Ask George: Where can I buy cold brew coffee in bulk to drink at home?

Where can I buy cold brew coffee in bulk to drink at home? —Suzanne M., St. Louis

Cold Brew Surge: With temperatures expected to remain at or above 90 degrees, cold coffee options are becoming more and more popular. In fact, Frank McGinty of Kaldi’s says, “We’ve seen a trend throughout the entire year of cold drinks starting to take over hot drinks as a category. I definitely live on cold brew year-round.”

Definition: Cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for 12–24 hours, rather than using heat. Devotees claim that it’s bolder, smoother, and less acidic than traditional hot-brewed coffee.

Where to find: Most local coffee shops offer cold brew in bulk. Here is a sampling, in alpha order:

Blueprint: Multiple locations; 32-ounce growler is $23; refills are $16.90
Coffeestamp: South City; will fill customer’s container for roughly $8.30 per 32 ounces
Coma Coffee: Richmond Heights; 32-ounce bottle is $15; $12 for a refill
Comet Coffee: Cheltenham; recycled 60-ounce glass bottles for $25, when available
Goshen: Multiple locations; 64-ounce glass growler for $28; $20 for a refill. Also 32-ounce Super Concentrate for $55
Kaldi’s: Multiple locations; 3:1 cold brew concentrate is sold in 16.9-ounce bottles in the stores ($15) and 16.9- and 32-ounce bottles ($29) on the website
La Cosecha: Maplewood; sells flash brew coffee (essentially double strength coffee brewed over ice) in a 32-ounce size, amber-colored glass bottle for $15; refills are $10
Northwest: Central West End;128-ounce plastic bottles for $45
Protagonist Cafe: Soulard; 64-ounce plastic bottles for $25
Teleo: Kirkwood; 32-ounce growlers are $16; refills are $14
Upshot and HiFi Coffee: Multiple locations; 64-ounce bottles are $25

Shelf-stable, cold brew concentrate (from Starbucks, Dunkin, and Kaldi’s) is also available in the coffee section at select local grocery stores.

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