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The strongest coffee at Starbucks: What to order for an extra caffeine kick

What to order when you need something strong

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From sleepless nights to long working hours, we’ve all had those times when a single cup of coffee won’t cut it. Especially for coffee drinkers who have built up a tolerance to caffeine, there’s a time and a place for ordering something bolder than a regular cup of coffee. A standard cup of coffee contains about 80 mg of caffeine, but many of Starbucks’ specialty beverages contain far more caffeine.

Are you scouring the menu for the strongest coffee at Starbucks? Here’s how to place a strong and bold order. These top Starbucks drinks are packed with caffeine for those rough mornings.

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Strongest coffee at Starbucks: Hot beverages

Starbucks cup
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When ordering the strongest coffee at Starbucks, you’ve got options. We’ve broken down the strongest coffees at Starbucks into two categories: hot and cold. While espresso shots contain more caffeine per ounce than brewed coffee, the difference in serving size means Starbucks’ brewed coffees generally contain more caffeine per cup than espresso-based beverages.

Starbucks Blonde Roast brewed coffee

Among all coffee roasts, light roast (also known as blonde roast) contains the most caffeine. This is because the beans are roasted shorter than dark roast coffee, allowing them to retain the most caffeine. Order a brewed coffee in the blonde roast for the strongest coffee at Starbucks.

A grande-sized order (16 ounces) of this coffee contains about 360 mg of caffeine. This coffee can also be ordered in a venti size, packing in over 400 mg of caffeine in just one cup. Typically, Starbucks only brews blonde roast in the morning up until noon. However, anytime you can still order blonde roast coffee, made as a pour-over coffee.

Even on those mornings when you need something ultra strong, don’t forget to be mindful about consuming too much caffeine in one day. The FDA recommends that adults consume no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day — which the venti size of the Starbucks Blonde Roast already exceeds.

Starbucks Pike Place brewed coffee

Close behind the Blonde Roast in second place is Starbucks’ beloved medium roast coffee, the Pike Place blend. If you don’t love the light taste of a blonde roast, this medium roast is a bit more of a full-bodied flavor and still contains quite a bit of caffeine. A grande-sized order of Pike Place contains 310 mg of caffeine per cup, and a venti contains 410 mg of caffeine per cup.

Starbucks dark roast brewed coffee

Last but not least is Starbucks’ dark roast blend of hot-brewed coffees. The longer roasting time removes some of the caffeine from this roast, yet a grande-sized order still contains 260 mg of caffeine per cup. A venti order has 340 mg of caffeine. Starbucks’ dark roast coffee is known for having a fuller-bodied, robust, bold taste. Although dark roast is not the strongest in terms of caffeine content, it is the strongest brewed coffee offered at Starbucks in terms of flavor profile.

Americano

Starbucks’ Americano is among the strongest espresso-based drinks the chain offers. Made with just water and espresso shots, a grande-sized order of an Americano coffee contains 225 mg of caffeine, and a venti contains 300 mg of caffeine.

Cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos

While not necessarily the strongest drinks at Starbucks, creamy-based espresso drinks still contain a solid amount of caffeine. If you want something indulgent and frothy, a grande-sized cappuccino, latte, or macchiato, each contains about 150 mg of caffeine, while a venti size contains 225 mg.

Strongest cold coffees

Starbucks iced coffee
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Starbucks’ cold coffee contains less caffeine than many of the hot options. However, cold coffee lovers can still enjoy several orders containing over 200 mg of caffeine per cup.

Nitro Cold Brew

Slow-steeped for a super-smooth taste, Starbucks’ Nitro Cold Brew is a popular favorite among cold coffee lovers. The nitrogen infusion through brewing on tap creates a sweet flavor without sugar. Nitro Cold Brew also contains more caffeine than regular cold brew, with 215 mg of caffeine in a tall size and 280 mg in the grande size. Unlike cold brew, Nitro Cold Brew is unavailable in larger sizes than a grande.

Cold brew

Regular cold brew may not contain as much caffeine as Nitro Cold Brew in terms of tall and grande sizes, yet it can contain more caffeine when ordered in larger sizes. A venti cold brew contains 310 mg of caffeine, and a trenta size contains 360 mg of caffeine.

Iced coffee

Starbucks’ iced coffee contains slightly less caffeine than cold brew, but is still a great option for a morning pick-me-up. A grande order contains around 165 mg of caffeine with venti and trenta sizes at 235 and 285 mg, respectively.

Is ordering a shot of espresso a better idea?

Espresso cup
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Starbucks also offers a blonde espresso shot containing about 85 mg of caffeine. If you want something super strong without much volume, order a quad espresso (four shots). A quad espresso contains around 340 mg of caffeine per cup, which is still not as strong as the Starbucks Blonde Roast brewed coffee. On the flip side, however, you can drink the quad espresso shots much faster than a 20-ounce venti coffee.

Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving… Read Full Bio
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