ZUZI

by DelaDela LLC

Review: Zuzi Spiked Cold Brew

Posted: Feb 23, 2021 at 1:17 PM (Last Updated: Feb 24, 2021 at 10:23 AM)
Zuzi Spiked Cold Brew

Covers Products: Spiked Cold Brew

Zuzi Spiked Cold Brew is a hard coffee beverage that is made with a blend of cold brew coffee and neutral grain spirit. The product is 10% ABV and comes in a single variety that is packaged in a 6.76 oz (200ml) can. 

Beyond the neutral grain spirit base, the product uses 100% Arabica coffee beans that are cold brewed to create a bold but smooth coffee flavor. From there, natural flavors and caramel color are added and the product is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit. Zuzi has 149 calories per can and 74mg of caffeine -- roughly the same ounce per ounce as a cup of coffee.

The end result is a flavor that has tons of coffee flavor, a decent amount of burn from the added spirit, and a modest amount of sweetness that borders on tasting indulgent. The flavor definitely works when it’s served chilled, on the rocks or at room temperature -- and consumers can certainly dilute it to help tweak the flavor to their liking. 

One thing that particularly impressed us is how they’ve incorporated the stevia and monk fruit. The product has a very natural tasting sweetness and it’s really only at the finish where you can tell that these sweeteners have been added. They do linger just a bit, but so does the coffee so it’s easy to look past this.

When it comes to branding, Zuzi has done a nice job of creating something that looks like it straddles the coffee and beverage alcohol categories. The choice of a small format immediately says that this is something more potent than a full size beverage. And we like the name, which has a nice ring to it and is easy to remember.

The branding, which features a variety of colorful shapes in the background around a text heavy front panel, is both whimsical and straightforward. We like the use of a brown color palette, as it definitely goes with a coffee-based beverage. The center portion of the front panel is where you’ll find the Zuzi logo and the words “spiked cold brew.” It’s succinct and to the point, while text placed below the logo area gives the consumer a bit more detail about the product including key ingredients and the ABV. 

Overall, we really like what Zuzi has created with their flagship product. We think it both tastes and looks great, and definitely stands up with the growing number of hard cold-brew coffee products that are coming to market.


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