Who might consider these drinks?

Runners who already drink caffeine

If you want a cold, fizzy coffee before a 5k, compare caffeine per serving and consider your own tolerance. A coffee drink is not automatically a source of carbohydrate fuel.

Coffee drinkers who prefer less sweetness

Tesco Groceries lists 0 g sugars per prepared 200 ml glass of its unsweetened concentrate. A UK retailer describes MONIN concentrate as suitable for a sparkling coffee tonic; check the finished drink’s ingredients and nutrition when choosing what to mix.

Runners who would rather avoid caffeine

Sainsbury’s lists a Nolo decaffeinated cold-brew oat latte if you want a cold coffee drink without using caffeine as part of your running plan. It is still, not sparkling; the NHS recommends water for replacing fluid lost through exercise.

What should you check before a 5k?

Decide whether fizz, a measured caffeine amount or a ready-to-drink format matters most, then read the figures for the serving you would actually drink.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fuel and nutrition Read energy, carbohydrate and sugars per prepared serving, not just per 100 ml of concentrate. Tesco Groceries lists 12 kcal and 0 g sugars for a 200 ml glass made with equal amounts of its concentrate and cold water. I want to know whether my drink supplies carbohydrate or is mainly a coffee choice; I can consider food separately if I need it before running.
Caffeine amount Look for caffeine in mg per bottle or prepared serving and account for other caffeinated drinks. Coffee type, roast description and concentrate volume do not tell you the dose. If I choose coffee for its caffeine, I want to know how much I would drink rather than guess from the size of a pouch.
Fizz and preparation Distinguish a sparkling ready-to-drink product from a still concentrate. A UK retailer describes MONIN concentrate as suitable for a sparkling coffee tonic; Tesco Groceries gives cold-water dilution instructions for its separate concentrate. I would mix a drink myself for fizz, but a ready-to-drink coffee would suit me better if I cannot prepare one before leaving.
Water or decaf Check whether a cold coffee is labelled decaffeinated if you want to avoid a caffeine choice. The NHS recommends water to replace fluid lost through physical activity. I may prefer a still decaf coffee for flavour, with water available when I have been sweating.

Common buying mistakes

  • Calling every cold brew “5k fuel”

    Tesco Groceries lists 12 kcal and 0 g sugars per prepared 200 ml glass of its unsweetened concentrate. That particular drink should not be treated as a substantial source of carbohydrate.

    Check the nutrition of your chosen serving, and consider food separately if you need carbohydrate before running.

  • Guessing caffeine from the concentrate

    The 2021 International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand discusses caffeine amounts in mg per kg of body mass. Bottle size or dilution alone cannot tell you how much caffeine you will consume.

    If the amount matters to your decision, choose a product with caffeine stated per serving and include other caffeine consumed that day.

  • Treating an old sparkling launch as a current product

    Comunicaffe International reported a Sandows sparkling cold-brew soda launch in March 2018. That report does not establish its present recipe or whether you can buy it now.

    Check a current product listing, including ingredients and caffeine, before choosing a packaged sparkling drink.

  • Using fizzy coffee as the hydration plan

    Fluid needs can change when you sweat during exercise. The NHS identifies water as the best way to replace fluid lost through physical activity.

    Keep water in mind separately from a coffee you choose for its flavour or caffeine.

Brand and product-line references

Tesco Finest

Tesco Groceries lists a 500 ml unsweetened cold-brew concentrate with instructions to dilute it with cold water. The listed drink is a still concentrate, not a ready-to-drink sparkling coffee.

  • A glass made with 100 ml concentrate and 100 ml cold water is listed at 12 kcal and 0 g sugars.
  • Check caffeine per prepared glass if the amount matters to your choice; adding sparkling water is not Tesco’s stated preparation method.

MONIN

A UK retailer describes MONIN Premium Cold Brew Concentrate as suitable for making a sparkling coffee tonic.

  • It offers a concentrate-based route for someone willing to mix a fizzy drink.
  • Check caffeine and nutrition per prepared serving on the product you buy. A concentrate is not a ready-to-drink sparkling bottle.

Sandows

Coffee Friend UK lists a still, ready-to-drink Sandows cold brew. Comunicaffe International separately reported a sparkling Sandows soda launch in March 2018.

  • The still drink is listed as sugar-free and dairy-free, with 40.5 mg caffeine per 100 ml.
  • The 2018 sparkling-soda report does not establish a current purchase option or formulation.

Nolo

Sainsbury’s lists a Nolo decaffeinated cold-brew oat latte for shoppers considering a cold coffee without a caffeine strategy.

  • The listing says no added sugar or sweeteners and gives 65 kcal and 4.8 g sugars per 250 ml.
  • It is an oat latte, not a sparkling cold brew.

Cold-brew options on Joybuy

This pouch concentrate is an option for mixing a fizzy cold-brew drink yourself before a 5k; it is not a ready-to-drink sparkling coffee.

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Cold Brew Coffee Liquid, 10 × 25 ml pouches

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Cold Brew Coffee Liquid, 10 × 25 ml pouches

For a self-mixed fizzy coffee, the product information describes adding sparkling water. The title identifies a dark-roast liquid in 10 × 25 ml pouches and states zero sugar and zero fat. Check caffeine per pouch and the prepared drink’s energy on the label before using either figure to plan what you drink before a run.

View on Joybuy

Questions about cold brew and a 5k

Is sparkling cold brew enough fuel for a 5k?

Do not assume it is: the nutrition depends on the drink. Tesco Groceries lists 12 kcal and 0 g sugars per prepared 200 ml glass of its unsweetened concentrate, so that example is not a substantial source of carbohydrate. Check your chosen drink’s label and consider food separately if you need it before running.

How should I assess caffeine before a 5k?

Start with the labelled caffeine in the serving you would drink, your tolerance and any other caffeine consumed that day. The 2021 International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand reports exercise-performance findings at 3–6 mg per kg of body mass, with possible effects at lower amounts; this research range is not a fixed target for every runner or every 5k.

Can I make sparkling cold brew at home?

Yes, a UK retailer describes MONIN Premium Cold Brew Concentrate as suitable for a sparkling coffee tonic. Check the concentrate’s preparation directions and caffeine per serving, and consider whether carbonation suits you before running.

Should coffee replace water after a run?

Keep water available when replacing fluid lost through exercise. The NHS says water is the best way to replace lost fluids, particularly when you have been sweating; choose a cold coffee separately for its flavour or other stated attributes.

What if I am pregnant and considering caffeinated cold brew?

The NHS advises no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy, counting all sources. Check the amount in the serving and what else you consume that day; without a clear caffeine amount, you cannot calculate how a concentrate fits within that limit.