# Talk to me about Café Bustelo **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [March 14, 2025, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583 "2025-03-14T23:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/21 "2025-03-16T00:42:16Z")
How do you prepare it? I’ve decided to shy away from trying it for now, the fine grain would wreak havoc with the cold brew canisters I use. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/22 "2025-03-16T01:44:39Z")
I’m pretty sure Bustelo is not the best coffee for cold brew. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/23 "2025-03-16T03:10:08Z")
En mi casa toman Bustelo! I grew up with it. My Puerto Rican grandmother kept cold brew decentered in a restaurant style syrup container. We simmered milk and put the dark, dark lovely stuff into it. Nowadays I dispense with the cup’o milk. It’s cheap and tastes better than many much more expensive coffees. Of course I could have a little bias. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/24 "2025-03-16T03:22:08Z")
Oh, I should have expanded. Mi abuela would grind her own Bustelo at the A&P (I am a very old New Yorker), pack a colador (it’s called a ‘coffee sock’ in English, I believe) with the coffee, sit the colador in the syrup dispenser and then pour boiling water into the sock and let that seep for forever. When cool enough the sock was removed and the dispenser was left on the kitchen table. I don’t do any of that. I just put a bunch in a jar, fill the jar with water and stick the jar in the fridge. Next day strain through sock-- or when I remember or finish a previous jar-- man, I’ve made some strong ass coffee but never anything like that thick rich stuff my grandmother made. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/25 "2025-03-16T03:23:35Z")
We follow the directions on the can and use a glass Chemex pot with a filter. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/26 "2025-03-16T03:36:58Z")
Biggirl !!! Oh my gosh ! 🥰 What a freakin’ treat this is !! We’ve actually shared dinner at a Dopefest ! If your abuela made cold brew with it, that’s good enough for me ! Ahhh. Ya made my day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/27 "2025-03-16T03:39:17Z")
Of course we did. It may have been more than one. That was back in the day when I was a wild and crazy girl! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/28 "2025-03-16T04:11:09Z")
I’m happy you have the Cold brew question answered. Now we know. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/29 "2025-03-21T22:08:04Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Of course we did. It may have been more than one. That was back in the day when I was a wild and crazy girl! Tut tut. You’re still a wild and crazy girl !!! Just…approaching life in a more judicious and seasoned manner. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![frannyor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frannyor/32/20970_2.png) [@frannyor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frannyor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583/30 "2026-03-28T16:06:26Z")
Cafe Bustelo is a blend of arabica and robusta beans. That counts for its unique flavor, and also its higher caffeine content, as robusta beans are higher than caffeine than a arabica. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-cafe-bustelo/1015583.md?page=1)