This store-bought cold brew brand came last in our ranking

Iced coffee is a refreshing and delicious choice for anyone looking for a morning caffeine boost or afternoon pick-me-up, no matter what time of year it is. Despite its popularity, it’s no surprise that a number of pre-brewed, bottled iced coffee brands have popped up in recent years. It’s usually available in many grocery stores, and you’ve no doubt seen several different brands on the shelves of your local supermarket. With so many options, is there a brand you should avoid if you’re looking to get started?

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Alexander Roberts of Chowhound sat down and evaluated popular store-bought iced coffees to find an answer. And while you can praise Grady’s as the absolute best bottled iced coffee, the same unfortunately can’t be said for Stok Cold Brew Coffee. While Roberts states that Stok was the most affordable option, that’s unfortunately where the “positives” end of the list. It landed at the bottom of his list, mainly due to its flavor characteristics, which he described as “cloudy” and not as mild as he would have liked.

It’s an advantage that Stok makes so many different cold brew beverages with different flavors, but as for the brand’s unsweetened coffee, Roberts wanted to add milk just to improve the disappointing flavor profile. If you want a bold iced coffee, you probably shouldn’t choose this brand.

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With such a mild taste, there’s not much hope of a characterful coffee when adding ice to Stok’s cold brew. But to the brand’s credit, its offering on the market does have its merits. Strong coffee isn’t for everyone – in fact, there are many people who drink coffee for the caffeine and try to avoid the bitter taste as much as possible. For these drinkers, Stok could actually be a great choice, as milk, sugar, or an iced coffee upgrade with refreshing Campari will effectively enhance the coffee’s bland taste.

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This philosophy also applies when making a flavored iced coffee or cappuccino, where the focus is less on the coffee and more on the sweeteners and other ingredients. So if you drink black coffee (or just like the taste of strong coffee), you might be better off avoiding Stok, but it can find its uses in other coffee drinks too. Of course, you’re still better off choosing an iced coffee brand that can do all of the above—but in a pinch, Stok can still have decent, if limited, use.