It was a cold, overcast San Francisco day that I set out looking for Mary Joe CBD Cold Brew Coffee. As the epicenter of hippy-dippy, organic, vegan, wellness-obsessed culture, San Francisco must be the easiest place to find CBD, right?
Hell, the drinking fountains are probably CBD-infused and sourced from an artesian spring in the Swiss Alps.
WELL. As someone who has religiously sought out all manner of CBD-infused drinks and foods in San Francisco, I can attest that they’re harder to find than you might think.
Why? Over the summer, San Francisco officials started enforcing an FDA ban on CBD-infused drinks or edibles. Letters were sent informing businesses that they had to stop selling them. So now, with a few exceptions, San Francisco is a ghost town for CBD-infused products.
This story (er, review) is about one of the exceptions.
I’d heard that someone saw a “Buy CBD here” sign outside of an extremely upscale popup clothing boutique that sells $500 jackets. Reportedly, there were CBD coffees to be found. And, lo and behold, in the corner of this store, tucked behind rows of pants that cost more than my house, in a small mini-fridge, I came across the holy grail: Mary Joe CBD Cold Brew Coffee.
This is one of the very few CBD cold brew coffee brands on the market (we reviewed another, Somatik coffee, here).
I’d contemplated buying a 4-pack of these online but was deterred by the $23490238492034890 cost (okay, they were $32 for a 4-pack; $8/each — but still!). Turns out I missed out on the deal of a lifetime, cause they were selling for $10 a pop in this store.
I bought one for my girlfriend, one for my immediate consumption, and one for photography purposes. With no further adieu, here is our review.
Background: Who is Mary Joe?
So who is this “Mary Joe” and why should I trust her with my CBD coffee? Turns out Mary Joe is the brainchild of a couple of SoCal surfer dudes and cannabis enthusiasts with a bright idea: mix the calming, focus-enhancing stimulation of CBD with the more vigorous powerup you get from coffee.
Since they’re a relatively new kid on the beverage block, there isn’t a ton of background info on Mary Joe. So we’re gonna have to let their product speak for itself.
Mary Joe CBD Coffee Review
Taste Score: 8/10
Does the drink taste bueno or no bueno?
Let me get one thing straight: I know cold brew coffee. I’ve sampled many of San Francisco’s finest cold brews. I frequently spend more money on cold brew coffee than I do on breakfast or lunch. I know cold brew coffee.
So how does this Mary Joe square up? I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I’ll say this: the stuff is strong, man. It tasted closer to a cold brew concentrate to me than a regular cold brew. I got a very dark cherry vibe, though on the whole the taste was closer to a nice medium roast. It’s the kind of cold brew you can sip on for a good long while; you only need a small sip to get full-bodied taste. It’s complex and unique. Good stuff!
Value Score: 7/10
How much CBD bang are you getting for your buck?
These retail at $8/each! Must be a lot of dough floating around in the surfer community. And again, I paid $10 for the ones I found. Mary Joe CBD coffee clocks in at 15mg of CBD. They use full-spectrum CBD, which is a big plus, but 15mg of CBD for $8 is not the greatest value.
At the same time, regular cold brew coffees DO tend to cost $4-5, so $8 for a CBD-infused cold brew isn’t totally outside the realm of reasonableness. But if you’re looking for a strong, therapeutic dose at a decent value, look elsewhere.
Health score: 9/10
How committed is this brand to health and wellness? We look at all the ingredients.
Mary Joe uses organic coffee beans, purified water, and lab-tested, full-spectrum CBD. Organic coffee is pretty healthy, as is CBD; combine the two and voila, you should have quite the health-sustaining beverage.
Relief Score: 8/10
Many of us consume CBD to relieve ailments. Does this product provide effective relief?
We found these drinks pleasantly relieving, especially at the beginning when both the CBD and caffeine start to hit. “Coffee without the jitters” is more or less how Mary Joe coffee has been advertised, and we found it generally to be true. However, we both agreed the caffeine somewhat overpowered the CBD experience on the back end. A slightly higher CBD dose may have been nice.
X-Factor: 9/10
What makes this drink special? Does it promote productivity or focus? Does it get one “lit”?
Let’s get back to the beginning of the experience for a sec: it’s pretty dope.
We both felt a surge of positive energy after we’d sipped on the coffee for a few minutes. This energy held for a good long while, as well. I don’t know how much of that is just simultaneously satisfying two daily addictions at once (for me, at least), but this is the kind of drink you want if you’re seeking anxiety relief yet also need to get some serious shit done. It cultivates an energetic, positive mental space. Again, good stuff!
Final Verdict: 8.1/10
Let’s put it all together: what’s our overall take on this drink?
So there are things we dislike about these drinks: the gnarly price point and the middling amount of CBD, in particular. Why the 8.1/10 score? Because, in truth we’re over the moon about CBD cold brew, and Mary Joe is probably the most prominent CBD cold brew brand currently on the market.
Mary Joe uses quality ingredients, their coffee tastes good, and it feels great (though a little intense on the back-end). If you happen to see it in a gold-plated cooler in the lounge of a five-star hotel, give it a shot!
Where can you buy Mary Joe CBD infused Coffee brand?
If you aren’t immediately aware of (or lack access to) any upscale popup clothing boutiques with secretive stashes of Mary Joe CBD Coffee, there’s still hope — for both online and physical retail purchases.
Retail
A brand originating in Southern California, Mary Joe is currently only sold in major California cities, including San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Here’s a complete list of all Mary Joe CBD retailers.
Online
You can also buy Mary Joe CBD Cold Brew Coffee at their official website, in either a 4-pack ($32) or an 8-pack ($64).
