Who is each format for?

Hosts making drinks for several players

A concentrate gives you a base to portion out and mix with water or milk. Grind says its 500ml carton makes up to eight drinks when diluted 1:1; you will need to prepare each serving.

Players who want an individual chilled coffee

A ready-to-drink latte avoids mixing during the game. M&S describes its Classic and Oat cold brews as double-shot espresso drinks, but that wording does not give a caffeine amount per serving.

Hosts checking different drink preferences

Check ingredients and caffeine for each guest rather than assuming one drink suits everyone. M&S says its dairy-free Oat Latte is unsuitable for coeliacs and people with a wheat allergy; Waitrose also lists a decaffeinated Nescafé espresso concentrate as an adjacent option.

What should you check before buying?

Decide how much preparation you want to do, then compare caffeine per prepared drink and check ingredients and alcohol content for the people you are serving.

Priority What to check Your needs
Caffeine amount Look for milligrams per serving and check the serving size and dilution. Grind states 101mg per 62ml of concentrate; an M&S double-shot description is not a comparable milligram figure. I want to know how much caffeine is in each drink, especially if people have had other caffeinated drinks that day. Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency advise counting caffeine from coffee alongside other dietary sources.
Serving format Check whether the drink is ready to serve or needs mixing, and how many drinks the stated preparation makes. Grind says its 500ml concentrate makes up to eight drinks at a 1:1 dilution. If I am hosting several players, I may prefer to mix individual portions; if I want to hand out drinks without preparation, an M&S ready-to-drink latte fits that plan.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current label for milk, wheat and nuts. M&S Classic Latte contains semi-skimmed milk; M&S excludes its Oat Latte for coeliacs and people with a wheat allergy; Califia XX Espresso Coffee with Almond contains almonds. A plant-based or dairy-free description alone will not tell me whether the drink meets a particular guest’s allergen requirements.
Alcohol content Check the product category and ABV rather than relying on a cold-brew search term. Tesco and Sainsbury’s list Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur at 20% ABV. I am serving non-alcoholic coffee, so I need to distinguish a coffee drink from a liqueur before buying.

Common buying mistakes

  • Treating bold flavour or a double shot as a caffeine figure

    M&S describes its cold brews as double-shot drinks, while Grind states 101mg caffeine per 62ml concentrate serving. Those descriptions do not establish a like-for-like caffeine comparison.

    If caffeine amount drives your choice, compare labelled milligrams for the serving you will actually prepare.

  • Picking up coffee liqueur instead of non-alcoholic cold brew

    Tesco and Sainsbury’s list Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur at 20% ABV. It is a different drink from the non-alcoholic coffee a group may expect.

    Check for the word ‘liqueur’ and an ABV declaration, particularly when serving non-drinkers or under-18s.

  • Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every allergy

    M&S says its dairy-free Oat Latte is unsuitable for coeliacs and people with a wheat allergy. Califia XX Espresso Coffee with Almond contains almonds.

    Ask which ingredients guests need to avoid and read the label on the product you buy.

  • Serving concentrate without checking the instructions

    Grind’s stated yield of up to eight drinks depends on diluting its concentrate 1:1. Other concentrates can use different serving directions or storage instructions.

    Check the mixing ratio, planned number of servings and after-opening directions on the specific pack.

Brand and retailer references

M&S

M&S lists individual Classic and Oat Latte cold-brew drinks for those who prefer a chilled serving without mixing.

  • M&S describes both as double-shot espresso drinks; the Classic contains semi-skimmed milk.
  • M&S says its dairy-free Oat Latte is unsuitable for coeliacs and people with a wheat allergy. Double-shot wording does not quantify caffeine per serving.

Waitrose

Waitrose lists espresso concentrates that offer another format to consider, rather than an established cold-brew equivalent.

  • Its Nescafé Espresso Concentrated Iced Vanilla listing gives 94mg caffeine per prepared glass; Waitrose also lists a decaffeinated concentrate.
  • The listed espresso concentrates should not be described as cold brew or compared with cold-brew servings without checking preparation and product type.

Tesco

Tesco listings show why the type of drink matters when browsing cold-brew search results.

  • Tesco lists Monin Cold Brew Concentrate as a coffee concentrate option.
  • It also lists Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur at 20% ABV; check the category before choosing a drink for the group.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s cold-brew results include an alcoholic coffee liqueur.

  • Its Tia Maria listing identifies the drink as a cold-brew coffee liqueur and states 20% ABV.
  • That listing should not be mistaken for a non-alcoholic cold-brew coffee.

Sandows

Sandows describes itself as making cold-brew coffee in its London brewery.

  • It is a dedicated cold-brew producer for shoppers considering that format.
  • Check the specifications of the particular Sandows drink before comparing its caffeine amount or serving format with another product.

Joybuy cold-brew option

This pouch format may suit a host preparing separate cold-brew drinks for a board game night. Check the pack’s mixing directions and caffeine per prepared serving before deciding whether it meets your plans.

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

J.ZAO Americano Cold Brew Coffee Liquid, 10 × 25ml Pouches

The ten individual pouches offer a portioned format for preparing drinks for several players. Check whether the pouches need diluting and how much caffeine a prepared serving contains; the ‘extra-strong’ wording in the original product name does not provide a caffeine figure.

View on Joybuy

Questions about serving cold brew

How can I compare the strength of cold brews?

Compare caffeine in milligrams for the serving you will actually drink, where it is stated. Grind gives 101mg per 62ml serving of its concentrate; words such as ‘bold’ or ‘double shot’ do not provide an equivalent figure. Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency advise considering caffeine from coffee alongside other dietary sources.

Is cold-brew coffee liqueur the same as non-alcoholic cold brew?

No. Tesco lists Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur as a 20% ABV alcoholic drink. Check the product category and ABV when buying coffee for guests expecting a non-alcoholic drink.

Are plant-based cold brews suitable for everyone with allergies?

No. M&S says its dairy-free Oat Latte Cold Brew is unsuitable for coeliacs and people with a wheat allergy, while Califia XX Espresso Coffee with Almond contains almonds. Check the label of the product you intend to serve against each guest’s specific requirements.

How long can I keep a concentrate after opening?

Follow the instructions on the particular pack. Waitrose says its Nescafé Espresso Concentrated Iced Vanilla should be refrigerated after opening and consumed within 14 days; that instruction does not set a storage period for other concentrates.