Got this in the mail today, and man. Before, I was making my coffee with a french press, but as my boyfriend and I got busier with our work and school life, we fell off making coffee, and because it was just around the corner of where we live, we were buying Starbucks almost every day.
I had been eyeballing coffee concentrates for the minute, read a lot of reviews, and concluded that this one was the best one as far as bang for my buck. For anyone who complains about the pricing, consider this: even if the price point fluctuates between $24-26, and the estimated serving size is 35, you're paying less than 0.75 cents per coffee; even if you used 2 tsp. per cup of coffee, it's still less than $1.50 per 15+ oz.
I had no issue opening the bottle. It looks small, but considering how it's a concentrate and little is meant to be used per cup, that's expected. The aroma is pleasant, and just adding it to water is very yummy. I dissolved a tablespoon of honey in a small amount of hot water, added it to 2 tsp. of the concentrate, some 16 oz of cold water, and a splash of creamer. It tastes amazing.
I absolutely love coffee and once went on a binge of buying as many roasts as possible to find the sweet spot. Starbucks is convenient, but definitely not the best coffee. This, too, isn't necessarily the very best coffee in existence, but for <$25 and basically a "just add water" solution for a busy morning? It is mind-blowingly good.
If you've ever had instant coffee like Folgers or some other brand, you'll find that the flavor is either flat or too harsh (or somehow both). This tastes incredibly smooth, subtly sweet without any sugar, and as someone with pretty bad acid reflux, I can drink two of these without an adverse reaction.
***Update | 10/02/23:***
So 4 more purchases later, this is still the best fast coffee solution. My boyfriend is partial to the vanilla, which really does come through flavor-wise, and if you use a creamer that's also vanilla-flavored, you're in for a real treat.
The original one is still good, and honestly, I prefer it if only so that I can buy seasonal creamers to pair with it. Without any additional flavoring or sugar -- so basically just 2 tsp added to about 14-15 oz of water -- it tastes like an americano, with a kick.
The caramel one is sweeter than the vanilla, so if you like coffee sweeter like a Starbucks caramel-punched latte, then this one is for you.
The mocha one is honestly my favorite, and I sometimes even add this to a packet of hot chocolate mix. As of right now, I have three bottles of the original, but when that stash is gone, I'm definitely planning on getting the original + mocha bundle for days when I wanna mix it up.
Lastly, after so many bottles, I can see where some people have a hard time with the lid. It's true that the lid can be hard to flip open; the concentrate residue that lingers after pouring can harden, creating a seal effect that makes it difficult to pry the lid open. HOWEVER, bear in mind that the lid is also a twist-off, meaning that you can take it off, carefully pour into a teaspoon, and then that's it. No fuss.
p.s. If the flavor offerings on Amazon are a little too plain for your tastes, go to the official Javy website: there's something like 2-3 times more options than what's featured here.
Cold Brew Black Original
