Nitro cold brew remains one of my all-around favorite coffee drinks to order. It’s truly never disappointed me. Every sip is smooth, creamy (without any actual cream), and has the perfectly velvety texture. When I’m out running errands or traveling, I love treating myself to nitro cold brew because I don’t make it at home. Unlike an iced americano or a regular cold brew, which I make at home, making nitro cold brew requires the infusion of tiny nitrogen bubbles.
As much as I love nitro cold brew, I’ve identified one major problem. The caffeine in nitro cold brew hits hard — especially if you slurp it down as fast as I do. This drink’s smooth and velvety nature makes it so easy to drink quickly. The average nitro cold brew contains between 200 and 300 mg per serving, more than enough to make you feel jittery. Even as a caffeine addict, I find the caffeine in a nitro cold brew to be a bit too much (especially if I’ve already had another coffee that day). After experiencing the caffeine jitters from nitro cold brew one too many times, I’ve wondered: Why isn’t decaf nitro cold brew a thing? I’ve searched dozens of coffee shop menus and have never found decaf nitro cold brew on a menu.
The need for decaf nitro cold brew
Decaf coffee has been having a moment lately, as health-conscious coffee drinkers pay more attention to their beverages. New decaf coffee products, including various decaf cold brew options, are emerging everywhere. Decaf cold brew is fantastic, and I’m here for it, but it’s not the same as decaf nitro cold brew. Cold brew has a harsher, bolder flavor, whereas nitro cold brew has a light creaminess unlike any other coffee drink.
While some brands, like Verve Coffee Roasters and Blue Bottle Coffee, offer ready-to-drink canned decaf cold brew options, I’ve yet to come across any coffee shops with decaf cold brew coffee available on tap. Ready-to-drink options are great for home use, but they do lack the “coffee shop experience” many coffee drinkers seek. Served in a can, RTD nitro cold brew cans also don’t allow you to see that velvety layer of nitrogen bubbles on top of your coffee (which I think is part of the whole experience).
Decaf coffee drinkers who love the smoothness of nitro cold brew want to treat themselves to a nitro on the go. For those who can’t always tolerate drinking 200 to 300 mg of caffeine in one sitting, a decaf cold brew option would be great. For reference, a tall Starbucks nitro cold brew contains 165 mg of caffeine, and a grande size contains 280 mg. (Luckily, Starbucks doesn’t offer the nitro cold brew in a size larger than the grande)
As the demand for half-caff and decaf coffee continues to rise, I hope coffee shops take note of their customers’ wish lists and add this to their menu. Even a lower-caffeine option would be a great alternative.
