Cold brew coffee to keep you caffeinated but chill through a scorching Carolina summer
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Hex Coffee cold brew at Craft
I don’t know about you but coffee is an integral part of my daily existence and as our summer temperatures creep higher into the hundreds, the last thing I want is steaming hot liquid bubbling around in my intestines first thing in the morning. But I also don’t want some weak, wimpy, watered down iced coffee.
Enter cold brew.
Cold brew is a method of steeping coffee grounds in room temperature or chilled water for long periods of time resulting in an end product that is, in my opinion, far superior to coffee that’s been traditionally brewed hot and then poured over ice or refrigerated.
Cold brew is kind of like beer in that it has a dark, almost Guinness-like appearance, is often available on tap and (like beer) can be enjoyed without any ice at all (although I prefer to ice it).
Here’s a long-standing local cafe, a new-to-the-scene pop-up coffee shop and a wholesale roaster who are serving up the three best cold brews in town…
(1) Central Coffee
My trusty neighborhood coffee shop has long held the top spot on my cold brew ranking. I like to get it on tap on site (with heavy ice and a splash of soy milk) but you can also buy it by the bottle in ready-to-drink or concentrated formulas. Heist has even turned it into a cocktail with vanilla vodka, Fernet-Branca and club soda.
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(2) Hex Coffee
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The new kid entering the Charlotte coffee game is not playing around when it comes to cold brew. Hex is operating as a pop-up shop at various locations (follow them on Instagram to see where they are when) and while they’re running a tight pour over game, the Nitro cold brew is not to be overlooked. Pair it with one of their famous waffles or a Whisk and Wood cookie for the best day of your life.
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(3) Pure Intentions Coffee
Already known for high-quality beans and cold brew concentrate, PIC rolled out ready-to-drink cold brew bottles earlier this spring to rave reviews. In terms of packaging, presentation and of course taste, there is nothing else like this on the market locally–a coffee that looks and drinks like a beer. What more do you really want out of your summer? This is my new #1, by the way.