There’s no way around it, canned coffee is going to be sweeter than true bean heads are used to. It’s also cold by default, and if that doesn’t sound nearly as appealing to you as a steaming hot cup of Joe sans milk in the morning, you’ve arrived in the wrong place.
Both iced coffee and canned coffee were pioneered in Japan following the Second World War. Tadao Ueshima, otherwise referred to as the ‘Father of Coffee’, ushered in a new era of caffeinated culture in 1969 when he pioneered the ‘ready-to-drink’ coffee movement.
Convenience is the priority in Japan, and the invention of commercially available canned coffee worked perfectly with the quickly developing fast-paced lifestyle in the country’s major cities.
Though small, dark and comforting coffee houses known as Kissaten had been perfecting brews and blends in the interim years, it was Ueshima who democratised and commercialised coffee on the scale that we experience it today in Japan and across the globe.
Part of this involved the creation of a classic, uber-refreshing glass of iced coffee, made ready-to-drink by the introduction of cold brew cans sold in convenience stores which promised a convenient and inexpensive caffeine fix for those who don’t have the time to make a proper brew, or even a cup of instant coffee.
In Japan today, you can even enjoy hot canned coffee straight from vending machines and add your own sweetener, milk or creamer to taste rather than having it premixed. Likely due to the preservatives required to maintain a long shelf life, most canned coffees across Europe and the US continue to have a distinctly sweet taste, which is one of the reasons it's not as popular among coffee obsessives in the Western world.
Nevertheless, if you belong to the group of convenience-orientated individuals who like a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down – we’ve got you covered. Keep scrolling for the best canned coffees for a delicious caffeine fix, available in the UK. Iced coffee season is never over.
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Suntory BOSS Rainbow Mountain Blend Instant Coffee Drinks
Though Ueshima was the first coffee company to bring instant, canned coffee to market, Suntory BOSS instant coffees are a convenience store staple beloved across Japan. The Rainbow Mountain Blend can is typically enjoyed either over ice or heated up in the microwave. Fans of the classic drink credit it with a smooth, not overly sweet taste. It’s made with a complex variety of seven beans with a splash of milk and a sprinkling of sweetness.
Buy now £18.95, Amazon
Grind Iced Coffee Cans
With the largest range of ready-to-drink canned coffee available in the UK, the beloved baby pink coffee roasters are sure to have an option that tickles your fancy.
Grind has developed four different canned coffees, each featuring the brand’s signature House Blend slow-steeped in cold water. Flavours and blends include an iced flat white (one with oat milk, one with regular milk), an iced black coffee, an iced caramel latte and an iced vanilla oat latte.
Buy now £16.00, Grind
Origin Cold Brew Coffee Cans (4 pack)
Packaged in a sleek and sophisticated matte black can, Origin’s Cold Brew Coffee Cans feature slow-steeped single-origin coffee which is wonderfully rich in flavour. It’s a washed coffee ‘sourced from the volcanic slopes of Mount Kerinici, Indonesia’ which is described as having vibrant notes of damson plum, cherry and caramel.
Buy now £15.00, Origin
Ueshima Iced Latte
Uber smooth, perfectly sweet and ridiculously refreshing when enjoyed over ice, Ueshima’s Iced Latte has hints of smooth chocolate and toffee – perfect for those with a penchant for the finer things in life.
Price for 12.
Buy now £21.74, Amazon
illy Classico Cold Brew Ready to Drink Iced Coffee
Crafted with 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans, illy’s Classico Cold Brew is an instantly refreshing treat. It’s a medium roast which has been cold brewed for 12 hours, making it slightly stronger than other canned cold brews on the market – though it still has a sweet, chocolate-tinged aftertaste.Price for 12.
Buy now £2.50, Amazon
Chamberlain Coffee Oat Milk Mocha Latte
Queen of Coffee Emma Chamberlain’s brand is a cult-favourite in the States, but can be difficult to get your hands on in the UK. Luckily, Healf sells Chamberlain Coffee’s beloved canned lattes. The Oat Milk Mocha Latte is more of a chocolatey milkshake than a coffee, but it’s delicious and provides a much-needed morning caffeine boost.
Buy now £3.99, Healf
Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso
A supermarket classic, the Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso is a Meal Deal saviour for most. This newer version of the canned coffee has no added sugar, but still has a wonderful caramel aftertaste.
Buy now £22.99, Amazon
Lost Sheep Coffee Ready To Drink - Iced Tasterpack
With less than 85 calories per can, it’s a wonder that the canned drinks from Lost Sheep Coffee taste so delicious. The mocha is a chocolatey delight with a strong coffee aftertaste, while the latte tastes just like one from a coffee shop. We just wish they made one with oat milk.
Buy now £8.00, Lost Sheep Coffee
