Starbucks has nitro cold brew on tap at many of their locations, but now you can grab it in a can. We picked up an eight-pack of the Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew online at about $3 per can — cheaper than buying it in-store, but still not exactly cheap for canned coffee. The question is whether the nitro infusion actually delivers a noticeably smoother taste. We cracked one open to find out.
The Pour
The can comes with specific instructions: gently tilt it once, pop it open, and pour into a cold glass for “maximum enjoyment.” Following those steps, the nitro effect is immediately visible — a thin layer of tiny bubbles forms at the top of the glass, but nothing like the aggressive fizz of a carbonated soda. It’s subtle and cascading, more like a draft stout than a soft drink.
The Taste: Black
At only 10 calories per can, this is the unsweetened black version. The aroma is outstanding — rich, strong, and genuinely enjoyable. The coffee itself, though? Served black, there’s a noticeable bitter, slightly burnt taste. It’s not bad, but it’s there. The nitro does make the texture noticeably smoother going down, and the mouthfeel is pleasant. But unless you’re someone who enjoys premium black coffee, the bitterness may be a turnoff.
Drinking straight from the can versus pouring into a glass produces a slightly different experience, though that seems to be more of a textural difference than a flavor one.
The Game Changer: Add Half-and-Half
Here’s where things got interesting. Adding just a small splash of half-and-half transformed the drink entirely. The bitterness faded, the smoothness came to the forefront, and the overall taste became genuinely impressive. That combination — the nitro smoothness plus a touch of cream — produced a coffee we’d happily drink all day.
The Verdict
The nitro infusion does deliver on the smoothness promise, and the aroma is excellent. But served black, the unsweetened version leans too bitter for casual drinking. The fix is easy — a splash of half-and-half or your preferred creamer turns it into something special.
The bigger question is value. At $3 per can, especially when you need to add your own cream at home, the cost adds up quickly. It’s harder to justify as a grab-and-go option when you’re customizing it anyway. But if you’re a coffee lover looking for a smooth, rich, convenient cold brew and you don’t mind the price, it’s worth trying at least once.
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