The Store-Bought Iced Coffee You Should Keep Out Of Your Cart

Iced coffee is a refreshing and tasty choice for those seeking a morning caffeine boost or afternoon pick-me-up, regardless of which season it is. For all its popularity, it's no surprise that a bunch of pre-brewed, bottled iced coffee brands have cropped up in recent years. Usually available for purchase at many grocery stores, there's no doubt you've seen several different brands on your local market's shelves. With so many options out there, is there any brand that you should avoid when you want to get started?

Chowhound's own Alexander Roberts sat down and ranked popular store-bought iced coffees to get an answer. And while you can laud the likes of Grady's for being the absolute best bottled iced coffee, the same sadly cannot be said for Stok cold brew coffee. While Roberts states that Stok was the most affordable option, that's unfortunately the end of the "positives" list. It rounded out the bottom of his list based primarily on its flavor attributes, described as "cloudy" and not as smooth as he had wanted. 

There's the upside that Stok makes so many differently-flavored cold brew beverages, but as far as the brand's unsweetened coffee is concerned, it left Roberts wanting milk to add milk simply to boost its underwhelming flavor profile. When it comes to grabbing a punchy iced coffee, this is one brand that you probably shouldn't reach for.

With such a mild flavor, there's not much hope for having a coffee full of character once you add ice to Stok's cold brew. But to the brand's credit, their offering to the market isn't without its uses. Bold 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 might actually be a decent choice, since milk, sugar, or an iced coffee upgrade with refreshing Campari are effective at boosting the coffee's flat taste.

This same philosophy also applies if you're making a flavored iced latte or cappuccino of some kind, where the focus is less on the coffee and more on the sweeteners and other components. So while you should probably avoid Stok if you drink coffee black (or if you simply like the taste of bold java), it can have its uses in other kinds of coffee-based beverages. Of course, you're still better-served picking an iced coffee brand that can do all of the above — but in a pinch, Stok can still have decent, albeit limited, utility.