Bestsellers for Cold Brew Coffee
In our cold case and coffee aisle, we carry cold brew concentrates from our own Signature SELECT brand and Starbucks, ready-to-drink SToK bottles, and single-serve cans. This guide shows how they differ, how to pour each, and how to make cold brew at home.
Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee vs Nitro: What's the Difference
People often mix up the three drinks, but each one is brewed differently, and you can taste the difference.
Drink | How it's made | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
Iced coffee | Brewed hot the usual way, then cooled and poured over ice | Holds the bright, sharp taste of hot coffee, though melting ice can thin it out |
Cold brew | Coarse grounds steeped in cold water 12 to 24 hours, then filtered | Never heated, which makes it smoother and rounder. Comes ready to drink or as a concentrate |
Nitro cold brew | Cold brew infused with nitrogen under pressure | Nitrogen gives it a creamy, foamy head like a draft stout. Often drinks fine without milk or sugar |
Cold water pulls fewer acids from the grounds, so cold brew tastes rounder and less sharp than iced coffee, though that only changes the flavor, not how healthy it is.
The Cold Brew and Iced Coffee on Our Shelves
We stock cold brew concentrates in our coffee aisle and ready-to-drink bottles and cans in our cold case.
Cold Brew Concentrates
We carry our own Signature SELECT Cold Brew Colombian Coffee Concentrate and Signature SELECT Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate in 32 fl oz bottles; cut them with water or milk using the mixing line on the label. We also carry 32 fl oz Starbucks Cold Brew concentrates in Signature Black, Caramel Dolce, and Madagascar Vanilla, which you pour over ice and top with water.
Ingredients Cold-Brewed Coffee (Filtered Water, Fair Trade Certified Arabica Coffee).
Ingredients Cold Brewed Coffee (Filtered Water, Fair Trade Certified Arabica Coffee), Natural Flavors.
Ingredients brewed coffee (water, coffee)
Ingredients <p> BREWED COFFEE (WATER,COFFEE), NATURAL FLAVORS.</p>
Ingredients Brewed Coffee (Water, Coffee), Natural Flavors.
Ready-to-Drink SToK Bottles
SToK's 48 fl oz bottles come ready to pour over ice, with milk or creamer if you like. We carry Not Too Sweet, Extra Bold Unsweetened, and Black Unsweetened in light and medium roasts.
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: Coffee (Filtered Water; Coffee*); Natural Flavor.
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: Coffee (Filtered Water; Coffee*); Natural Flavor.
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: Coffee (Filtered Water; Coffee*); Cane Sugar; Natural Flavor
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: Coffee (Filtered Water; Coffee*); Natural Flavor
Single-Serve Cans for the Road
In our cold case, we carry single-serve cans ready to open right away, including La Colombe Vanilla Latte Cold Brew with Oat Milk, La Colombe Pumpkin Draft Latte, Death Wish Coffee Caramel Cold Brew Latte, We Are Happy Coffee Tahitian Vanilla, and Dunkin Double Salted Caramel Iced Espresso.
Ingredients MILK, COLD BREW COFFEE (WATER, COFFEE), CANE SUGAR, LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVORS, PECTIN, SALT.
Ingredients Cold Brew Coffee (Coffee, Water), Sugar, Vanilla Extract.
Ingredients Coffee (Water, Coffee), Cane Sugar, Skim Milk, Cream, Natural Flavors, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan
Espresso Concentrates for Iced Lattes
For iced lattes at home, we carry Nescafé Espresso Concentrate in Rich Arabica Blend, Vanilla, and Caramel. Follow the label to mix this espresso-style concentrate with milk over ice.
Ingredients Coffee (Water, Coffee), Baking Soda.
Ingredients Coffee (Water, Coffee), Sugar, Baking Soda, Natural & Artificial Flavor.
Concentrate or Ready to Drink: How to Pour Each
When you buy bottled cold brew, check the label to see if it is a concentrate or ready to drink, since the two pour differently. A concentrate is brewed strong and needs to be diluted with water or milk, while ready-to-drink bottles go straight over ice.
Sweetness is the second thing to check. SToK offers both unsweetened and lightly sweetened bottles, while Starbucks Signature Black, Caramel Dolce, and Madagascar Vanilla concentrates all come sweetened.
How to Make Cold Brew at Home
For homemade cold brew, a common starting point is 1 cup coarsely ground coffee to 4 cups cold water. Stir, cover, and steep in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Coarse grounds keep the brew from turning muddy and bitter.
Strain the steeped coffee through a paper filter or fine mesh, then mix the concentrate about half and half with water or milk over ice. A medium or dark roast gives the classic chocolaty cold brew taste, while a light roast tastes brighter.
Ingredients Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients Arabica Coffee.
Roast is a matter of taste, so pick the profile you like best.
Roast | Looks like | Tastes like |
|---|---|---|
Light | Light brown, dry on the surface | Brighter and fruitier, holding more of the bean's origin character |
Medium | Medium brown, dry | Balanced and rounded, the everyday all-purpose cup |
Dark | Dark brown, often oily | Bold and smoky, with notes of chocolate or toasted nuts |
A dark roast is not higher in caffeine than a light one, as roasting barely changes how much caffeine a bean holds.
Cold Coffee Without the Wait
True cold brew takes a long steep, so if you want a cold cup right away, you have three options. You can brew hot coffee the usual way and pour it over a full glass of ice for a cup in minutes that tastes brighter and sharper than cold brew.
You can also flash brew by running a pour-over with hot water dripping straight onto ice in the carafe, swapping about a third of your water for that ice. The hot water pulls flavor from the grounds and chills the moment it lands, giving you a cup in about five minutes that holds the fruity, aromatic notes a long cold steep loses. Or pick up a ready-to-drink bottle or can of cold brew, nitro, or iced coffee from our cold case with no wait.
What's Seasonal on the Coffee Shelf
Coffee has two main seasonal releases each year, in fall and during the holidays. Fall brings limited-release pumpkin flavors like the La Colombe Pumpkin Draft Latte in our cold case, though the lineup changes from year to year.
Around November, holiday blends and limited-release peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog flavors arrive in ground coffee, flavored creamers, and bottled drinks through the new year.
Spring and summer have no official seasonal releases the way fall and winter do; cold brew and iced coffee are simply popular in warm weather because people want a cold drink.
Common Questions About Cold Brew and Iced Coffee
What cold brew and iced coffee does Safeway carry?
We carry Signature SELECT and Starbucks cold brew concentrates and Nescafé Espresso Concentrate in our coffee aisle, plus ready-to-drink SToK 48-ounce bottles and single-serve cans from La Colombe, Death Wish Coffee, We Are Happy Coffee, and Dunkin in our cold case. Stock varies by store, so check your local shelves.
What is cold brew coffee?
It is coarsely ground coffee left to steep in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, then filtered. No heat touches it at any stage, and that is what makes it taste smoother and less sharp than hot coffee.
What's the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?
Iced coffee is hot-brewed coffee poured over ice, while cold brew is never heated. Iced coffee tastes brighter, though melting ice can thin it out, whereas cold brew tastes smoother and holds its strength.
Do you add water to SToK cold brew?
No, the 48-ounce SToK bottles in our cold case come ready to pour straight over ice.
How much caffeine is in cold brew?
SToK Black Unsweet Cold Brew Medium Roast lists 125 mg of caffeine per 12 oz pour. It varies by brand and by how much you dilute a concentrate, so check the label.
Can you heat cold brew?
Yes, cold brew concentrate can be topped with hot water instead of cold for a warm cup that keeps the smoother taste.
How long does cold brew last?
Once opened, keep store-bought bottles refrigerated and follow the use-within line on the bottle. Homemade cold brew lasts about a week covered in the fridge.
Is it okay to drink coffee at night?
Caffeine has a half-life of about four to six hours, so a late-afternoon cup can still be in your system at bedtime. Because sensitivity varies, some people switch to decaf in the evening while others sleep fine after a regular cup.
Can I make my coffee sweeter without sugar?
Yes, flavored creamers bring sweetness, and a splash of honey or maple syrup does the same. For help picking a creamer, see the creamer guide. A flavored cold brew concentrate already comes sweetened, so taste it before you add more.
Can I buy cold brew or bottled iced coffee with EBT?
Yes, bottled and canned cold coffee sold from our refrigerator case is SNAP eligible, just like a bag of beans. Coffee made to order at a counter is not. See How to buy coffee on SNAP for the full breakdown.
