Starbucks Cold Brew vs. Nitro Cold Brew vs. Espresso vs. Iced Coffee: Differences and Reviews 2024

#1. What is Starbucks Espresso?

Espresso, is an old-time favorite that is tried and true. It’s been around for centuries, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Espresso is brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under extremely high pressure. This results in a highly concentrated shot of coffee with a caramelly sweetness and a distinctive crema (layer of foam) on top.

Starbucks uses their ground espresso roast coffee as their signature coffee for their espresso drinks.

#2. What is Starbucks Iced Coffee?

Iced coffee has a long history and has been enjoyed for centuries.

Iced coffee especially got a boost in popularity during the 1990s, when Starbucks created its blended ice coffee drink Frappuccinos. These are an iced cappuccino and frappe combined. 

Iced Coffee is brewed double strength then cooled, which creates a refreshing, lighter body. It's served sweetened, often with a splash of milk.

Like hot coffee, there are many different types of iced coffee that you can order at your local cafe. You can get simple iced coffee that is truly just coffee with ice cubes, or get iced drinks such as: 

Iced latte

Iced mocha 

Iced cappuccino 

Iced americano 

Whichever cafe you go to, you’ll have a variety of options for flavors and additions to your iced coffee.

#3. What is Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee?

There was a craze for cold brew recently as major coffee chains such as Starbucks adopted this type of coffee into their menu. 

In 2015, Starbucks put the first cold brew, iced coffee alternative, on their menu.

Starbucks brews their cold brew in small batches every day from a custom blend of African and Latin American beans. The coarse grounds steep in cool instead of hot water for a brew time of 20 hours.

Since the flavor is extracted slowly, it’s smooth and doesn’t have a lot of the compounds that typically make coffee bitter. All you get is that bold, smooth taste.

#4. What is Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew?

Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew was first rolled out in select locations in 2016, then it made its way into 80 percent of company-owned stores by summer 2019, and it will gradually expand to all locations nationwide by the end of 2019. It's a decidedly different drinking experience than all the other coffee and espresso beverages offered at Starbucks. It's made and served differently, and it has a unique look, taste, and texture. 

Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew is their signature cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen gas as it pours from the tap.

Nitrogen gas infusion is nothing to be concerned about. It is a colorless and odorless gas that creates a frothy texture. 

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Details

Price: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Iced coffee is one of the cheapest drinks on the Starbucks menu and it’s cheaper than cold brew.

As of this writing a grande iced coffee is about $3.45, cold brew is about $4.25 and a nitro cold brew is an additional $1.

Still, if you intend to make a habit of the Nitro Cold Brew at Starbucks, you're committing to one of the pricier beverages on the menu — including espresso drinks as well as coffee drinks. Nitro cold brews are generally known to be more expensive than straight cold brews and traditional hot and iced coffees at most coffee shops, and this has been true at Starbucks since they introduced the drink. 

Starbucks' prices vary a bit by region and by local tax rate, and of course they're always creeping up over time. But just to give you a basic idea, expect to spend a little more on the nitro version than on regular cold brew — somewhere in the vicinity of 40 percent more for the nitro than you'd spend on an iced coffee of the same size.

Brewing Temperature: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Espresso is a type of coffee that is brewed by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans. 

The temperature of the water used to make espresso is around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This higher temperature extracts more of the coffee’s oils and flavors, which can result in a stronger taste.

Also, the higher temperature of the water helps to create the signature crema on top of an espresso.

Cold brew coffee is simply hot coffee brewed with room-temp or cold water instead of hot water.

Starbucks iced coffee is brewed with filtered water just under boil.

Nitro cold brew is just cold brew, kegged coffee that's infused with nitrogen as it's poured into your cup.

Brewing Time: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Espresso, is a much faster brewing method. It only takes around 2 minutes to make an espresso.

The brewing process of Espresso is much shorter than with other methods, and it results in a concentrate that is much more potent.

The simplicity of espresso is one of the things that makes it so popular.

When you order cold brew, you shouldn’t be under the impression that it’s just regular coffee with ice. Instead, cold brew is created over a long time and under specific conditions that make it distinct from other types of coffee. 

The main difference between Starbucks iced coffee and cold brew coffee is the brewing process. Iced coffee is hot-brewed, drip coffee that’s cooled down, whereas cold brew coffee is brewed with cold water for about 12-24 hours. 

Brewing takes place by dialing down the temperature and compensating by elongating the brewing time. Thus, low and slow are the keywords to cold brew.

The method of slow infusion brewing pulls excellent flavor from the beans. If you simply love the flavor of coffee, cold brew is for you.

Starbucks baristas brew iced coffee in a matter of minutes.

To make a pitcher of iced coffee, the baristas drip-brew pre-measured bags of iced coffee blend at double-strength. The coffee is then poured over ice in a pitcher to dilute it and cool it down so it’s ready to serve.

Generally, it takes 12 to 24 hours of steeping in cool to room-temperature water, in contrast to drip coffee that brews in hot water in a matter of minutes; Starbucks steeps its version for 20 hours. 

From a producer's standpoint, one big benefit is that cold brew has a shelf life of weeks to months, as opposed to a few hours for regular coffee.

Grind size: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

The coffee grind size is an essential difference between cold brew and espresso. You need coarse ground coffee for cold brew. Meanwhile, espresso requires finely ground coffee beans.

Many people confuse the grind size of espresso with the grind size of regular coffee. However, the grind size for espresso is much finer than the grind size for regular or drip coffee.

This helps to create a higher pressure when the water is pushed through the coffee grounds, and it also helps to extract more of the flavors from the beans.

The pressurized water will simply shoot through the grinds if you try making espresso with a coarse grind. You will end up with a watery coffee that tastes sour.

The best coffee for cold brew is coarse ground due to its long brewing process. If you use a fine grind, you’ll end up with an over-extracted and bitter drink. 

Brewing Process: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

An espresso requires the use of an espresso machine to create both the ideal temperature of 92C to 96C (195F to 205F) and 9 bar (130 PSI) of pressure to force the hot water through the very finely ground coffee grounds.

Creating espresso drink using this method results in a concentrated coffee shot that has a distinctive crema and caramel sweetness. 

The whole idea of cold brew is that it takes a long time to brew. This is because the water needs to be in contact with the coffee grounds for a longer period of time in order to extract all of the flavors.

Making cold brew coffee is about a 20 hour process at Starbucks.

To make a batch, baristas brew 5 pounds of coursely ground cold brew coffee blend in large paper filters placed in a large bucket of cool, filtered water.

Iced coffee is a serving method rather than a preparation method like cold brew is. It’s just that: pouring brewed coffee over ice. 

The key to serving an iced cup of coffee at its best is controlling the strength of the coffee and allowing the quality of the beans to shine through. Starbucks makes a practice of double-brewing hot coffee, and then it’s poured over iced before being iced again in the glass to the guest’s specifications to cool it quickly. 

Making iced coffee is a simple enough process; in fact, Starbucks has the recipe on the website, which only requires ice, coffee, and your normal brewing process. 

Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew pours slowly from a tapped keg, looking more like a stout beer being served than a coffee product. Thanks to the nitrogen, a froth of fine bubbles forms and fills the cup, slowly separating and rising to the top of the liquid. Give it a minute to settle before diving in, and you're left with a cup of dark coffee topped with a head of thick, luxurious, cream-colored crema — again, very much resembling a freshly poured Guinness. 

Roast level: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Espresso coffee is often prepared with dark-roast beans, whereas cold brew is made with medium roasts. 

The use of darker beans contributes to espresso’s more bitter flavor.

Taste: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Espresso that has been properly made is full of rich tastes. The acidity is intense but well-balanced. The sharpness is controlled by a little bitterness, which provides deep undertones.

If you have a sweet tooth, then espresso wins for you in this category due to the ingredients like whipped cream and extra sugars added; and its natural caramel-like flavor.

With espresso, you’re going to get a stronger, more concentrated flavor than what an iced coffee can provide. Iced coffees are brewed hot, then poured over ice, and are less robust in flavor.

An iced coffee tends to be slightly sweeter and more balanced in flavor.

However, if you enjoy a more mellow start to the day and like to drink a big cup of filtered coffee, you might prefer an iced coffee.

The cold brew has a unique sweet-bitter taste that is smooth mainly because of the low acidity levels of the drink. The drink has a low acidic profile and a slightly bitter taste due to its brewing process that involves steeping the coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water.

The duration that Starbucks leaves its beans in the water allows aromatic and intense chemicals to be pulled out of the coffee grounds hence its smooth and slightly sweet taste. Though this drink has high caffeine content, it tastes less bitter than espresso or any average iced coffee.

Starbucks nitro cold brew coffee has a natural chocolaty-like aftertaste and undertone, which gives it a slightly sweet flavor. Compared to the cold brew that is smooth due to low acid levels, the nitro drink is super smooth.

Nitro cold brew goes through a unique process where cold brew coffee is infused with nitrogen through pressurized valves. The nitrogen results in a creamy, frothy coffee drink that many people compare to a dark beer such as Guinness. 

It boasts a velvety, thick, sweet flavor that you won’t get from ordinary cold brew or an iced coffee. 

As draft beer becomes more popular, many people who enjoy craft beer find themselves enjoying nitro cold brew as well. 

Cold brew is brewed cold and stored cold, so it's already chilled without the addition of ice. 

it tastes good. First, brewing with the lower-temperature water extracts less of the bitter and acidic compounds that you taste in traditionally brewed coffee. This makes for a smoother, less astringent flavor than you get with hot or iced drip coffee that was brewed using hot water.

Then, the infusion of nitrogen also enhances the flavor of the cold brew. Along with its sultry effects on the appearance and texture of the drink, nitrogen also imparts a slight sweetness. And if you'll excuse a little oenophile-style talk, the nitrogen is even said to coax out some of the natural chocolatey undertones in the coffee. 

Texture: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

You will experience more flavor and aroma from an espresso than you will from a cold brew, but it is a more intense and compacted flavor.

Starbucks cold brew has a smooth and thick texture which is mainly a result of the long hours of steeping the coarsely ground beans, used to make its concentrate, in cold water. Its consistency and texture are unique from that of iced coffee as this drink has low acidic levels.

In contrast, iced coffee usually involves a specific ration of coffee to water ratio since you are diluting the coffee with ice. The gold standard for Starbucks® Iced Coffee is double strength–4 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 fluid ounces–poured over ice.

Iced coffee is brewed with hot water, then cooled and served cold. It typically contains more water than espresso, making it less bitter and less intense.

With the foamy head and velvety texture, you don’t need milk or sugar to enjoy a creamy drink, but Starbucks also pairs the Nitro Cold Brew with various cream foam toppings like salted caramel and pumpkin spice. 

Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew is less watery than regular hot or cold coffee. It feels more substantial, richer, and velvety smooth in your mouth. This makes it well suited to a leisurely sipping experience, rather than gulping it down for a speedy caffeine fix on-the-go. 

However, the limit to Nitro Cold Brew is size. It’s served in tall and grande sizes only. 

It's about quality assurance. The beverage's creamy texture and thick head — which result from what Starbucks refers to as its "nitro cascade" and "cascade of bubbles" — just don't settle in quite right in the larger cups. So, to prevent the nitro effects from spreading too thin in a vessel with too much volume, and to ensure you get to enjoy the beverage as intended, the Nitro Cold Brew is only served in the 12-ounce and 16-ounce cold cups.

Caffeine: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Caffeine can potentially have health benefits, but too much can pose a risk to your health. FDA suggests limiting your caffeine intake to 400 mg per day to prevent any dangerous, negative side effects.

Consuming too much caffeine can cause insomnia, anxiety, increased heart rate, nausea, headache, and dysphoria, a feeling of unhappiness.

According to the FDA standard, one grande cup of Nitro Cold Brew is within the limit and deemed safe.

Unlike most coffee drinks served at Starbucks, the Nitro drink is only available in two cup sizes. The tall size cup of Nitro Cold Brew caffeine amounts per cup is 215 mg for the 12 oz and 280 mg for the grande size 16 oz.

Does nitro cold brew have more caffeine than espresso?

If you are in a rush, here is your answer – nitro cold brew has more caffeine than espresso. Curiously, it also had more of a caffeine kick than regular cold brew.

Nitro cold brew has a greater caffeine content than a shot or double shot of espresso. An espresso has 75 mg in a single shot and 150 mg for a doppio (double shot). Nitro cold brew, which is available in only 2 sizes, Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) and Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) and contains 215 mg and 280 mg of caffeine respectively.

As a warning, two cups of either size will put you over the 400 milligrams of caffeine per day recommended limit suggested by the FDA. 

Is Nitro Cold Brew Stronger Than Cold Brew?

Let’s have a look at the caffeine content.

It is clear that there is more caffeine in nitro cold brew than there is in cold brew coffee.

Note: Nitro cold brew is only available in the two drink sizes indicated and thus I have not indicated the caffeine content in the other two sizes.

Flavor selection: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Starbucks serves Nitro Cold Brew unsweetened and without milk, half-and-half, soy milk, almond milk, or whatever other creamer-type agent you like to splash into your coffee. And you're strongly advised not to head over to the condiment bar to add any of these extras in yourself. 

So, if you're hopelessly dismayed by the prospect of drinking a Nitro Cold Brew without any added creamer, sugar, or other sweetener, there's good news: Starbucks offers some specialty Nitro Cold Brew variations that make the standard form creamier and sweeter. And they can do so without disturbing the beverage's picturesque foam head.

As is often the case with Starbucks specialty items, some Nitro Cold Brew variations may be seasonal or limited-time-only offerings. However, the most basic enhanced version that seems to endure is the Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream. Order one of these, and your drink is topped off with a float of vanilla-flavored sweet cream. This is a good option if the standard cup just isn't sweet and milky enough for your palate.  

Health Benefits: Cold Brews VS Nitro Cold Brews VS Iced Coffees VS Espresso

Either way, many people find cold brew to be delicious and refreshing. 

When it comes to health benefits, cold brew has more antioxidants than espresso. This is because the cold brewing process helps to preserve more of the antioxidants in the coffee beans.

Espresso also has some health benefits, but not as many as cold brew. Both espresso and cold brew help you with focus and mental clarity, but cold brew can also help you to lose weight and improve your cholesterol levels.

People who are health-conscious enjoy nitro cold brew as well because its creamy, thick flavor feels like an indulgence at only a handful of calories. 

The cold drink is creamier and has even lower acidity than the traditional cold brew. Even if you don’t drink coffee without milk or sweeteners, you’ll enjoy the natural sweetness the nitrogen provides. 

As previously mentioned, cold brewing extracts less of certain acidic compounds from the coffee, making the resulting drink less astringent. But some of these compounds, like chlorogenic acid, are also the source of some of the antioxidants in brewed coffee. On the upside, though, the lower acidity makes Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew (or regular Cold Brew) gentler on the digestive tract, so it's a useful option for coffee lovers who tend to get heartburn or an upset stomach when they drink it.

Otherwise, your nitro beverage offers a variety of the same potential health benefits associated with regular moderate coffee intake. Just to name a few, these include boosted metabolism and help with weight control or weight loss, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, improved mood, protection against certain degenerative conditions like dementia and Parkinson's, and even increased life expectancy. Also, the Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew may be thick, rich, and creamy, but a plain, tall one only has 5 calories. So, by all means, drink up!

Final Thoughts: How to Choose?

Now that you know the differences between these 4 refreshing coffee drinks, it helps to keep this information in mind the next time you order one from your local barista. Remember: 

• Iced coffee is strongly brewed coffee with ice cubes, milk, and sugar. It’s a great chilled drink but can become watered down once the ice cubes melt. 

• Iced coffee is regarded as the “old-school” version to make cold coffee. After all, all you do is brew regular coffee and then pour it over ice. It’s not the best option for many people when they want a refreshing coffee drink, but some do enjoy it, especially if they prefer not to have a bold or strong coffee taste in their cup.

• Cold brew coffee is different from iced coffee. It’s brewed anywhere from 12-24 hours at a time and is highly concentrated, so it’s typically cut with water when served. 

• A lot of people choose cold brew coffee over iced coffee because cold brew provides that strong, robust flavor without being watered down. If you make cold brew on your own, you can also change the length of time that the coffee is being steeped. This results in different levels of concentration, making cold brew the perfect choice for people who are particular about their concentration levels.

• Making cold brew coffee is perfect during the summer when you don’t want hot coffee but also dislike ice cubes in your coffee. Adding ice cubes–which is the way iced coffee is made–can result in a very watery drink that doesn’t have much coffee taste. You can ensure you get a flavorful and smooth cup of cold coffee throughout the summer months by cold brewing.

• Nitro cold brew coffee is cold brew coffee but infused with nitrogen. It has a distinct thick, velvety texture and can be more challenging to make at home than the other options. 

• Nitrogen cold brew is newer to the coffee world but gaining steam. It involves cold brew coffee but overall has a thicker, creamier texture. The resulting drink is very frothy and has a cascading profile that makes it very fun to watch as it’s poured into a glass. Nitro cold brew isn’t for everyone, but it is the coffee drink that many are reaching for when they’re in the mood for a coffee refreshment.

• If you love the smooth, creamy, velvety taste of nitro cold brew, investing in a mini-keg may be a great option for you.

CHOOSE COLD BREW OVER ICED COFFEE IF YOU…

• Need more caffeine 

• Prefer or need low acidity coffee

• Want naturally sweet coffee rather than added syrups

• Don’t mind paying a bit more per drink

YOU MAY PREFER ICED COFFEE OVER COLD BREW IF YOU…

• Want a lower-priced coffee drink that is still refreshing in the summertime 

• Prefer customization as iced coffee does well with syrups and milk 

• Want a little less caffeine than a cold brew and want more control over coffee strength  

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