Cold Brew Craze Continues: Starbucks Selling Pitcher Packs To Make It At Home

Starbucks’ love affair with cold brew coffee doesn’t appear to be slowing down. In addition to selling a traditional version of the cold beverage – along with a nitro version – at stores and bottles of the drink at retail partners like Target, the company is now providing customers with the option of making the beverage at home with new pitcher packs. 

The coffee chain giant unveiled the Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee Pitcher Packs on Tuesday, aiming to make it easier for customers to make the popular beverage at home.

Cold brew, the cool kid on the caffeinated block, is brewed slowly with coffee grounds that are steeped in cool water for an extended period of time — in Starbucks’ case, 20 hours.

Many consider cold-brewed coffees to be a smoother, less bitter drink than hot-brewed coffees, while packing a more caffeinated punch. Like traditional hot coffee, the drink also comes free of sweeteners and creams, as customers can add their own.

The pitcher packs use the same Cold Brew Blend that is served in Starbucks cafes and are available for a limited time in U.S. Starbucks stores and select stores in Canada.

Cartons include four pitcher packs, which together make 12 8-ounce servings.

Users simply add the pitcher packs to water and slow-steep in the refrigerator for 24 hours, Starbucks says. The beverage is supposed to stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Starbucks first began offering cold brew in its coffee shops last July. More recently, the company announced it would add Nitro Cold Brew to the menu at 500 locations starting this summer.

Nitro Cold Brew infuses nitrogen in cold-brewed coffee, which gives it a “smooth and creamy sweetness,” the company said at the time, noting that the drink almost comes out looking like a Guinness beer.

Starbucks isn’t the only coffee shop to jump on the cold brew bandwagon. Dunkin’ Donuts announced this week that it would begin offering the beverage nationwide this summer.

To begin with, the drink will be available in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles on June 27. More areas will sell the drink throughout the summer. Dunkin’ says the cold brew will be served each day in small batches while supplies last.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.