Choose a cold brew with a stated caffeine amount if you deliberately want to stay awake after supper: Grind says its concentrate contains 101mg per 62ml serving. If bedtime is near, consider decaffeinated coffee instead. The European Food Safety Authority reports that 100mg of caffeine taken at bedtime has been reported to reduce adults’ ability to sleep; words such as “strong” and “double shot” do not tell you the caffeine amount in your drink.
If the coffee is part of supper rather than a plan to stay awake, check caffeine per serving before choosing a strong-sounding drink. The European Food Safety Authority reports that 100mg taken at bedtime has been reported to reduce adults’ ability to sleep.
A stated amount makes it easier to choose a deliberate caffeine serving. Grind gives 101mg per 62ml serving for its Cold Brew Concentrate, which is intended to be mixed before drinking.
Check the exact variant rather than assuming every chilled coffee has the same milk base. M&S describes its Oat Latte Cold Brew as dairy-free; its Classic Latte Cold Brew contains semi-skimmed milk.
Start with when you expect to sleep, then compare caffeine for the portion you will actually drink. Check the format and ingredients before choosing between a concentrate and a ready-to-drink coffee.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine amount | Look for milligrams per intended serving, not just “strong” or “double shot”. Check the serving size if the drink is a concentrate. | I want to know the caffeine amount in the portion I will drink, whether I am seeking an alertness boost or trying to avoid one. |
| Bedtime | Consider the caffeine amount alongside the time you plan to sleep. The European Food Safety Authority reports reduced ability to sleep in adults following a reported 100mg bedtime dose. | If I am going to bed soon after supper, decaffeinated coffee may fit better than a deliberately strong serving. |
| Preparation | Check whether the product is ready to drink or must be mixed, and follow the portion and dilution directions for the exact product. | I may want a bottle I can open straight away, or a concentrate I can prepare at home. |
| Milk and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the variant you are buying. M&S describes its Oat Latte Cold Brew as dairy-free but its Classic Latte Cold Brew as containing semi-skimmed milk. | For a dairy-free drink, I need the particular coffee I choose to meet that requirement. |
| Alcohol | Check the product category and any ABV: a cold-brew coffee liqueur is not an ordinary non-alcoholic cold brew. | I want coffee with supper, not an alcoholic drink that happens to contain coffee. |
A “double shot” description does not give a comparable amount of caffeine. Grind states 101mg per 62ml concentrate serving, while M&S describes its Oat Latte Cold Brew as having a double shot of espresso without giving a caffeine amount in that description.
Compare stated milligrams for the portion you intend to drink, and check whether a concentrate needs mixing.
The European Food Safety Authority reports that a 100mg caffeine dose taken at bedtime has been reported to reduce adults’ ability to sleep. Grind states 101mg in a 62ml serving of its concentrate.
If sleep is the priority after supper, consider decaffeinated coffee rather than relying on a drink’s smooth taste to judge its caffeine.
Waitrose identifies Mr Black and Tia Maria as coffee liqueurs; they are alcoholic products, not substitutes for a non-alcoholic cold coffee.
Check for “liqueur”, alcohol ingredients or an ABV on the listing before buying.
M&S describes its Oat Latte Cold Brew as dairy-free, whereas its Classic Latte Cold Brew contains semi-skimmed milk.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact variant you choose.
Grind’s Cold Brew Concentrate is a prepare-at-home option intended for mixing with water or milk.
M&S describes chilled Oat Latte and Classic Latte Cold Brew variants with different milk bases.
Sandows says it makes cold brew in its London brewery; a Coffee Friend UK listing describes a ready-to-drink 200ml product.
NESCAFÉ’s Espresso Concentrated is an at-home iced-coffee option to mix with a liquid of your choice.
Califia Farms offers a chilled Mocha Coffee with Almond containing cold brew coffee and almond drink.
This portioned coffee liquid is an option for preparing a cold drink after supper. Check its caffeine amount before choosing it for a deliberate boost or drinking it close to bedtime.
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The individual 25ml pouches offer a portioned way to prepare a cold coffee after supper; the listing describes mixing the liquid with cold water. Check the pack for the intended dilution, caffeine per pouch and preparation instructions. “Extra-Strong” in the name does not establish a caffeine amount, and the name alone does not confirm the extraction method if that distinction matters to you.
No. Compare caffeine stated in milligrams for the serving you will drink. Grind states 101mg per 62ml serving of its concentrate; M&S’s “double shot” description of its Oat Latte Cold Brew does not itself give a comparable caffeine amount.
If you want to sleep soon, consider decaffeinated coffee instead. The European Food Safety Authority reports that 100mg caffeine taken at bedtime has been reported to reduce adults’ ability to sleep, while Grind states 101mg in a 62ml serving of its Cold Brew Concentrate.
M&S describes its Oat Latte Cold Brew as dairy-free. Check the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen information when buying; M&S describes its separate Classic Latte Cold Brew as containing semi-skimmed milk.
No. Waitrose describes Mr Black and Tia Maria as coffee liqueurs containing alcohol, rather than ordinary non-alcoholic cold brew. Check the product category and ABV; GOV.UK states that selling alcohol to someone under 18 is against the law in the UK.
Grind’s preparation guidance says its Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate lasts 10 days in the fridge once opened. Follow the storage instructions on the particular carton you buy.