Bare Brew — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about a clean, high-caffeine canned cold brew. 320mg caffeine. 2 ingredients. Zero sugar. Just coffee.
About Bare Brew
What is Bare Brew?
Bare Brew is a canned cold brew coffee made with only 2 ingredients: 100% Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. Each 12 oz can delivers 320mg of natural caffeine with zero sugar, zero sweeteners, and 20 calories. Bare Brew was founded by Miles, who started the brand to make a clean, high-caffeine canned cold brew. It is available online at drinkbarebrew.com and at select retail locations across Illinois and Michigan.
Who makes Bare Brew cold brew coffee?
Bare Brew is a Chicago-founded coffee company started by Miles. The brand was created to strip cold brew back to its essentials — just real coffee and water, with no sugar, sweeteners, or additives. Bare Brew is independently owned.
What are the ingredients in Bare Brew cold brew?
Bare Brew contains exactly 2 ingredients: 100% Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. There are no added sugars, artificial sweeteners, natural flavors, gums, preservatives, or any other additives. The full ingredient list is: coffee, water. That is it.
How much caffeine is in Bare Brew?
Each 12 oz can of Bare Brew contains 320mg of natural caffeine from coffee. That is approximately 26.7mg of caffeine per fluid ounce, which is roughly 2x more caffeine than most canned cold brews on the market and comparable to about 4 shots of espresso. All of the caffeine in Bare Brew comes naturally from the coffee itself — no synthetic caffeine is added.
Does Bare Brew have sugar?
No. Bare Brew contains 0 grams of sugar and zero artificial or natural sweeteners. It is made with only coffee and water, so there is nothing in the can that could add sugar or sweetness. This makes Bare Brew one of the only canned cold brews with a truly clean label — no sugar, no sucralose, no stevia, no monk fruit.
Where can I buy Bare Brew?
Bare Brew is available online at drinkbarebrew.com with nationwide shipping across the United States. It is also sold at select retail locations across Illinois and Michigan. Shipping is a $8.99 flat rate on every order, and a subscribe-and-save option is available for regular deliveries.
How much does Bare Brew cost?
A 12-pack of Bare Brew costs $53.99, which works out to approximately $4.50 per 12 oz can. Shipping is a $8.99 flat rate on every order. Compared to buying daily cold brews from a coffee shop at $5–$7 each, Bare Brew offers a significant cost savings for a higher-caffeine, cleaner product.
How Bare Brew Compares
Is Bare Brew stronger than Death Wish Coffee cold brew?
Yes, Bare Brew has more total caffeine per can than Death Wish Coffee's canned cold brew. Bare Brew delivers 320mg of caffeine in a 12 oz can, while Death Wish's canned cold brew contains approximately 300mg in an 8 oz can. Death Wish has a higher caffeine concentration per ounce, but Bare Brew delivers more total caffeine per can and does so with only 2 ingredients and zero sugar, while Death Wish's flavored cold brew options contain added sweeteners and other ingredients. For a full breakdown, read our Bare Brew vs Death Wish Coffee comparison.
How does Bare Brew compare to Black Rifle Coffee?
Bare Brew and Black Rifle Coffee take very different approaches to canned coffee. Bare Brew contains 2 ingredients (coffee and water), 320mg caffeine, 0g sugar, and 20 calories in a 12 oz can. Black Rifle Coffee's RTD Espresso Mocha contains 13+ ingredients — including sugar, nonfat ultra-filtered milk, maltodextrin, cellulose gel, and sucralose — with 200mg caffeine and up to 23g of sugar in an 11 oz can. Black Rifle is a solid option for people who enjoy flavored coffee drinks, while Bare Brew is built for people who want nothing but real coffee. For a full breakdown, read our Bare Brew vs Black Rifle Coffee comparison.
What is the difference between Bare Brew and Starbucks cold brew cans?
Bare Brew has significantly more caffeine and far fewer ingredients than Starbucks canned cold brew. A 12 oz Bare Brew has 320mg of caffeine and 2 ingredients, while a Starbucks canned cold brew (Black Unsweetened, 11 oz) has approximately 200mg of caffeine. Starbucks' flavored cold brew options also include sugar, milk, and natural flavors. Bare Brew is the cleaner, stronger option for people who want maximum caffeine with zero additives.
How does Bare Brew's caffeine compare to other canned cold brews?
Bare Brew is one of the strongest canned cold brews available, with 320mg of natural caffeine per 12 oz can. Most mainstream canned cold brews contain between 150–200mg of caffeine per can. What sets Bare Brew apart is that it achieves this high caffeine level using only coffee and water — no added synthetic caffeine, no supplements, and no stimulant blends. See our full canned cold brew caffeine ranking.
How does Bare Brew compare to energy drinks?
Bare Brew delivers more caffeine than most energy drinks with none of the additives. A 12 oz can of Bare Brew has 320mg of caffeine from coffee alone, while a 16 oz Monster Energy has 160mg and a 16 oz Red Bull has 150mg of caffeine. Energy drinks typically contain sugar (up to 54g per can), taurine, artificial flavors, and synthetic caffeine. Bare Brew has only 2 ingredients, zero sugar, and 20 calories — making it a clean alternative for anyone switching from energy drinks to real coffee.
How does Bare Brew compare to Celsius and other fitness energy drinks?
Bare Brew offers a fundamentally different approach than Celsius and fitness energy drinks. Celsius contains 200mg of caffeine along with proprietary blends including green tea extract, guarana, taurine, and artificial sweeteners. Bare Brew contains 320mg of caffeine from a single source — coffee — with zero additives. If you want clean energy from a real food source with no supplements or sweeteners, Bare Brew is the simpler, stronger choice.
What is a clean label cold brew alternative to Black Rifle Coffee?
Bare Brew is a clean label alternative to Black Rifle Coffee's canned RTD products. While Black Rifle's canned espresso drinks contain sugar, milk derivatives, sucralose, maltodextrin, cellulose gum, and carrageenan, Bare Brew contains only 2 ingredients: 100% Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. Bare Brew also delivers 320mg of caffeine compared to Black Rifle's 200mg (standard 11 oz cans) or 300mg (Espresso 300 line in 15 oz cans), all without any sugar or sweeteners.
| Feature | Bare Brew | Black Rifle RTD (11 oz) | Starbucks Cold Brew | Monster Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 320mg | 200mg | ~200mg | 160mg |
| Sugar | 0g | Up to 23g | 0–28g | 54g |
| Calories | 20 | 170 | 0–150 | 210 |
| Ingredients | 2 | 13+ | 3–10+ | 15+ |
| Sweeteners | None | Sugar + Sucralose | Varies | Sugar |
| Can Size | 12 oz | 11 oz | 11 oz | 16 oz |
Cold Brew Education
Why does cold brew have more caffeine than regular coffee?
Cold brew has more caffeine because it uses a longer steeping time and a higher coffee-to-water ratio than standard drip coffee. While hot coffee brews in 3–5 minutes, cold brew steeps for 12–24 hours, allowing more caffeine to extract from the grounds. A typical 12 oz cup of drip coffee has about 120–150mg of caffeine, while a 12 oz Bare Brew cold brew has 320mg. The extended brew time is the primary reason cold brew concentrate is naturally higher in caffeine. For more on how cold brew stacks up, read our ingredient deep dive.
How does cold brew differ from 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 is comparable. Many canned cold brews add sugar, cream, and artificial ingredients. A clean cold brew like Bare Brew — with zero sugar, 20 calories, and only 2 ingredients — keeps the characteristics of the cold brew process intact. If you have a digestive condition, talk to your doctor.
Why does cold brew taste smooth without sugar?
Cold brew tastes smooth because the cold extraction process reduces the acids and bitter compounds found in hot-brewed coffee. Hot water extracts more chlorogenic acids and quinic acids, which create bitterness and sourness. Cold water extracts caffeine and flavor compounds more gently, producing a naturally smoother, slightly sweet-tasting result without any sugar needed. This is why Bare Brew can taste rich and smooth with only coffee and water.
How long does canned cold brew last?
Bare Brew canned cold brew is shelf-stable for 12 months unopened. No refrigeration is required until you are ready to drink it. Once opened, cold brew should be refrigerated and consumed within 3–5 days for the best taste. The shelf stability comes from the canning process itself — no preservatives are needed to keep Bare Brew fresh.
Can you heat up cold brew coffee?
Yes, you can heat up cold brew coffee. Simply pour Bare Brew into a mug and microwave it or warm it on a stovetop. Heating cold brew does not significantly change its caffeine content or smooth flavor profile. Many people prefer heated cold brew over regular hot coffee because it retains the low-acid, smooth characteristics of the cold extraction process even when served warm.
Does cold brew need to be refrigerated?
Bare Brew does not need to be refrigerated while the can is sealed. It is shelf-stable for up to 12 months, so you can store it in your pantry, desk drawer, gym bag, or car. Once opened, refrigerate any unused portion and consume within 3–5 days. Most people drink Bare Brew chilled, but it is completely safe stored at room temperature before opening.
Diet & Health
Is Bare Brew keto friendly?
Each can contains 0g of sugar, 5g of total carbohydrate, and 20 calories. It is made with only coffee and water, so there are no added sugars, sweeteners, or additives. Whether it fits your particular plan is up to you — check with your doctor or dietitian.
How many calories are in Bare Brew?
Bare Brew has 20 calories per 12 oz can. Because it is made with only coffee and water — no sugar, milk, cream, or sweeteners — the calorie count stays low. By comparison, many flavored canned cold brews contain 90–170 calories per can from added sugars and dairy ingredients.
Is 320mg of caffeine safe?
For most healthy adults, 320mg of caffeine is within the safe daily range. The FDA considers up to 400mg of caffeine per day to be generally safe for healthy adults. One can of Bare Brew at 320mg falls within that guideline. However, individual caffeine tolerance varies, and people who are pregnant, nursing, or sensitive to caffeine should consult a healthcare provider. Bare Brew recommends limiting consumption to one can per day.
Is cold brew good for pre-workout?
Caffeine has been shown in research to improve physical performance, increase endurance, and reduce perceived effort during exercise. With 320mg of caffeine, zero sugar, and 20 calories, Bare Brew provides caffeine without the added sugar or artificial ingredients found in most pre-workout supplements and energy drinks.
Is Bare Brew good for intermittent fasting?
Bare Brew has 20 calories and 0g sugar per can, with no sweeteners or additives. Black coffee is widely considered acceptable during fasting windows under many protocols, but whether 20 calories fits your fasting protocol is up to you — check with your doctor.
Does Bare Brew have any artificial ingredients?
No, Bare Brew contains zero artificial ingredients. The complete ingredient list is 100% Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. There are no artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, gums, or stabilizers. Bare Brew is a truly clean label product — what you see on the label is exactly what is in the can.
Does Black Rifle Coffee have sugar?
Yes, most of Black Rifle Coffee's canned RTD (ready-to-drink) products contain sugar. Their Espresso Mocha contains up to 23g of total sugar per 11 oz can, along with sucralose (an artificial sweetener). Their Espresso with Cream also lists sugar and sucralose in the ingredients. Their newer Espresso 300 line (15 oz cans) also contains sugar and sweeteners.
What does Bare Brew taste like?
Bare Brew tastes like rich, smooth, full-bodied black cold brew coffee. Because it is cold-brewed with 100% Honduran Arabica beans, it has a naturally smooth flavor without the bitterness or acidity of hot-brewed coffee. There is no added sweetness or flavor — just clean, bold coffee.
How is Bare Brew shipped?
Bare Brew ships directly to your door in insulated packaging. Orders are packed within 1–2 business days and delivered nationwide in 2–5 business days. All 12-packs ship in protective packaging to keep the cans safe during transit. Shipping is a $8.99 flat rate on every order.
Ready to try a 2-ingredient cold brew?
320mg of caffeine. 2 ingredients. Zero sugar. Zero compromise. Just coffee and water, the way it should be.
Shop Bare Brew
