Skip to main content

6 Cold Brews to Quench Your Summer Caffeine Cravings

6 cold brews quench summer caffeine cravings iced coffee
Image used with permission by copyright holder
We can’t tell you how excited we get to have a cup of ice-cold coffee when the weather warms up. In fact, we even drink iced coffee when it’s not so hot outside. What we love more is the convenience of all these cold brews that have been popping up. There’s nothing like pulling out a delicious cup of iced coffee to get you caffeinated for your work day — or any day for that matter. Here are some you should try.

Grady’s Cold Brew
Grady’s is New Orleans-style iced coffee at its best — with a hint of spiciness for an extra added kick.
$12 for 32 oz at gradyscoldbrew.com.

Blue Bottle Iced Coffee
The packaging of this VC-funded iced coffee reminds us of our elementary school cafeteria milk cartons, and it’s perfect for those of you who like your iced coffee milky and sweet.
For more information, visit bluebottlecoffee.com.

Stumptown Cold Brew
This stuff is smooth, sweet and full-bodied with a long chocolate finish, now how’s that for iced cold cup?
For more information, visit buy.stumptowncoffee.com.

Birch Iced Coffee
Sustainable coffee you want? Pick up a jug of Birch and feel good about it till the very last drop.
$25 a jug at birchcoffee.com.

Kickstand Coffee Concentrate
Kickstand is probably the most versatile of the bunch. Not only can you drink it cold, but you can drink it hot, use it in recipes or turn it into a cocktail (not that you can’t do that with the others, but that’s what their website says).
$23 for 32 oz at kickstandglobal.com.

La Colombe Pure Black Cold Brew
Bold and black, this stuff is “steeped for 16 hours in stainless steel wine tanks, free from oxygen, pressed and filtered twice.” With all that work put into it, it has no excuse not to be good.
$6 for 2 12 oz bottles at shop.lacolombe.com.

Editors' Recommendations

Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
Your ultimate guide to summer produce — the delicious fruits and veggies that are in season
Seasonal produce: Get to know what you should be eating this summer
Asian pears on tree

Summer cuisine is known for an abundance of seasonal produce, weekend farmers' markets, and setting the rich, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meals aside for a few months. It's a time for pitchers of sweet fruity cocktails and dinners that focus on tasty ingredients fresh from the garden. And while we understand that the comprehensive lists of fruits in season or vegetables in season are too immense to name them all, these are a few of the stars, the widespread highlights, the ones you're most likely to find at your local outdoor market, no matter where you are in the country. These are the stars of the summer produce section, when you should look for them, and why you should be eating them more often.

Apricots
Peak months: May, June, July

Read more
Here’s why you should be grilling your summer cocktails
We all love a classic summer cocktail, but have you ever thought to grill one?
grilled cocktails guide for summer edward howell 5tf40djyvbm unsplash

Summertime means backyard barbecues, pool parties, and long evenings by the bonfire. It means picnics and beach getaways, and lounging around in chic shades and sandals. As varied as these fun activities can be, not a single one isn't improved by really, truly delicious summer cocktails. There are, of course, the sunshine staples — margaritas, daiquiris, and piña coladas. And while we certainly aren't here to bash the classics, there's a secret weapon for improving these tried-and-true cocktails, and any other adult beverage you can think of, for that matter: the grill.
While the idea of a grilled cocktail may sound a bit strange, we aren't actually recommending you somehow skewer your martini glass and pop it on the coals. That lemon wedge you use for your icy poolside lemon drop, however, would absolutely love a quick trip to the flames before it hits your glass. Or how about that grapefruit wedge in your Seabreeze? Imagine adding a hint of smoke to the perfectly tart slice of sweet. You get the idea. By grilling your cocktail ingredients before mixing and muddling, you can add a whole new level of beautifully smoky, summertime flavor to your favorite fruity drinks.
The smoke you add to your grilled cocktails can be as subtle or as bold as you wish. If it's only a small kiss of smoke you're after, consider charring your drink's garnish; a citrus wedge, a slice of watermelon, or a bit of peach are all beautiful after a trip to the grill grates. By grilling just some of an ingredient, your drink will have a hint of summertime smoke that contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of a fruity drink.
On the other hand, if you're looking to go bananas (which are also wonderful when grilled), feel free to really go all out. If you're making a Bloody Maria, for example, almost every ingredient but the tequila can be grilled or at least smoked — including all of the vegetable garnishes.

Grilled cocktails tips and tricks:

Read more
This shrimp ceviche is your new favorite summer dish
Dress it up or enjoy it poolside. Either way you're going to love this shrimp ceviche.
Shrimp ceviche

When the sizzle of summer hits, and preheating an oven is the last thing anyone wants to do, it's wonderful to have a few dishes on standby that are refreshingly bright, ridiculously simple, and require absolutely zero heating of any kitchen appliances.

Full of fresh, bright, citrusy, summertime flavor, shrimp ceviche is the perfect healthy dish to cool you down after a day of splashing in the pool and trying to beat the heat. The versatility of this dish is also fantastic. Serve it with tortilla chips, spoon some on top of flatbread, or put it inside taco shells for a quick and delicious dinner.

Read more