Is Cold Brew Better Than Iced Coffee?

Yes. Let me explain why...

When I first started this newsletter, some of my first missives were about coffee. It’s been a while since I’ve written about coffee, and I felt obligated to do so again today. Why?

Well, yesterday, I was at Starbucks writing for PJ Media, and I ordered a cold brew coffee, and it was great. I got some writing done, and toward the end of my stay, I decided to get a refill. Starbucks offers free refills for select drinks, and while cold brew coffee wasn’t one of them, iced coffee was. I thought there was no harm in it. I’ve had their iced coffee plenty of times before—usually when cold brew isn’t available—and while it’s not nearly as good as cold brew, it usually is okay enough.

Not this time.

I took a sip of the iced coffee, and it was horrible. This was perhaps the first time I’d ever experienced both in the same sitting, and it really brought out the differences. While the cold brew was smooth and refreshing, the iced coffee was undrinkable. I tried another sip, couldn’t do it, and ultimately dumped it out.

If you drink iced coffee, but have never had cold brew, you don’t know what you’re missing. Cold brew doesn’t just beat iced coffee—it buries it. This isn’t a matter of taste preference. It’s about quality, craftsmanship, and common sense. Cold brew is richer, smoother, and packs more of a punch.

Why is it better than iced coffee? I’ll tell you.

Iced coffee is brewed hot—like any regular cup of joe—and then poured over ice to chill it. That’s it. And it tastes like it. Iced coffee is typically brewed extra strong, to allow the ice to melt and bring it to normal concentration. But, this quick brewing leaves behind all the bitterness and acidity you’d rather avoid in a cold drink. It’s the lazy way to make cold coffee, and the final product usually tastes like a mistake someone bottled and tried to pass off as intentional.

Cold brew is an entirely different animal. It’s made by steeping coarse coffee grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. No heat, no shortcuts. That slow process pulls out deeper, sweeter flavors from the beans without the acidity that comes from heat. What you get is a drink that’s strong, smooth, and incredibly easy to sip. No sugar or milk required—though it plays nicely with both.

There’s a reason cold brew has become the go-to for serious coffee drinkers. It’s not just about taste—it’s about performance. Cold brew often has more caffeine than iced coffee, sometimes by a wide margin. While an average cup of iced coffee might give you 120 to 150 milligrams of caffeine, cold brew regularly clocks in at 200 milligrams or more. That means more energy, better focus, and fewer repeat trips to the coffee pot. Sure, it costs a bit more than iced coffee, but it’s worth it.

It’s also more versatile. Want it straight? Great. Prefer it with milk, cream, sweet foam, or even in a cocktail? Go for it. Cold brew adapts. Iced coffee, on the other hand, tastes like regret the moment it warms up even slightly. You can dress it up, but it won’t fix the bitter core.

Of course, there’s the price tag. Cold brew costs more. But that’s because it takes longer to make and usually starts with better beans. It’s the slow-cooked brisket of the coffee world. Iced coffee is the microwaved leftovers. You get what you pay for. Perhaps there’s a better analogy, but I can’t think of one.

Look around. Cold brew isn’t some niche trend anymore—it’s a staple. Chains big and small are offering it, ready-to-drink cold brews are taking over shelves at supermarkets, and customers keep coming back for more. Meanwhile, iced coffee remains the backup option, the fallback for folks who haven’t discovered there’s a better way.

So no, this isn’t a debate anymore. Cold brew isn’t just the better version of iced coffee—it’s what iced coffee always tried and failed to be. If you care about flavor, consistency, and a decent caffeine hit, cold brew is the obvious choice. If you haven’t made the switch yet, do it now.