Brian Nagele
The well-known chain of coffee shops, Starbucks, has come to be associated with the much-needed boost of caffeine to get you through the day. Starbucks offers a wide range of beverages, from lattes to frappuccinos, all infused with their distinctive coffee and espresso blends. Their menu is sure to satisfy the needs of any coffee enthusiast. While Starbucks has a wide selection of delicious drinks, those who are addicted to caffeine are looking for those extra-strong blends that give them the best possible boost. We’ll examine the menu items that have the highest caffeine content, from the robust Espresso shots to the complex and energizing Cold Brews.
Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee is one of the most caffeinated Starbucks drinks that Starbucks offers. Cold brew concentrate is a stronger, more concentrated coffee brew; it’s extremely powerful and potent because it is slow-steeped for 20 hours before baristas dilute cold brew concentrate with water. The ratio of cold brew concentrate to water is typically 1:1. When ordering the Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee, I’d recommend adding flavor to help lessen the strong taste. Of course, if you like your coffee without cream or sugar, the cold brew coffee will give you that strong coffee flavor. A 16-ounce Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee has 205 mg of caffeine. Check out our favorite cold brew coffee options at Starbucks to see what flavors to add!
Nitro Cold Brew
While Starbucks’ traditional cold brew is one of the most caffeinated Starbucks drinks, its Nitro Cold Brew packs even more of a caffeine punch. The Nitro Cold Brew is unique because baristas infuse the concentrate with nitrogen. Infusing cold brew concentrate with nitrogen changes the texture and flavor of the concentrate since the nitrogen creates microbubbles. For reference, 16 ounces of the Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee contains 205 mg of caffeine, while the nitro cold brew, in the same size, provides 280 mg of caffeine. If you like cold brew, I highly recommend trying out the nitro version since it has a unique taste and more caffeine.
Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
The Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso adds sweet ingredients to the Starbucks Blonde espresso. The Starbucks Blonde espresso is best described as sweet and smooth, making it the ideal bean for an iced brown sugar espresso. As the name suggests, this caffeinated Starbucks drink is a shaken drink consisting of brown sugar, oat milk, and hints of cinnamon. The Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso is a superb beverage for those needing a sweeter drink containing 255 mg of caffeine. This drink is also one of Starbucks vegan offerings since it uses dairy-free milk.
Iced Coffee
Starbucks’ Iced Coffee is a wonderful way to get your daily caffeine intake. As an iced coffee, it’s less potent than cold brew concentrate but still one of the most caffeinated Starbucks drinks. While I’d drink this iced coffee in any season, its light and refreshing feel make it the best-caffeinated beverage during the summer. Moreover, a Grande 16-ounce cup of Starbucks Iced Coffee provides a quick and refreshing 165 mg of caffeine. You can choose to add additional espresso shots for an extra caffeine kick. Lastly, there are plenty of syrup flavor choices, including seasonal favorites such as peppermint and even a sugar-free option.
Pike Place Roast Filter
The Pike Place Roast Filter is a delicious, self-created coffee made by Starbucks. The Pike Place roast uses a fusion of Latin American coffee beans that Starbucks customers highly appreciate for its roasted, chocolatey, and nutty coffee blend. While the Pike Place roast may not be the most caffeinated drink offered by Starbucks, it’s a nice delicacy and a great choice for those looking for a midday pick-me-up. Most Starbucks locations serve the Pike Place roast around the clock, so I recommend trying this well-rounded blend. You can also get it as a K-cup for your Keurig! A 16-ounce Grande Pike Place roast filter has 310 mg of caffeine.
Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte
The Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte is a deliciously-smooth caffeinated beverage with notes of vanilla. Starbucks Blonde roast coffee is a lighter roast with a shorter roast time. The Blonde roast complements the traditional latte, making the latte lighter in flavor. The steamed milk adds a velvety texture to the delicious blend. A 16-ounce Blonde Vanilla Latte contains 170 mg of caffeine.
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
The Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is one of my favorite drinks of most caffeinated Starbucks. The addition of sweet cream in this drink is absolutely divine. Starbucks’ sweet cream is made in-house and consists of milk, heavy whipping cream, and syrup. The sweet cream and two pumps of vanilla syrup compliment the cold brew by further diluting the strong flavors of the cold brew. A 16-ounce Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew has 185 mg of caffeine.
Caffè Americano (Hot or Iced)
The Starbucks Caffè Americano is your Classic Americano. An Americano consists of espresso shots poured into hot or cold water. Naturally, an Americano is a richer and stronger coffee beverage. A 16-ounce caffè americano has three shots of espresso and 225 mg of caffeine. Of course, you can choose to increase the number of espresso shots added to your beverage to further enhance the depth of this drink’s flavor. If you prefer your coffee strong and black without any additives, like cream and sugar, the Starbucks Caffè Americano is perfect for you.
Blonde Roast Brewed Coffee
The Starbucks Blonde Roast Brewed Coffee is a light-roast drip using Starbucks’ signature Blonde coffee roast. The company’s Blonde Roast uses a fusion of Latin American and East African beans. The blonde roast brewed coffee is my go-to for my morning cup of coffee as it provides the necessary pick-me-up to start my day. A Grande 16-ounce Blonde Roast Brewed Coffee contains 360 milligrams of caffeine, and with several syrup and flavor options, there’s always something I’m in the mood for. My go-to, however, is the classic caramel syrup.
Clover Brewed Coffee
Clover brewed coffee is a single-cup coffee, so, unlike drip coffee, the Clover coffee is individually sold. In other words, Starbucks brews Clover coffee on demand. Starbucks has multiple variations of its Clover brewed coffee, like the Clover Brewed Pike Place Roast, Clover Brewed Gold Coast Blend, Clover Brewed Starbucks Willow Blend, and Clover Brewed Breakfast Blend. Of the clover brewed coffees listed above, its Clover Brewed Gold Coast blend offers the most caffeine. A 16-ounce cup of the Gold Coast blend has 380 mg of caffeine.
Espresso
A shot of Espresso is, arguably, one of the best ways to begin your day. There’s nothing better than drinking a straight shot of strong and potent espresso. Making one shot of espresso requires forcing around one fluid ounce of hot water through the ground coffee and under nine to ten bars of pressure. The Starbucks Espresso is a potent shot of caramelly, rich espresso, and a single shot of espresso packs 75 mg of caffeine. If you’re planning to order a shot of espresso, remember to drink it fast. As a general rule, an espresso shot should only sit out for ten seconds before consuming it or mixing it into a base, like water or milk.
Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
If you like Starbucks nitro cold brew, I highly suggest trying their Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew. The Starbucks Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew is a sweet and delicious twist on Starbucks’ simple Nitro Cold Brew.It doesn’t get better than a honey blend combined with almond milk and nitro cold brew. A 16-ounce Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew has 290 mg of caffeine and ten grams of sugar. A great thing about this caffeinated beverage is watching the almond milk pour into the cup. The flow of the almond milk floating through the nitro cold brew is almost as satisfying as the taste.
Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha
Are any dark chocolate lovers out there? And are there any chocolate lovers looking for a caffeinated beverage with the perfect amount of chocolate and caffeine? If so, the Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha is an absolute must-try. Even if you’re not fond of dark chocolate but don’t mind a sweet drink, this may be your new most caffeinated Starbucks drink. A 16-ounce Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha contains 135 mg of caffeine and 33 grams of sugar. The Starbucks Reserve Espresso is a high-quality coffee only offered at Starbucks Reserve and Roastery locations.