Cold Brew Crawl: 5 Metro Detroit Coffee Shops with Unique Cold Brews

June 27, 2023
Close up photo of cold brew coffee in mason jar

Photo courtesy of Red Hook Coffee

Typically when you think of hot summer days the last thing you want is a nice steamy cup of hot coffee. For most of us coffee lovers, heat added to more heat is unbearable, and we look for alternatives to this overly-warm problem. But there’s a simple solution that has all coffee drinkers rejoicing: cold brew. Cold brew coffee is typically made with a higher concentration of grounds to water, causing it to have a higher concentration of caffeine. Then the coffee is steeped in room-temperature water for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. Cold brew is the perfect coffee treat for summer, and these Metro Detroit coffee shops will have you wanting to create a cold brew crawl from one to the next. 

Madcap Coffee

1413 Farmer Street, Detroit

Madcap Coffee has been around for 15 years and is an area favorite for their delicious coffees. “Founded in 2008, Madcap Coffee Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. We operate our own roastery, as well as several cafes in Michigan. We source each coffee through traceable, direct relationships with producers around the globe. Our team samples and chooses our favorite batches for our roastery, where each coffee is prepared for your enjoyment,” says Alexandra Knaisel, brand spokesperson for Madcap Coffee. While they don’t exclusively offer “cold brew” on their menu, they do have a nitro cold brew which is very similar but smoother, more chocolatey, and brewed with hot water instead of cold water.

Nitro cold brew coffee from Madcap
Photo courtesy of Madcap Coffee

Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters

Detroit, Ferndale, Rochester, Royal Oak

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Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters started back in 2009 as a family business and has now evolved into an award-winning, multi-location stop for coffee, desserts, and entertainment. Their cold brew coffee is actually an ice brew. “Ice brew (or Japanese ice brew method) is a method of iced coffee preparation that allows to still brew with hot water, getting a more dialed-in extraction from the coffee to showcase our coffees better, with a concentrated ratio to displace the ice dilution in the water to coffee ratio.”

Photo courtesy of Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters

Milwaukee Caffe

447 East Milwaukee Avenue, Detroit

Milwaukee Caffe is an Italian-inspired coffee bar where you walk up to the counter, place your order, have a conversation with your barista, and head out. This simple interaction is made to be ritualistic and have you coming back for more day after day. Milwaukee Caffe is a multi-roaster coffee bar, meaning they offer a rotation of coffee beans from a variety of roasters near and far, all of which supports communities. Their simple menu includes a cold brew option for just $4.00. 

Milwaukee Caffe, Detroit
Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Caffe

Red Hook Coffee

Detroit and Ferndale

Red Hook Coffee started in Ferndale and has since opened four more locations around Detroit. They offer a variety of coffee and espresso options, including cold brew. While their coffees are delicious and the cold brew is perfect, you can’t miss their homemade pastries. They have everything from cakes to homemade Pop-Tarts that make the perfect addition to your cup of cold brew.

Red Hook Coffee bottled cold brew
Photo Courtesy of Red Hook Coffee

The Congregation

9321 Rosa Parks Boulevard, Detroit

The Congregation proudly serves coffee, tea, food, and bar beverages from the inside of a church built back in 1924. They have taken great efforts to restore the original building, including all of the original stained glass windows. The Congregation offers a cold brew coffee made with the Sepia Coffee Project Hastings Blend. You can make it a nitro cold brew for a dollar more or add a variety of flavored homemade syrups to enhance the flavor of your drink.

Iced Coffee from The Congregation, Detroit
Photo courtesy of The Congregation

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