Some people can have a cup of coffee at 9 p.m. and go right to sleep. The rest of us need to stop drinking caffeine by noon to even try to get to bed at a decent time. But if an end-of-the-day nightcap has you craving something with a coffee flavor, how can you make sure you won’t be up all night? The crew at The Manual sampled Explorer’s Cold Brew Concentrate — sans caffeine — and wants you to try it shaken, not stirred, in your next espresso martini.
The cold, concentrated truth
Before you make your first creation, know Explorer Cold Brew cares about offsetting emissions, the environmental impact of the whole process, and sourcing organic, fair-trade beans. The company also gives back, with every gourmet purchase leading to a donation to Charity:Water, which brings clean drinking water to areas without it. Every sip of your coffee-themed drink using Explorer Cold Brew is important — remember that.
Pick your caffeine level
Yes, there is a 99.9% caffeine-free option for those late-night drinks to help you unwind. But if you wanted your martini to give you an extra pick-me-up before your night out, choose one of the caffeinated options.
Find your flavor
For the cost of one cup of coffee from Starbucks, you can add a flavor to your cold brew. You could never go wrong with vanilla, but the choice of sea salt caramel is there if you feel adventurous.
Make it an elite elixir
A coffee cocktail will ease you into bed if you add an elixir. The Dreamer is perfect for sleepy time, and The Optimist is there to help you unwind.
A little goes a long way
Remember, this is cold brew concentrate. Don’t give the $45 price any side eye. One 32oz bottle will make 20 cups of coffee, making the price per cup around $2.25. Do you know the last time you had cold brew that cheap? Don’t lie.
Decaf doesn’t have to mean disappointing
When you want your end-of-the-night beverage to aid in settling you down without sending your heart into a panic attack, Explorer has the ultimate decaf option, The Daydreamer. And you know how most decaf cold brew takes like something you don’t want in your mouth? Explorer 100% guarantees you will love the decaf concentrate, or you can think of a way for the company to make it up to you, as long as it’s within the 30-day-promise time frame.
How to make cold brew concentrate the perfect cocktail pairing
For those of us who never remember how to make a fancy drink, Explorer thought of that for you. Try a famous Irish coffee, a dessert-style mudslide, or a chilly negroni, and make them all caffeine-free without worrying about a gross decaf aftertaste. Plus, the recipes are all ready for you, from coffee drinks to coffee-based cocktails to coffee-flavored desserts. They all look so good.
There are too many cold brew concentrates on the market. It’s overwhelming to look at in the stores, let alone the endless options online to make your eyes hurt. The team here at The Manual did the taste test for you, giving Explorer’s Cold Brew Concentrate the thumbs up needed to go ahead and safely sip away as late as you want without messing up your sleep schedule.
