Most canned cold brews hide behind clean-sounding labels. We pulled the actual nutrition panels from seven top-selling brands and lined them up. The differences are bigger than you'd expect.
The Full Comparison Table
Every number below comes from the brand's published nutrition label (per full can or bottle).
| Brand | Size | Caffeine | Calories | Sugar | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bare Brew | 11 oz | 320 mg | 20 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
| RISE Brewing (Original Black) | 7 oz | 180 mg | 10 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
| Chameleon Cold-Brew (Black) | 10 oz | 270 mg | 5 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
| Stok (Unsweetened Black) | 13.7 oz | 145 mg | 10 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
| High Brew (Black & Bold) | 8 oz | 140 mg | 5 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
| La Colombe (Draft Latte) | 9 oz | 120 mg | 110 | 12 g | 5+ (milk, sugar, coffee, water, CO2) |
| Starbucks (Unsweetened Black) | 11 oz | 200 mg | 15 | 0 g | 2 (coffee, water) |
Caffeine Per Ounce: The Real Efficiency Metric
Total caffeine doesn't tell the full story. What matters is how much energy you get per ounce of liquid. Here's the caffeine density ranking:
| Brand | mg per oz |
|---|---|
| Bare Brew | 29.1 mg/oz |
| Chameleon Cold-Brew | 27.0 mg/oz |
| RISE Brewing | 25.7 mg/oz |
| Starbucks | 18.2 mg/oz |
| High Brew | 17.5 mg/oz |
| La Colombe | 13.3 mg/oz |
| Stok | 10.6 mg/oz |
Bare Brew leads at 29.1 mg per ounce. That means one 11 oz can replaces what would take nearly three Stok bottles to match.
What's Actually in the Can
The black cold brews above all list two ingredients: coffee and water. That's where the similarities end.
La Colombe Draft Latte adds milk, sugar, and pressurized CO2 for that nitro texture. It tastes smooth, but 12 grams of sugar per can puts it closer to a dessert than a performance drink. Their Triple Shot version has 175 mg caffeine but still carries 120 calories and 14 g sugar.
High Brew's flavored line (Creamy Cappuccino, Mexican Vanilla) adds milk, cane sugar, and natural flavors. Their Black & Bold stays clean at 2 ingredients, but 140 mg of caffeine in 8 oz is modest.
Stok Unsweetened keeps it simple, but at 10.6 mg per ounce, you're drinking a lot of liquid for relatively little caffeine. Their flavored versions (Mocha, Vanilla) add sweeteners and cream.
The Sugar Problem in "Healthy" Cold Brew
When brands add flavoring, they almost always add sugar. Here's what the flavored versions actually contain:
| Product | Calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| La Colombe S'mores Latte | 170 | 16 g |
| La Colombe Vanilla Draft Latte | 110 | 9 g |
| High Brew Creamy Cappuccino | 130 | 15 g |
| RISE Mocha Latte | 150 | 15 g |
| Stok Mocha | 90 | 15 g |
| Bare Brew (only option) | 20 | 0 g |
Bare Brew doesn't offer flavored versions because the goal was never variety. It was maximum caffeine, minimum everything else.
Price Per Milligram of Caffeine
If you're buying cold brew for the energy, cost-per-milligram is the metric that matters. At typical retail prices:
- Bare Brew: ~$0.009/mg (320 mg for roughly $2.99)
- RISE: ~$0.017/mg (180 mg for roughly $3.00)
- Chameleon: ~$0.013/mg (270 mg for roughly $3.49)
- La Colombe: ~$0.025/mg (120 mg for roughly $2.99)
- Starbucks: ~$0.015/mg (200 mg for roughly $2.99)
Bare Brew delivers more caffeine per dollar than any competitor in this comparison.
Who Each Brand Is For
Bare Brew: If you want the highest caffeine density with zero sugar and two ingredients. Built for people who read labels and optimize inputs.
RISE: Clean ingredients in a smaller format. Good if you want a quick hit but don't need 300+ mg.
Chameleon: Strong caffeine in a clean package. The closest competitor to Bare Brew on caffeine density, but less caffeine per can.
Stok: High volume, low caffeine. Works if you want to sip something all morning but aren't counting milligrams.
High Brew: Compact cans with moderate caffeine. Their flavored line is popular but sugar-heavy.
La Colombe: A treat, not a tool. The Draft Latte is genuinely delicious, but it's 110 calories of dessert coffee.
Starbucks: Widely available and decent caffeine, but you're paying Starbucks pricing for a private-label level product.
The Bottom Line
If you're choosing a canned cold brew based on what's in the can (and what's not), the math is clear. Bare Brew has the highest caffeine per ounce, the lowest cost per milligram, zero sugar, and exactly two ingredients. That's not marketing. It's the label.
