Explorer Cold Brew Co. Makes the Tastiest Cold Brew That Caters EXACTLY to Your Caffeine Needs
Confession time: up until a couple of weeks ago, I'd never actually tried cold brew coffee.
Why? Because the typical process for brewing cold brew can make the resulting beverage contain up to twice as much caffeine as a typical iced coffee. As someone who's caffeine sensitive and typically has to stick to decaf, that's a big no-no, so no matter how good Starbucks' latest cold brew concoction was, I'd just have to dream about it from afar.
That all changed a few weeks ago when I stumbled upon Explorer Cold Brew Co. on Instagram. The brand specializes in cold brew concentrate, but what makes them special is that they offer their coffees at four different levels of caffeine, from Extra Caf on the high end all the way down to No Caf. I reached out to the company, who were generous enough to let me try their two lowest-caffeine options, and as a coffee-lover who can't usually enjoy a lot of great coffee, I have to say they've made all my dreams come true.
The Brand
Explorer Cold Brew Co. allows coffee-lovers to make their own delicious cold brew beverages from the convenience of home with the help of super handy cold brew concentrates. A little goes a long way with Explorer, and they recommend mixing one part Explorer with four parts milk and/or water to get the ideal drink.
But what makes Explorer so special is that they offer different caffeine levels for every type of coffee fan—or the same coffee fan on different occasions. Their Extra Caf has 150 mg of caffeine per oz., their Reg Caf has 100 mg per oz., their Low Caf has 50 mg per oz and their No Caf has 0 to 2 mg per oz. That means whether you need a mega-dose of caffeine to function, or you can hardly tolerate caffeine at all, there's an option for you, and you're going to get tasty and consistent results every time.
Their concentrates are available in 2 oz. mini-bottles, and you can get a sampler of four bottles of each caffeine level for $20, or 12 bottles of your choice for $50, with each mini-bottle making one to two cups each. Then there are their big 32 oz. bottles, which make about 20 cups each and sell for $41. For my review, I was sent two of the big bottles in the Low Caf and No Caf varieties.
The Concentrates
Low Caf
When I received my Explorer Cold Brew bottles, I absolutely couldn't wait to get started, and I decided to start my adventure with the Low Caf concentrate. Since the average cup of coffee is between 80 and 100 mg. of caffeine, I calculated that with the one-to-four ratio, a 10 oz. coffee could contain 100 mg of caffeine, which would probably be a bit much for me. For my first run with the brand, I played it safe, mixing up a cup with a couple of sugars, and milk and water nearly to the top of the cup, with the coffee ratio being closer to one-eighth. And it was love at first sip.
Even with the coffee being a tiny fraction of the mix, the strong coffee flavor came in rich and robust, and since I like my coffee with plenty of milk, there wasn't even a hint of bitterness. And best of all, it gave me a nice boost of energy, without the caffeine jitters, or worse, migraines, that sometimes occur when I'm not careful about my coffee intake. Further experimentation has demonstrated that this coffee is delicious no matter the mix of almond, oat or full-dairy milk I add, or whether or not I put in sugar. I even dared to put more concentrate on one sunny weekend, and even though I struggled to get to bed to that night, it was worth just how good the coffee was.
(via Explorer Cold Brew Co.)
No Caf
After trying the Low Caf, I wondered if the No Caf could be just as good, and lucky for me, I didn't taste any difference at all. Here, I felt free to experiment even more freely, because I could use more coffee, and I seriously don't know if I can even go back to decaf instant coffee, or even K-cups because this stuff tastes so strong and delicious. Even when I use more than the bottle specifies, I never find the coffee too bitter or unpalatable, and it tastes so good with whatever you want to add, whether it's chai concentrate, cinnamon sugar, hot chocolate mix, turmeric or whatever else your coffee-loving heart desires. It's better than anything I can get at a local coffee shop with low caffeine, and since I can add whatever I want to it, I can also customize it to my heart's content—and that's with zero nervous energy and no effect to my sleep whatsoever.
(via Explorer Cold Brew Co.)
Bottom Line
It's safe to say I'm obsessed with Explorer Cold Brew Co., and while the big bottles may seem expensive at first glance, the fact that they can make 20 big cups per bottle means it's still a lot more affordable than daily Starbucks runs. I actually use less than it recommends on the bottle for most drinks, so it'll stretch even longer for me. It also lasts in the fridge for 20 days after opening, making it perfect for a cup (or more) per day.
It's ridiculously tasty and I plan on restocking on more of the No Caf the minute I run out—that is, if I can manage to get my hands on the big bottles. The brand's offerings are so coveted that they're currently sold out of pretty much everything, though their website does have a signup on every sales page where you can provide your email and get updates when the product is back in stock. If you're curious, I recommend getting on that list ASAP and becoming an explorer yourself.
Can't wait to try Explorer out? Click HERE for the truths you'll only relate to if you're obsessed with coffee.