground coffee specifically for cold brew.
2. Add the coffee to the cold brew maker and pour filtered water over the coffee grounds. If you don’t have a cold brew maker then pour into a large jar or French press. Use a 1:4 ratio to make a concentrate (ie 1 part coffee to 4 parts water) or for more dilution a 1:8 ratio.
3. Steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
4. Pour and dilute the concentrate with equal parts water or add milk over ice. If you didn’t use a cold brew maker then pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth or paper coffee filter into a separate bottle. With a French press you simply press the plunger down and pour.
5. Store the rest in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

If you’re wondering what cold brew maker I use, I’ve used different kinds and my favorite is the Takeya plastic-free glass one. It’s hassle free without a bunch of different components and is low tox.

You also get creative with these cold brew too just like a latte. Sometimes I like to throw in a handful of dates into the pitcher to make a date-infused cold brew for that extra sweetness. I add some oat milk and it’s even better than Starbucks *chef’s kiss*.

I tried Fabula Cold Brew Coffee

I specifically tested Fabula’s Cold Brew Coffee which is a coarsely ground dark roast with sweet notes and full bodied flavor profile. The taste was so smooth and rich, possibly overly rich. When I really need to wake up immediately, a tiny splash of milk over this and I feel like I can take on any task. They use uses single origin beans from Peru, are USDA certified organic and are 3rd party tested to be mold and mycotoxin free with test results available on their site. Every bag is freshly roasted – they use a roast-to-order model meaning they ship out immediately after roasting. I would buy directly from them instead of a 3rd party to ensure you’re getting that freshness.

Price: $29.99 for 12 oz
Origin: Peru
Notes: chocolate, roasted nuts

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use OBL for -20%

I tried Four Sigmatic Focus Cold Brew Ground Coffee

I love mushroom coffee and I was so curious to see how Four Sigmatic’s organic cold brew infused with functional mushrooms would taste. I. am. obsessed. The addition of lion’s hand and bacon powder gives this a really unique and interesting flavor profile. It does have the classic richness and smoothness of a dark roast, but it’s got a wonderful sweetly earthy taste. I like making sure I steep this particular blend for more than 24 hours to really extract all the flavors from the coffee, since there’s a smaller ratio of it. There’s absolutely no bitterness or acidity hooray! If you get jittery with coffee, this is a great alternative to regular col brew. Four Sigmatic is such a wonderful twist to my normal cold brew and I will keep repurchasing. No one wants a mouthful of coffee grinds and I did not experience any sediment.

Price: $20 for 12 oz
Origin: Honduras
Notes: dark chocolate, mushroom, yacon
Recommendation: Use 2 Tbsp coffee grounds per 8 fl oz (1 cup) of water

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I tried Bulletproof The Original Cold Brew

I tried Bulletproof’s Original cold brew coffee in the medium roast and it has a lighter, slightly sweeter taste. They also make a medium-dark roast specifically for cold brew, but I find the medium still does the trick for me. It’s smooth and clean tasting with no bitterness. For a budget friendly organic coffee brand, I think they offer decent cold brew. For super rich, complex flavor I would skip them though. Bulletproof is Rainforest Alliance Certified, uses sustainably sourced beans, and is 3rd party testedtested for mold and mycotoxins. Making cold brew requires a TON of coffee grinds, so I appreciate an affordable option.

Price: $18.99 for 12oz
Origin: Central and South America
Notes: cinnamon, plum, orange

I tried Bizzy Cold Brew

I wanted to test cold brew from an organic coffee company that literally only makes cold brew and found Bizzy. I love how smooth this tastes and the sweet notes really do shine. What I found great about Bizzy is they’re really affordable and are the only cold brew offered in a 5lb bag. They’ve also offer a ton of variety specifically for cold brew, like decaf, espresso and breakfast blend in a coarse grind. Bizzy doesn’t have the same purity standards as my favorite organic coffee brands but they do use USDA Organic beans. To really ensure the best cold brew in every cup, they microsift their coffee after grinding. I didn’t experience any sediment at the bottom. They don’t have the same purity standards as my fave organic coffee companies, but that explains why they’re about half the cost.

Price: $17.99 for 16oz / $59.99 for 5lb
Notes: caramel, hazelnut

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Purity Coffee is one of my fave organic coffee brands and they’re launching their cold brew coffee in June 2026, so I will definitely update here after testing it out!