If you read my last look at bottled cold brew options you may have noticed that Stumptown’s Cold Brew was featured, but was not deemed incredibly “chug worthy”. The bottle that was tasted for review was purchased on a trip to Chicago, and while it was distinct in flavor this bottle was not particularly amazing.
During the research and planning for the original post, we encountered many fans of the Stumptown Cold Brew “Stubby” in particular. At the time we did not have distribution of these bottles in the Kansas City area, and I had inquired about getting some shipped out to us. A few friends offered to ship bottles, but we were warned that the product integrity could be lost by not being refrigerated consistently.
Because of these doubts in my mind I decided to give the Stubby another shot on my recent trip to Portland, Oregon- home to Stumptown Coffee Roasters. The results were decidedly different, which leads me to make a few assumptions about cold brew bottles in general. First let’s look at my updated taste of the Stumptown Cold Brew…
Stumptown Cold Brew “Stubby”
A small mouthed bottle is not designed to enhance an aromatic experience, and there certainly isn’t much wafting from this one. On first sip I was pleasantly surprised by a full bodied and sweet coffee washing my cares away. The flavor is chocolatey with hints of orange and raw, fruity cacao. The cold immersion brew method imparts a distinct flavor and I can taste it, though in a light and thoughtful way. If there is one flavor experience to note over the others, it would be the aftertaste. After even just a sip of this coffee I could taste the sweet cacao lingering on the palate for quite some time.
To answer the question “Would I chug it?”, the answer is “Very likely”. Though the body is rich and heavy enough that it might be a little difficult to do much more than happily sip away.
Now the question arises as to why I had such vast differences in flavor in this product. My educated guess has to do with transportation issues, though there is the possibility that Stumptown has different production facilities around the country which could lead to variances in product taste. Regardless of the reason for this specific product variance, I have come up with a few tips when buying cold brewed coffee that will help you get the tastiest cup/bottle of caffeinated goodness possible.
Stay tuned for my tips on buying cold brew, coming very soon!
