Every now and then, we’re offered products to review. Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a few offers for CBD products, from chews to beauty products. I’ve not accepted any of them because I’m not particularly interested in CBD (and we do food, not supplements). Then I was offered CBD coffee to try. Calming coffee? The idea made me laugh so that I did want to try.
Calm’s lattes and ground coffee contain CBD, if that’s your thing.
To CBD or not to CBD
CBD – cannabinoid – comes from the cannabis sativa plant but is non-psychoactive. This means no high, no mind-altering effects. It is supposed to be good for depression, anxiety and some pain symptoms, and can also promote good sleep. Calm wants to help you “uplift your energy, focus your mind and relax”.
CBD has been having a bit of a moment with a rise in the number of products available on the market. If you’re interested in CBD, do your research. Look into benefits, potential side effects and what you’re actually buying. There’s a lot of opinion out there: remember to check out the science too.
I decided that I wasn’t likely to consume very much, or very often, so should be fine.
Calm Coffee
I was sent a packet of ground coffee and two cans of oat milk latte. My first taste was the latte over ice. It’s pleasant enough: a straight-up iced latte. I used a lot of ice so it was a little thin but I liked the taste: not too sweet, not to bitter.
Oatmilk latte – with plenty of ice.
It was the ground coffee I was really interested in. I used our Hario Mizudashi cold brew maker and made a batch of cold brew (50 grams coffee to 650 ml water gives about 500 ml – the grounds hold a lot of water). The next morning, I forewent my second cup of lapsang and instead had coffee.
I usually have two cups of tea and one of coffee in a day, compared to the one cup of tea and four cups of coffee I had that day. For me, that was a lot of caffeine. So I got a bit caffeine jittery, but that was to be expected and it wore off by mid-afternoon. I didn’t notice any other effects.
Coldbrew coffee – a very easy drinking, chocolatey, mild-tasting cup.
The packet says flavours of macadamia and milk chocolate, and I agree. In it’s cold-brewed version, the Calm coffee is light and nutty, with a chocolate note. I’d expected to pick up a hint of hemp seed but didn’t, which was good news. It was easy-drinking coffee and I finished the pot before lunch.
Calm
200 grams of Calm Coffee Gourmet Ground Coffee infused with CBD retails for £14.95; the Caffee Latte Oat Milk Cold Brew Coffee cans are £14.95 for six.
