Cold brew is popular not just because it tastes good, but because it is "hassle-free" - make a batch at a time, keep it in the fridge and drink it for days, anytime, anywhere.

But different scenarios actually call for different beans: the office calls for keeping quality and consistency, camping calls for concentrated flavor that does not go weak over ice, and at home you can pull out all the stops and chase the flavor ceiling. This article goes through three common scenarios and talks about how to stock your beans.

Scenario one: the office, one batch for a week

For office workers drinking cold brew, the key is "peace of mind": ideally make a batch on the weekend, leave it in the office fridge, and drink it anytime on workdays. In this case, choose beans with stable flavor, good keeping quality and low bitterness; brew a batch and drink it over several days without the flavor collapsing.

Qianjie Yirgacheffe Gutingding, with citrus, berries and floral notes, a finish with green tea sweetness, and a soft, bright acidity. Cold brewed it is clean and refreshing, and after two or three days in the fridge the flavor is still there - a worry-free choice for the office staple.

Qianjie Huakui, with prominent tropical fruit aromatics, obvious sweetness and low bitterness, drinks like fruit juice. On an ordinary day, a cup of this and the fruitiness washes away a good deal of fatigue.

As for tips, at the office use a strong 1:10 ratio, then dilute with water or ice as needed when drinking; one batch lasts several days and you control the flavor yourself. Choose a glass airtight jar - it does not pick up off-flavors easily and is easy to clean.

Scenario two: camping outdoors, portable and rugged

When you go out to play, cold brew is a great outdoor drink - make it in advance, pour it into a thermos, and you have icy coffee when you arrive, no boiling water and no gear needed. For the outdoors, choose beans with concentrated flavor that do not go weak over ice and have plenty of fruitiness, so every sip is satisfying.

Qianjie Colombia Sidra, with an intense juice-like character of passion fruit, blueberry and grape woven together, and a high flavor concentration that stays full even over ice - excellent both as iced pour-over and as cold brew.

Qianjie Strawberry Candy cold brew blend, with a strawberry gummy sweetness, plenty of sweetness, and it does not taste thin outdoors whether over ice or diluted with water; it also wins over the friends who come along.

As for tips, outdoors use a high-strength cold brew of 1:8 to 1:10, fill the thermos with ice when you pour it in, and drink it as you go - the more you drink the more refreshing it gets, and it will not weaken as the ice melts.

Scenario three: at home, pulling out all the stops for flavor

At home you have plenty of time, so you can try beans with more refined flavor and drink cold brew with a "specialty" feel.

Qianjie Kenya Little Tomato, from Kenya's Thika region, SL28 and SL34 varieties, light roast, with bright acidity and full juice character of cherry tomato and smoked plum standing out; it drinks like freshly squeezed juice with a clean, long finish. Suited to drinkers who like bright fruit acidity and complex flavors.

Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha, a legendary bean, with jasmine florals plus the delicate flavors of citrus, bergamot and black tea, a clean, transparent mouthfeel and a long sweetness. Only by making it slowly and savoring it slowly at home can you fully appreciate its layers.

As for tips, at home you can try different coffee-to-water ratios and times, for example 1:12 with 18 hours of refrigeration for a more refreshing result than the usual method; you can also make the same bean as both cold brew and iced pour-over to compare the flavors - coffee drinking becomes far more fun.

Bean stocking at a glance for the three scenarios

For the office, choose stable, keeping-quality, low-bitterness beans: Qianjie Yirgacheffe Gutingding or Qianjie Huakui. For camping outdoors, choose concentrated flavor that does not go weak over ice: Qianjie Colombia Sidra or Qianjie Strawberry Candy cold brew blend. For home, chase the flavor ceiling: Qianjie Kenya Little Tomato or Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha.

The charm of cold brew lies in "make once, enjoy anytime", and choosing the right beans lets it shine just right in every scenario. This summer, stock your beans according to your scenario and let cold brew cover a whole summer of coolness.