In partnership with Wandering Bear.
My cold brew journey began during the pandemic, when every morning felt like a Saturday morning thanks to the luxury of time and many, many homemade batches. I love the full coffee experience: freshly roasted espresso, chilled overnight, iced – add a splash of creamy oat milk, 5 pumps of sweetener, and shake it right up.
However, I regularly spend $12+ on my coffee shop order and delivery now that my life has returned to its normal routine. I was looking for a way to cut down on this outrageous cost when my friend Kristen posted an Instagram story of the cold brew coffee she keeps on tap in her fridge. I responded right away:
Me: WHAT IS THIS WIZARDRY?
Kristen: Wandering Bear coffee on tap! I’M WIRED!
Me: *Adds to Cart*
Battle of the Brew
Wandering Bear is an organic strong and smooth cold brew coffee on tap. Think boxed wine, but cold brew coffee.
Like most great startups, Wandering Bear was born on a college campus. Co-founder Matthew Bachmann doesn’t describe himself as a morning person. That’s why a homemade caffeinated cold brew was the fuel for his existence. He walked into his Columbia grad school class to find fellow classmate Ben Gordon (his co-founder) with a homemade cold brew, too. It was love at first sip. Their relationship quickly turned into a battle of the best brew – who could make the strongest and smoothest batch.
Most of the cold brews on the market lacked freshness, were full of sugar and had shelf lives that killed the caffeinated energy they were seeking. In 2014, they launched their first coffee kitchen in Queens, New York. Wandering Bear was the first to revolutionize the bag-in-a-box cold brew coffee on tap. Now, Matt and Ben are bringing coffee shop quality cold brew at the push of a button to a fridge near you.
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What’s This Cold Brew Craze About?
As the first coffee on tap, Wandering Bear checks the box but for convenience – but how strong is it? Very. The coffee is made with 100% organic arabica coffee grown in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Get a punch of extra caffeine with 2 espresso shots in every 6 oz serving (that’s 150mg of caffeine). The brand locks in all that flavor with its thoughtful boxed packaging that keeps it fresher longer. It stays fresh for up to 30 days without diminishing the flavor or strength.
Wandering Bear is known for being big on taste, but small on environmental impact. That’s why each case is 100% recyclable (even the tap cap is made of sugarcane!). But that’s the only sugar you’ll find near this cold brew. Wandering Bear has zero sugar or artificial sweeteners.
The brand has a variety of offerings: cold brew boxes (from $26.09), pods (from $11.67), beans (from $15.99), cartons (from $8.99), and single serves (from $47.99) in flavors like straight black, vanilla, caramel, mocha, hazelnut, and decaf black.
An Honest Review
I got the Straight Black and Vanilla cold brew coffee boxes. The Straight Black is hands down my favorite. While I typically drink my coffee milky and sweet, this classic black goes down smooth. It starts off strong and finishes with a chocolatey undertone (and no bitter acidic aftertaste).
Vanilla
is typically my least favorite flavor because most vanilla cold brews overpower the coffee with artificial sweetness. I was pleasantly surprised at how light this vanilla flavor is. Just enough to get a whiff of the smell plus a mild and natural vanilla sweetness.
Taste: 9/10
The caffeine hit me almost instantly. But not the kind that makes you run to the bathroom (IYKYK). You feel it in your heart and mind. It’s strong, yet smooth. The box reads that each 6 oz cup serves up 2 espresso shots. I’d say you maybe feel 1-1.5 shots if you’re a 2 cups a day caffeine-aholic like me. It’s a great sip on it all day, steady-state energy flow, kind of cold brew.
I’m also amazed at how long it stays fresh. I went on vacation for a week and came back to coffee just as strong as Day 1.
Caffeine: 8.99/10
The best part of Wandering Bear is its convenience: I roll out of bed and go straight to the fridge for a quick morning pour. This cold brew delivers that coffee shop quality with the push of a button. I love how sleek the box fits into my fridge, too.
Convenience: 10/10
Goodbye Coffee Shop Coffee!
As a self-diagnosed caffeine-aholic, I give my seal of approval to Wandering Bear’s smooth and strong cold brew coffee. It’s also a budget-friendly option that sparks the attention of both my wallet and heart rate. With over 3,500+ 5 star reviews from cold brew coffee connoisseurs, you can trust you’ll get more than enough love out of this investment.
I’m all in on its taste, strength, and convenience. If you’re also in need of a constant boost of energy, join the dark extra-caffeinated side with Wandering Bear.
5 More Reasons To Love Wandering Bear:
1. Strong as a mother. Trust in the 2 espresso shots per 6 oz servings to get you the smoothest and strongest cold brew coffee on tap.
2. Simple ingredients. Made with all organic ingredients with no added sugar or dairy.
3. 100% recyclable. Drink your coffee and feel good about it. The boxed packaging is made with 100% recycled material and a sugarcane tap spout.
4. 3500+ 5 Star Reviews raving about how it’s an easy and efficient damn good cold brew coffee.
5. More flavors to love: Sip on straight black, vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, mocha, and decaf black. Get more caffeine love with pods, beans, cartons and single serves.
