If you love coffee but dread the heartburn, you're not alone. Roughly 20% of Americans deal with acid reflux regularly, and coffee is a commonly reported trigger.
Before anything else: Bare Brew is a coffee, not a treatment. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and no coffee — ours included — treats, prevents, or relieves acid reflux, GERD, or any other condition. If coffee gives you heartburn, the person to talk to is your doctor.
What we can talk about is brewing chemistry. Cold brewing extracts fewer of the acids that hot brewing pulls from the same beans. This guide covers what the published research actually found, what to look for on a cold brew label if you're trying to keep the ingredient list short, and where the evidence runs out.
Why Regular Coffee Causes Acid Reflux
Hot-brewed coffee extracts more chlorogenic acids and other organic compounds from the beans during the brewing process. Research has looked at whether these compounds irritate the stomach lining and relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle that keeps stomach acid from traveling back up into the esophagus.
When the LES relaxes at the wrong time, stomach acid rises into the esophagus. That's acid reflux. If it happens frequently, it may be diagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a diagnosis only a clinician can make.
The pH of traditional drip coffee typically falls between 4.85 and 5.10. Triggers vary widely from person to person, and coffee is only one of many commonly reported ones.
What Cold Brewing Actually Changes
Lower Titratable Acidity
Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold or room-temperature water for many hours. Because heat drives acid extraction, cold brewing produces a concentrate with a different acid profile than hot-brewed methods.
Research published in Scientific Reports (2018) compared cold brew and hot brew from the same beans and found cold brew had a lower total titratable acidity, though pH between the two was comparable.
That is a measurable property of the brewing method. It is not a prediction about how any cup will sit with any individual, and we do not have a validated percentage figure for the difference — so we won't publish one.
A Note on Other Compounds
Researchers have studied several coffee compounds — including N-methylpyridinium and catechols — for their effects on gastric acid secretion. The findings are mixed and sometimes point in opposite directions, and we're not going to summarize them as a benefit. If you have gastritis, IBS, or ongoing stomach symptoms, that's a conversation for your gastroenterologist, not a blog post.
What to Look for on a Cold Brew Label
If your goal is the shortest, most transparent ingredient list, here's what to prioritize. These are label considerations, not medical recommendations.
Ingredient Count Matters
The simplest cold brew has the fewest variables. Citric acid (used as a preservative in many ready-to-drink coffees), natural flavors, gums, and stabilizers are all things you may prefer to avoid if you're trying to work out what does and doesn't agree with you.
Bare Brew uses exactly 2 ingredients: Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. Nothing else. No citric acid, no potassium sorbate, no "natural flavors" of unknown origin.
Zero Sugar, Zero Additives
Look for cold brew with 0g sugar — not "low sugar" or "lightly sweetened." The cleanest canned coffee options keep the ingredient list short and the sugar count at zero. Bare Brew is 0g sugar and 20 calories per 12oz can.
Arabica vs. Robusta
Coffee beans come in two main commercial varieties: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta beans generally contain more chlorogenic acid and more caffeine per bean than Arabica.
Arabica beans are generally described as smoother and less acidic in taste. Most premium cold brew brands use Arabica, but not all disclose it on the label. If the can doesn't specify 100% Arabica, assume it may be a blend.
Can You Still Get Strong Caffeine From a Low-Acid Brew?
One common misconception is that low-acid coffee has to be weak. Acidity and caffeine content are different properties.
Cold brew caffeine content varies widely by brand. Some contain as little as 100mg per serving. Others, like Bare Brew, pack 320mg of natural caffeine into a single 12oz can — more than most energy drinks.
Caffeine extraction depends on steeping time, bean-to-water ratio, and grind size, so a cold brew can be both lower in titratable acidity and high in caffeine.
For context, here's how 320mg compares:
- Standard drip coffee (12oz): ~120–150mg
- Espresso shot: ~63mg
- Red Bull (12oz): ~114mg
- Monster Energy (16oz): ~160mg
- Bare Brew Cold Brew (12oz): 320mg
Worth saying plainly: 320mg is a large dose. If you're caffeine-sensitive, or you're managing a health condition, start smaller or skip it.
General Tips People With Reflux Are Often Given
These are widely repeated general suggestions, not advice tailored to you. Your doctor's guidance overrides all of it.
Don't drink on an empty stomach. Coffee stimulates gastric acid production. Having food in your stomach first is a commonly suggested buffer.
Avoid lying down right after drinking. Staying upright is standard reflux guidance.
Go easy on cream and sugar. Dairy is a reported trigger for some people, and sugar slows digestion.
Watch your timing. Caffeine close to bedtime can affect sleep, and nighttime reflux is a common complaint.
Stay hydrated. Water alongside your coffee is rarely a bad idea.
For more on the research around coffee and health, including studies on gut bacteria and inflammation, see our research roundup — all of it association-level findings about coffee generally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cold brew coffee safe for people with GERD?
That's a question for your gastroenterologist, not for us. What we can say: cold brewing produces a lower total titratable acidity than hot brewing, per published research. Whether coffee of any kind fits into your care plan depends on your individual situation. If you've been advised to avoid coffee, follow that advice.
Does cold brew have less acid than regular coffee?
Cold brewing extracts fewer of the acids that hot brewing pulls from the same beans. Research published in Scientific Reports found cold brew has a lower total titratable acidity than hot brew, though pH between the two methods is comparable. We don't have a validated percentage for the difference and won't quote one.
What is the least acidic way to drink coffee?
By the titratable-acidity measure used in the Scientific Reports comparison, cold brewing came out lower than hot brewing. Among cold brews, a two-ingredient product — coffee and water, no added citric acid, preservatives, sugar, or sweeteners — has the fewest added variables.
Can caffeine make acid reflux worse?
Caffeine has been reported to relax the lower esophageal sphincter in some people, which may contribute to reflux. Individual responses vary considerably. If you're caffeine-sensitive or have reflux, talk to your doctor.
What's actually in Bare Brew?
Two ingredients: Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. 0g sugar, 20 calories, 320mg caffeine per 12oz can, no additives. That's the whole label. We make no claim about how it will affect your stomach — that varies by person, and we have no data on individual outcomes.
The Bottom Line
If coffee triggers your reflux, the right move is to talk to your doctor — not to switch brands and hope. What cold brewing changes is measurable and narrow: a lower total titratable acidity than hot brewing, with comparable pH.
If you're choosing a cold brew and want the shortest ingredient list, look for minimal ingredients, zero sugar, and no acidic preservatives. Two ingredients beats twenty on transparency, whatever your stomach does with it.
Shop Bare Brew — 2 ingredients, 0g sugar, 20 calories, 320mg of natural caffeine.
