Nothing sounds more artisanal, more hipster (and a little bit super-hero-like) than Nitro Cold Brew. This latest coffee fad to hit Starbucks has caused quite a stir among coffee lovers and once you discover a little more about this coffee drink, it’s easy to see why.
Nitro cold brew is a kind of cold brew coffee that’s served from a keg via a nitrogen-charged tap. It gives a rich and creamy coffee that’s sweet in flavor and deliciously refreshing!
Here’s everything you need to know about Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Coffee.
What Is Nitro Cold Brew
Nitro cold brew is a coffee drink that’s made from an unsweetened black cold brew. The coffee is charged with nitrogen and served from a keg, via a draught tap to give it a thick, foamy, creamy texture. The drink takes on nitrogen gas to create thousands of tiny bubbles which give it that lovely texture. It’s essentially coffee served in the same manner as Guinness stout is served at a bar.
The base of the drink is cold brew coffee which is brewed by adding ground coffee to cold water and allowing it to steep for 12 hours or more. This slow, cool, extraction process gives a coffee that is sweet in flavor and low in acid, so is well worth the wait.
Nitro Cold Brew at Starbucks
Nitro cold brew first appeared on Starbucks menus at select locations back in 2016. Over the years these locations have expanded to include more than 80% of Starbucks stores so it’s much easier to try the drink for yourself.
The drink is served in either tall or grande serving size options and is not available in the larger, venti size. This is due to the drink being fairly concentrated and high in caffeine. The grande option has 280 mg of caffeine (a typical espresso shot has 60mg) so that’s certainly enough to blow your socks off!
You’ll easily be able to spot the Starbucks that offers nitro cold brew thanks to the beer tap found at the counter. If you can’t see a tap present, check the menu or as the barista if it’s something they can do.
Following the popularity of this drink, Starbucks has now made it available to buy in a can so you can enjoy it anywhere. These can be found in the fridge section of most Starbucks as well as some grocery stores and online.
Flavor Options
You can buy Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew in a variety of delicious flavors that are based on the Starbucks cold brew coffee recipes. Here are the options to get your mouth watering.
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
The original and the best, the standard nitro cold brew has zero grams of sugar, zero total fat, and only 5 calories per serving. The sweet flavor comes from the coffee as well as the nitrogen. It has a thick, velvety crema and can be found at most Starbucks coffee shops as well as 9.6 fl oz cans.
Starbucks Reserve Nitro Cold Brew
Starbucks reserve takes small-batch coffee beans from all over the world, expertly selected for the finest quality flavors. Paired with nitro-infusion and you have a cold coffee worth the hype. Similar to the standard nitro cold brew, there are only 5 calories per serving, zero fat (including cholesterol) zero total carbohydrates (including sugar), and 280 mg of caffeine for a grande option.
Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
Based on the Starbuck cold brew coffee this drink is balanced with almond milk and honey is used as a sweetener to give a wonderfully smooth, balanced taste throughout the coffee. The product information is 50 calories for a grande option with 0.5g of total fat and 11g carbohydrates. It has 290 mg of caffeine so will defiantly get you buzzed into action!
Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew
Take the Starbucks nitro cold brew and top it with vanilla sweet cream. The cold foam mixes with the delicious sweet vanilla flavors to create a drink almost as decadent as a frappuccino but way lighter on the calories. The grande option tops out at only 70 calories with 5g total fat, 4g total carbohydrates, 1g protein, and 265 mg of caffeine. It’s sweet, it’s creamy, and it’s everything a delicious coffee should be!
Find them on Amazon
Can’t wait until your next trip to a Starbucks store? Order these delicious Nitro Cold Brew Coffees, canned and ready to enjoy whenever and wherever you fancy.
Pro tip – Don’t serve this coffee over ice as this can affect the thick texture that’s key to the flavor of the drink. Instead, place a tall glass in the freezer for half an hour prior to serving the coffee and cool the can in the refrigerator for an hour or more. This will give you that ice-cold feel whilst not impacting the flavor at all.
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, Black Unsweetened
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, Dark Cocoa Sweet Cream
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, Vanilla Sweet Cream
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, Dark Caramel
Other Cold Coffee Options
Cold Brew Coffee
Naturally sweet, cold-brewed coffee is a delicious treat any day. Served black or with any additions, you enjoy best. Options available to order from your barista include salted caramel cream cold brew, honey almond milk cold brew, vanilla sweet cream cold brew, and the seasonal pumpkin cream cold brew.
Iced Coffee
Take the standard coffee drinks and serve over ice for a delightfully refreshing treat. You can enjoy a standard coffee iced, an iced americano, or an iced espresso. These options are perfect served black or you can add milk, sugar, or any sweetener you enjoy.
Iced Latte
The wonderfully creamy latte is a firm favorite of most coffee lovers, be it original or non-dairy. This coffee can be brewed over ice for a cool and refreshing pick-me-up, perfect any time of day. It’s sweet, it’s creamy, and it’s everything a milky coffee should be.
You can enjoy the traditional, simple latte over ice or any of the other flavored lattes that Starbucks makes. From the cinnamon dolce to the blonde vanilla and the hazelnut Bianco to the pumpkin spice latte, they can all be enjoyed with a touch of ice.
Iced Shaken Espresso
A deliciously sweet treat, this form of coffee takes an espresso and combines it with milk, classic syrup, and ice. All shaken up, it gives a mellow yet satisfying treat, perfect for busy mornings.
Starbucks has two additional flavors for this drink, an iced brown sugar and oat milk shaken espresso and the iced chocolate almond milk shaken espresso.
Iced Flat White
The flat white is very similar to a latte but more concentrated in flavor and it has a thicker texture to the milk portion. This drink can be enjoyed served over ice or why not try the honey almond milk flat white served cold?
Iced Macchiatos
If it can be served hot then it can also be served cold. A macchiato takes the foamiest milk and ‘stains’ it with a shot of espresso. You can order an iced caramel macchiato or an apple crisp macchiato over ice for all the fall vibes.
Iced Mochas
There’s no more decadent way to enjoy coffee than served in a rich and satisfying mocha. The combination of bittersweet chocolate and bold coffee just pairs so well you’ll be left wanting more, even after the last sip. Starbucks offers their standard Caffe mocha iced or you can go for the white chocolate mocha if you like it super-sweet. For those who love a more intense hit, there’s a dark chocolate option made with Starbucks reserve espresso. Delicious!
Final Thoughts
Nitro cold brew is the perfect way to enjoy a cold coffee that’s both creamy and sweet without adding any calories, sugar, or fats. It’s super refreshing and fine for vegans and anyone on a keto diet. It can be served via a nitro tap in your local Starbucks store or straight from a can if that’s what you prefer. If you have any interesting ways you like to enjoy a nitro cold brew, let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you!
And if you want to make your own check out our guide here or you can have a look at the best nitro cold brew coffee maker machines here.
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