There’s nothing quite as heavenly as having a cold brew coffee in this sweltering heat. I remember having my virgin sip of the drink at Bali with a friend, and we both gave up ordering other types of coffees for the remaining days of our trip.
Packaged like craft beers, in glass bottles of all sorts of shapes and sizes, these hipster concoction that have been skilfully steeped over a long period of time in cold water, will please those who chase after the finer things in life – it takes that much longer to create cold brew coffee.
While the subtle taste of cold brew may have been in the coffee scene for quite some time now, it is only much recently that these little elixirs are starting to sprout more rapidly in cafes — what’s not love when your coffee isn’t made with gimmicky syrup.
I’m not a coffee connoisseur, but if you’re an addict like me, here’s a list I’ve thoroughly enjoyed compiling that will keep you coming back for more.
11. Maison Ikkoku
All hail Maison Ikkoku’s Cold Brew ($7) for being extra fancy and more enthralling. As if the interior of Maison Ikkoku isn’t hipster enough, complete with cabinets on ceiling, wood finishing and well, hipsters themselves, Maison Ikkoku definitely jumps onto the cold brew bandwagon and yes, they’re good at it.
Don’t you ever doubt a place that promises drip coffee from Chemex and Syphon for you know these folks take their dripping business real serious. Albeit acidic and paired with a cute glass of carbonated water, their cold brew is meant to be enjoyed on its own first, before adjusting the taste according to your preferences by the addition of the carbonated water. Real fancy.
Maison Ikkoku Cafe: 20 Kandahar St, Singapore 198885 | Tel: +65 6294 0078 | Website
10. All In Cafe
Exuding a lepak feel, All In Cafe is the first shop you’d see at the row of shophouses at Bali lane. With close to no tables and minimal furnishing, you’re to grab the stools along the corridor, sit back and “relac one corner”, quite literally.
An extended arm from &Why and I Am, which are just a few steps away from each other, All In Cafe specialises in coffees and pastries.
Cold Brew White Coffee ($7.50). Offering both the black and white version, the white brew was enthusiastically recommended by the shop keeper.
It was sweet and chocolatey, and gave a slightly bitter aftertaste from the roasted beans, which was steeped for at least 8 hours daily.
It is contained in a small and slim whisky-like bottle and could be quickly gulped down in a jiffy, which isn’t really value for money, but conveniently sized for takeaways.
All In Cafe: 660 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188797 | Tel : 6295 5509 | Opens daily: 7am – 11pm
9. The Bravery Cafe
Tucked in the quaint neighbourhood of Jalan Besar, The Bravery Cafe serves up not only good food and pancakes, their cold brew will pick you up from a sloppy afternoon.
Cold Brew Black ($6.50). If you like your coffee with a strong acidic aftertaste, The Bravery Cafe’s cold brew black is what you’ll need. It has a citrus undertone and a strong aromatic fragrance from its roasted beans.
While it was refreshing and light, it tasted slightly flat after a couple of sips, as there weren’t any other profile from the drink. The next time you’re there, you could probably trade up your latte for a bottle of cold brew.
The Bravery Cafe: 66 Horne Road, Singapore 209073 | Tel: 9388 2973 | Monday – Friday : 9am – 6pm, Saturday – Sunday: 8am – 7pm (Closed on Tuesday) | Website | Facebook
8. Park Bench Deli
At Park Bench Deli, its sandwiches aren’t only the ones that should take centerstage, the cold brew are a great thirst-quencher to pair with your cheese steak, grilled cheese, and PB&J.
The cold brew comes in black ($7.50) and white ($8.00). The white one tasted amazingly milky and creamy, although the coffee taste is diluted, it is certainly a refreshing drink.
Park Bench Deli: 179 Telok Ayer St, 068627 | Opening Hours: Mon — Fri 9am – 10pm | Tel:+65 6815 4600 | Website
7. The Populus Coffee & Food Co.
Opposite the Cantonment police station, The Populus Coffee & Food Co. is a chic spot home to baristas that take pride in their craft.
Once you walk pass the glass door, you’ll be welcomed with a polished monochromatic-themed interior, accented with wooden and bronze decorations.
White Brew Coffee ($7.50). Brewed together with the coffee, the milk took precedence during the initial few sips, which tasted more like iced latte.
I noticed that cold brew is a little like wine, the longer you allow it to sit, the more it starts to reveal its unique flavours. The white brew coffee became interesting sweeter and creamier after alternating between eating a cake and drinking it, which was enjoyable towards the last few drops.
Cold Drip Coffee ($6). Prepared just like a cold brew, except that it’s served in a glass on ice, the cold drip coffee comes with fruity hints of pineapple and dark chocolate, which gave it a strong bitter aftertaste.
I was told that the beans are from Costa Rica and the acidity came from the stone fruits. Being a lover of black coffee, the bitterness didn’t bother me a bit.
The Populus Coffee & Food Co. : 146 Neil Road, Singapore | Tel: 65 6635 8420 | Monday & Wednesday: 9am – 7pm, Thursday – Friday 9am – 10:30pm, Saturday: 9:30am – 10:30pm, Sunday: 9:30am – 7pm (closed on Tuesday) | Website | Facebook
6. Oriole Coffee + Bar
Along the stretch of eateries, bars and restaurants outside of Pan Pacific Serviced Suites and [email protected], Oriole Coffee + Bar is always crowded after work.
Death Cream ($9.00). Packaged like a bottle of poison, the Death Cream takes you to heaven in an instant. The drink revives an old secret coffee recipe from the 1980s, which comprises of bright tasting vanilla beans, espresso and heaps of cream.
Taisho White ($7.00). Named after the era in Japan in which iced coffee became popular, the Taisho White is mellow and creamy. Makes for a good mid-day coffee break from office meetings.
Oriole Coffee + Bar: 96 Somerset Road, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard,#01-01, Singapore 238163 | Tel: 6238 8348 | Website
5. Habitat Coffee
Green Tea Cold Matcha Coffee ($7). A latest addition to its menu, the matcha cold brew definitely caught my eyes after tasting the regular white and black ones.
Brewed together with the coffee, the drink closely resembles a matcha latte, of which the taste of green tea stood out, slightly overpowering the coffee taste.
Habitat Coffee: 223 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574355 | Tel: 6456 2567 | Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 10:30pm, Saturday – Sunday: 10:30am – 10:30pm (Closed on Monday) | Website | Facebook
4. Dutch Colony Coffee Co.
Being coffee suppliers with freshly roasted beans, you’d be assured that its bottled cold brew coffees are equally as good as its Dutch blend ristretto. The cold brew coffees come in sweetened and unsweetened states.
If you’re lucky, the two retail outlets stock up their seasonal carbonated cold brew, which is sold at limited periods of time. A fizzy twist to your regular cold brews.
Dutch Colony Coffee Co.: PasarBella @ The Grandstand, #02-K67/K68, 200 Turf Club Road, Singapore 287994 | Tel: 65 64670255 OR 113 Frankel Avenue, Singapore 458230 | Tel : 65 64485852 | Website | Facebook
3. Dapper Coffee
Need some magic in your coffee? Look no further, Dapper Coffee is quite clever with their glittery potions of Gold Brew ($10) and if you’re game for something more wacky and non-caffeinated, try out their Unicorn Tears ($10).
The gold brew is made with Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (single origin), and slightly sweetened to enchant you with its looks and flavour.
Dapper Coffee: 73 Amoy Street, Second Floor (Above Alati Restaurant) | Tel: 9005 4790 | Monday – Friday: 8am – 5pm | Website
2. Old Hen Coffee Bar
Old Hen Coffee Bar is a tiny cafe in Rangoon Road, which manages to exude a laid-back charm that takes away the cares of this world while you sit along the benches by the tall window.
It seems like the majority of people like their coffee with milk, almost every cafe recommended their white cold brew, including Old Hen Coffee Bar.
The Cold Brew Coffee Creamy White ($6.50) was in indeed silky smooth and was mildly sweet, close to no acidity or bitter aftertaste was detected. A drink that I would want to have over and over again on a scorching hot day.
Old Hen Coffee Bar: 88 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218374 | Tel: 6341 5458 | Weekdays: 12pm – 10pm, Saturday: 10am – 630pm, Sunday: 10am – 10pm (Closed on Tuesdays) | Website | Facebook
1. Chye Seng Huat Hardware
Chye Seng Huat is no stranger to cafe hoppers. Apart from its classy industrial interior, to the huge coffee rotisseries proudly displayed at the courtyard, both white and black cold brews were brilliant and had its own distinctive characteristics.
Even though the Cold Brew White ($7.50) is lusciously creamy, I didn’t get sick of drinking it. The drink hides notes of vanilla and chocolate, which layers your entire mouth in a sweet buttery coating.
On the other hand, the Cold Brew Coffee ($7) packs a strong floral scent, along with enzymatic lemony zest. Its best to allow the coffee sit in ice for a little while, so as to discover its different underlying tones.
Chye Seng Huat Hardware: 50 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207563 | Tel: 6396 0609 | Tuesday – Sunday: 9am – 12am (Closed on Mondays) | Website | Facebook
