With the Delhi heat threatening to vapourise us this summer and McDonald's abandoning us in our hour of need, a tall glass of chilled cold coffee is the ultimate relief. This article lists commonly found coffee brands and their ability to transform the humble glass of milk into something worthy of our attention. Also, each brand/variety has been rated out of 5 on the basis of 1) price 2) strength 3) suitability for cold coffee (trust me, this one is super important :))
1. THE BRU FAMILY
Here, the two shining heros are BRU INSTANT and BRU SUPER STRONG. Owing to the fact that both varieties are instant powders, the cold coffee was intense, full-bodied and surprisingly frothy! Who knew? For those who would pick Depaul’s over the trusty arches of McDonald's for cold coffee, go for Bru Instant, the coffee impact is subtle, yet persistent. Super Strong on the other hand finds a best friend in equal portions of milk and water, resulting in a more robust coffee flavor.
Standing at Rs 150 (Instant) and Rs 225 (Gold) for 100g, Bru does not compromise on quality.
Rating : 4
2. BRU GREEN LABEL
There is no way we discuss coffee without this particular variety assuming a special place in our hearts. The best part, the 500g packet comes at the humble price of Rs 165 and is absolutely worth every dime! The deep, roasted flavour settles well with both milk and water and makes a perfect glass every single time, even when you mess up the liquid to sugar ratio (a common scene every time I venture into the kitchen). Only one thing you should remember is that since this is filter coffee, the concoction made using hot water in the filter is to be used for that rich taste. My advice, invest in a packet - it works super well for both the hot and the cold variety.
Rating: 5
3. NESCAFE CLASSIC
Ah, the one rupee satchets that have many a night been the driving force behind the completion of our assignments. The generic, yet comfortingly familiar aroma that we have experienced in the homes of our family and friends and sometimes in our dorms and PG kitchens during the exam season. Nescafe Classic seems to have existed for as long as I remember, right from our childhood to today. Unfortunately, competitors have managed to sideline this variety, and the glass jar now occupies the back of the stores instead of gracing the front shelves.
While this variety makes a great cup of steaming joe, I have to admit its powers fail us when it comes to cold coffee. The coffee flavour is overshadowed by the dairy taste of milk and when made with ice, our beloved milkshake tastes like its dilute cousin, iced coffee.
While it may be super affordable at Rs 130 for 100g, I would choose to use this coffee powder only for the daily brew.
Rating: 3
4. NESCAFE MIXES
Now available in 4 flavours- Cappuccino, Choco Mocha, White Choc Mocha and Double Choc Mocha (under the pricier gold menu), the only memory I have of them is being bullied into making one for my brother when my mother was away, visiting my nani. Speedy mixes that just need hot water or warm milk (refrigeration and a hand mixie make cold coffee), this is the perfect mix for the super lazy, rather the super smart. For all those coffee connoisseurs who prefer the exotic tastes and aroma of flavoured coffee and don’t have the budget to indulge, this is your answer!
Priced at Rs 100 for 5 servings (Cappucino), I reckon this is a decent bet!
Rating: 3.55. COTHA'S COFFEE
This famous south Indian coffee that comes in signature yellow packets backed by a metallic finish. While this makes some killer filter coffee, it does not bode well with cold milk. The result is sandy cold coffee that does not seem to get sweeter despite the sugar that you keep adding in an attempt to get rid of that bitter aftertaste. Not only do you encounter a strange texture thanks to the granules, but funnily enough, you taste the sweet and the bitter of the coffee as two distinctive, incompatible flavours. Take our word and use this to make some great filter coffee at a dinner party, leave cold coffee to the rest.
Priced at Rs 200 for 500g.
Rating: 1.56. TATA GRAND
A new addition to the market, this one is a definite hit! It makes great cold coffee which is strong in flavour, teetering right at the edge when coffee becomes distastefully bitter. Quite resembling the taste of the trusty Nescafe Cold Coffee at our college kiosks, the cold coffee was intense, yet light, imparting the quick energy boost required after a hard day’s work. The best part, the ad features an adorable dadi busting rapper moves. You’ve got to watch it here.
Priced at Rs 100 for 50g, this one is a safe bet
Rating: 3
7. BRU GOLD
Standing as Amazon's 'Top rated' in the coffee section and Bru's long standing hero, literally the range that they push on all social media handles (Hint: Instagram), Bru Gold is our champion. Not only is it super-versatile, you can use it for hot brews, syrups, cakes and even puddings, this makes the ultimate cold coffee. Thick, intensely-flavoured and beautifully coloured (yup, say bye to the Bournvita-chai colour), this is Snapchat worthy stuff. Need I say anymore?
Priced at Rs 130 for 50g
Rating: 5
8. NESCAFE CHILLED
Lastly, for those who refuse to step in the kitchen and are also broke, hence unable to sample Dunkin Donuts' shaken cold coffee, Nescafe holds the answer. Enter the range of chilled lattes in 3 flavours - Hazelnut, Intense Cafe and Chilled Latte that are absolutely fantastic. Priced at Rs 30 each, we couldn't ask for more.
Rating: 4
Now that we've discussed cold coffee in such detail, it is only fair that I share the recipe for the ultimate kind.
We hope this tall glass keeps you cool through the summer!