Cold Brew Coffee Review: Chameleon Cold Brew
Chameleon Cold Brew
Pros
- Cool name
- Nice packaging
Cons
- Bad taste
- Needs a single serving option
Cold brew coffee seems to be everywhere these days. And Chameleon offers yet another cold brew option at your local grocery store.
I have already reviewed two other popular cold brew options earlier: Blue Bottle and Stumptown, so I was curious to see how this much pricier option compared.
Initially, I was pretty impressed. But ultimately, I changed my mind about this cold brew when I compared it to two homemade options.
A brief overview of the Chameleon Cold Brew
As far as the trivial details like presentation and packaging go, I think Chameleon does a great job. It really caught my eye at the grocery store for whatever reason.
While I don't remember how much I actually bought it for, I believe it retails around $11. Why so much more than the Blue Bottle and Stumptown alternatives? Well, it offers about 4 servings in each bottle.
Additionally, the instructions call for dilution of about a 1:1 ratio. In other words, a little goes a long way.
My thoughts
At first, I thought the Chameleon cold brew was pretty good. But then, I did a blind taste test comparing two batches of cold brew I made using slow drip and immersion.
Both of the cold brews I made were significantly better. I couldn't even take more than a few sips of the Chameleon.
I guess everything is relative, so if this is the first cold brew you ever tried I don't think you'd necessarily be disappointed, but there are definitely better options out there.
I'd go with Stumptown's Cold Brew over the Chameleon every time.
Score
2/5 stars for the Chameleon. Just a little too pricey for something that just isn't very good.
November 27, 2016
Although I primarily drink espresso for its superfood properties I also thoroughly enjoy it. I decided to try Chameleon cold brew espresso as home brew espresso machines are so expensive. What do you know about the stability of cold brew holding its antioxidant values after processing? I found this article but I’m stil not completely clear. TIA
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf025859%2B?journalCode=jafcau
February 4, 2017
What are the slow drip and immersion techniques you use at home?
February 4, 2017
Hey Gayle,
For immersion: I add coarsely ground coffee to a pot, then 8x the water, and stir. I then let the pot sit with the coffee steeping for at least 8 hours. I stir intermittently. Then I filter the concentrate through a thick paper filter like the Chemex filter.
For slow drip: I use the BeanPlus. I have a review for it coming out tomorrow!