Premade Iced Coffee

[HeatherC]

Do you buy the bottles of iced coffee you see in the supermarkets? Like Starbucks and Stok. I NEVER do and usually just make a pitcher of it and put it in the fridge in case I want some. But I did buy some day because it is 92 degrees and I didn’t want to wait for mine to cool.

I was surprised to see so many added ingredients in some of them. I thought it was coffee and water. I decided to get the Starbucks one for a dollar more because it was the only one they had with just coffee and water. Why do manufacturers add all that other crap when not necessary. Lesson learned….read every single label.
Plus it was so expensive, I probably won’t be buying it again for a long time.

They are very popular though and a lot of people must buy them.

 

[TippyThomas]

I'd imagine a lot of the additions are for preservatives and taste. I agree with you that it seems counter productive but the shelf life of those products I guess has to factor in as well.

 

[anniemae]

I bought a jug of it once, it was a large size of I think Starbucks light roast. It looked so good in the store LOL. I don't drink it often enough so I wound up throwing most of it out because no one drank it. Now I just brew a cup and put it in the fridge to cool down. Some are pre-sweetened, which I don't like since I only use a touch of sugar.

 

[holden]

I have bought La Colombe (a Philadelphia based company). We use them when we have to go out at 6am to horse shows in the summer. I love their coffee. We used it at home too (drip version).

 

[notatallmagic]

I'm a big iced coffee drinker in the summer. I did a Whole 30 two years ago, and it was super helpful in knowing what "clean" options there are. The Starbucks big bottle I buy has two simple ingredients (but I'm also a black coffee drinker). I can choose to add my own creamer (I know what's clean there too), but don't think I've ever found a "pre-mixed" one that isn't full of stuff I don't want.

For SURE, read labels

 

[aby914]

I prefer to make my own but I get the dark roast unsweetened Starbucks for my daughter. She uses a bit of an almond milk creamer in it. It is expensive, so I try to buy it when it's on sale, but she's headed to college in the fall so I'm happy to get to pick it up for her for a little while longer. *sniff*

 

[mjkacmom]

I got my 18 year old iced coffee freak a toddy, the same thing Starbucks uses, a Toddy. It takes a 12 ounce can of coffee to make around 32 ounces of concentrate, I just stocked up on chock full of nuts for $1 a can, costs about $6 for a week of cold brew. It’s absolutely delicious.

 

[Kae]

I just make my own cold brew, super easy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

While you can order an iced coffee in a simple way generally speaking they are full of other things, syrups, whipped cream sometimes and more. Starbucks especially and it's why people like them (I rarely hear people just getting an Americano for instance at Starbucks lol). I wouldn't say this is a manufacturer thing other than some added stuff for preserving it since it will last for a while rather than have a short shelf life for fresh made. The rest is consumer-driven.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I used to buy some of the bottled stuff back when I didn't care about my weight. I pretty much stopped because they were so darn expensive. Also, I found some stuff (I don't remember the brand, but Walmart sold it) in cartons in the refrigerated section. That stuff was REALLY good.

 

[JenBush]

I like making my own, because I like iced coffee just to be coffee and cream with ice. I find most pre made stuff in bottles too sweet. I will buy bottled stuff in a pinch, but it’s not my first choice.

 

[happymommy]

I buy the cans of cold brew coffee at Costco; they are about a buck a can. It’s just plain cold brew coffee, no sugar or milk. I drink one every morning (switched from hot coffee when the weather started warming up this spring). My kids also like them, so I tend to buy 4 cases at a time when I shop there. I find it refreshing, and don’t like the sweet stuff.

 

[mjkacmom]

I like making my own, because I like iced coffee just to be coffee and cream with ice. I find most pre made stuff in bottles too sweet. I will buy bottled stuff in a pinch, but it’s not my first choice.

Before we started making it, the bottled we bought was just plain coffee.

 

[Praying Colonel]

When I buy it, I like to buy at Trader Joe's. The ingredient list is coffee and filtered water. I'll add my own stuff to it.

 

[nene0182]

I’ll buy the unsweetened cold brew when I’m visiting my dad just for convenience and throw a little sugar free vanilla creamer in it but I rarely buy it at home.

 

[MrsPete]

I like iced coffee a great deal, and I prefer to make it at home; it's cheaper, and -- as others have said -- I know what's in it. I use just coffee and cream.

I like Duncan Doughnuts iced coffee, but I eat low-carb, and I was surprised to learn that when you order "cream", you actually get half milk and half cream. That is deceptive.

I do like the little jugs of Starbucks, but they are expensive and too high in carbs and chemicals for frequent use.
Never get the Aldi's equivalent; they have a "thick" feel that is rather unpleasant on the tounge; it's as if a wee bit of pudding were mixed in.

I have a carton of Chiobani in the fridge right now -- it was free, but I won't be buying again. It's not as good as homemade, and it contains considerable carbs.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

Costco used to sell powdered iced coffee. Boy was that good. I would have stocked up on it if I knew they would no longer carry it. I look for it every time I go, but no luck.

 

[low-key]

Coffee should only be hot. (Drops mic and walks away from key board)

 

[design_mom]

I got my 18 year old iced coffee freak a toddy, the same thing Starbucks uses, a Toddy. It takes a 12 ounce can of coffee to make around 32 ounces of concentrate, I just stocked up on chock full of nuts for $1 a can, costs about $6 for a week of cold brew. It’s absolutely delicious.

Can you tell me more about this? Cold brew is the only kind of coffee I like. I looked up how to make it yourself but it sounds like you need course-ground beans (and a lot of them) and a decent coffee grinder alone would be pretty expensive. Can you do it with store-bought coffee grounds? I am definitely not "in the know" when it comes to various coffee types/apparatus.

I currently buy the Stok black cold brew in the 48oz bottle (and go through one bottle a week, so it's probably still more economical for me just to buy it). The Stok black just has "coffee, water, and natural flavor." I add my own homemade creamer.

 

[Alicefan]

I have been on a kick lately where I have to try every brand I come across. I don't do dairy so I'm into oat milk so I'm stocked up on the Califia Black and White because it was on sale at Earthfare the other day. I don't like it as much as I like adding my own oat milk. Whatever kind they have in there is odd tasting but it will do. I looked into making my own but with the amount of coffee you have to add for cold brew, it seems you'd be spending just about the same in coffee grounds! I guess it's still better than $5 a jug when you can at least make 3 of your own jugs from one bag of coffee. I might try it anyway.