In this review
In this review
The best coffee shop cold brew is slow-steeped for a rich, smooth, and fresh taste. While hot water extracts the acidic qualities from coffee beans, cold water selectively pulls out the flavors. But finding packaged cold brew that tastes rich and fresh - and not packed with artificial flavors - is not an easy task.
That’s why we tested the top packaged cold brews that claim to offer coffee shop quality - Wandering Bear Cold Brew on Tap, La Colombe Cold Brew, & Javvy Coffee Concentrate. We conducted a blind taste test of each brand and consulted with coffee shop owner & cold brew expert Brandon Thompson to rank them on taste & ingredients, flavors & nutrition, packaging, convenience, and value. Read on to find out our top pick!
What to Look For In a Cold Brew
According to Thompson, the best cold brew comes down to high-quality ingredients, brewing method, and packaging:
- High-quality beans: "Certified organic coffee beans,” which are typically shade-grown, allowing beans to mature slowly, “means a more complex and vibrant taste than conventional options. Plus no pesticide residue and no synthetic fertilizers," Thompson explains.
- True cold brew, not concentrate: Cold brew is made by steeping grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. Concentrate is brewed extra strong via hot or cold methods and meant to be diluted with water. The high concentration amplifies imperfections in beans or brewing process, meaning any variation in grind or steep time extracts more acidity. Non-concentrated cold brews naturally extract less acidity from beans for a smoother flavor.
- Quality packaging: “Look for opaque packaging, which seals out light and air to preserve freshness.”
So how do Wandering Bear, La Colombe and Javvy compare? Let’s find out.
Cold Brew Coffees, Compared:
Taste & Ingredients: Wandering Bear Wins
The rich, velvety taste of coffee shop cold brew is hard to replicate in a packaged version. According to Thompson, our coffee expert, a cold brew’s smoothness comes from its lack of acidity, achieved through a slow, cold steep. This translates to a taste with “more chocolate and nutty notes rather than floral or fruity ones.”
Our tester, Sarah, is a cold brew aficionado who put each brand to the test to find which tastes closest to coffee shop quality. In her blind taste test, Sarah evaluated all three brands according to Thompson’s guidance - starting with each brand's straight black option, no milk or flavoring added.
🥇 Wandering Bear wins with a smooth, rich, and bold taste. Sarah described it as “Delicious, with a strong, vibrant flavor and rounded edges. I noticed rich chocolatey and nutty notes, and zero bitterness or acidic bite.” In short, it was smooth and strong - but not overwhelming - and easy-to-drink. That’s because Wandering Bear is a true cold brew, made by steeping USDA Organic Arabica beans in cold water for an extended period of time.
🥈 La Colombe takes second place with a smooth but too mild taste. Sarah described it as “Pretty good, not bitter or acidic,” but the overall flavor profile is noticeably lighter than Wandering Bear - “lacking richness and depth.” Like Wandering Bear, it is a true cold brew with a long, cold steep, but La Colombe uses lower-quality, non-Organic beans.
❌ Javvy comes in last with a bitter and acidic taste. “I couldn’t finish the glass,” Sarah said. Javvy is a non-organic coffee concentrate. It's brewed very strong with a high coffee-to-water ratio, then filtered and reduced to produce a product intended to be diluted before drinking. The high concentration leaves little room for error in steep time and bean quality & grind, increasing the likelihood of a sour, acidic taste. Plus, some of Javvy’s flavors list Calcium as an added ingredient, which carries a metallic flavor. When prepared as directed, Sarah said “It’s noticeably bitter and acidic.”
Flavor Variety: Wandering Bear Wins
If you like adding flavors to your coffee, we won’t judge. In fact, some of the flavors in our test were surprisingly delicious. Ideally these flavors will enhance your coffee experience but not overpower it. Sarah sipped on each flavor - read her experience below.
🥇 Wandering Bear wins with 13 flavors made with Organic Arabica beans and high-quality ingredients, ranging from traditional flavors like Vanilla & Mocha to more unique options like Banana Bread & Raspberry Mocha. Sarah generally found the flavors to be balanced and enjoyable, adding a subtle, natural sweetness that complements the coffee taste. “The flavors taste like something you’d get prepared by hand at a coffee shop,” she said. “You can tell they’re using real ingredients, in the right ratios.” Her favorites:
- Banana Bread: “They nailed this one. Nutty and chocolatey with a light banana flavor.”
- Dirty Vanilla Chai: “With a little milk, this actually tasted like a dirty chai latte - sweet, silky, and cinnamony.”
- Raspberry Mocha: “Subtly fruity and not too sweet, with a delicious chocolate truffle taste."
🥈 Javvy takes second place with high variety but artificial taste. While the names of Javvy’s 18 flavors sound fun and interesting - with options like Birthday Cake, Cookie Dough, & Mint Chocolate Chip - none of them taste natural. In her taste test, Sarah described Javvy as overly sweet. “The coffee is lost beneath the flavoring, which is noticeably artificial,” she said.
❌ La Colombe offers only black cold brew in three roast options, with no flavored varieties.
Packaging: Wandering Bear Wins
Packaging affects the freshness and taste of a coffee; it’s also an important environmental consideration. Opaque, boxed packaging is not only more recyclable, but also seals out light and air, which preserves freshness. Plastic packaging is less sustainable and makes coffee go stale faster.
🥇 Wandering Bear uses recyclable boxed packaging to protect the cold brew from light and a bag-in-box format to prevent air from touching it until it’s poured, which keeps the coffee fresh. It can be safely stored at room temperature before opening and stays fresh in the fridge for 30 days once opened.
❌ La Colombe & Javvy come in transparent plastic bottles that don't effectively seal out light and air. La Colombe cannot be stored at room temperature before opening, but Javvy can.
Convenience: It’s a Tie for Wandering Bear & La Colombe
A packaged cold brew can only replace one from a cafe if it’s convenient and yummy to drink.
🥇 Wandering Bear & La Colombe both offer hassle-free coffee time with ready-to-drink cold brew. Wandering Bear’s boxed packaging can be kept in the fridge and poured from a built-in tap, while La Colombe’s cold brew comes in a traditional bottle.
❌ Javvy is a concentrate that requires measuring 1-2 tsp and diluting with water - a process that takes time and means less consistency in taste and strength.
Price: Javvy Comes in as the Cheapest
A 12oz cold brew from a local coffee shop has about 150mg of caffeine, and typically costs about $5.501. Each of the brands we tested can be diluted to your strength preference; we compared price per serving at coffee shop strength.
🥇 Javvy is cheapest at $1.24 per serving, but is the least drinkable: bitter and acidic taste, in plastic packaging. It requires prep, and we found all the flavors to taste overly artificial.
🥈 Wandering Bear is $2.12 per serving with TCD's discount for the only true coffee shop-quality cold brew and our staff’s favorite flavors - the best value for the price.
❌ La Colombe is $1.58 per serving based on an $8.49 bottle (price varies by retailer). Cheaper per serving than Wandering Bear, but for a product with fewer flavors, transparent plastic packaging, and a less enjoyable brew.
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The Overall Winner: Wandering Bear
Which at-home cold brew is best? After testing Wandering Bear, Javvy, and La Colombe, Wandering Bear is the clear winner. It won our blind taste test and has the highest quality ingredients and packaging, best flavor variety, and offers the most convenient drinking experience.
Thompson agrees: “Wandering Bear offers memorable, quality cold brew. I recommend it to customers, friends, and family."
Ready to try Wandering Bear? Get 15% off your first order with TCD:
