Most Caffeinated Starbucks Drink – Top 10 Ranked!

The single most caffeinated Starbucks drink is their Venti 20 ounce (600 ml) blonde roast brewed coffee. It is a great coffee, particularly if you enjoy filter coffee and light roasts.

But what if you don’t like brewed coffee or light roasts?

Keep reading for a cool list of the top 10 most caffeinated drinks at Starbucks and find one that suits your own personal coffee likes and dislikes.

Most Caffeinated Starbucks Drink – The Top 10 Ranked!

As a warning, the daily maximum amount of caffeine per day as suggested by the Food and Drug Administration is 400 milligrams per day. Most of the drinks on this list have more than this amount; others are fairly close to it with a small chocolate bar, a casual small coffee or a cup of tea will tip you over.

400 milligrams in a single go, a single cup of coffee quickly consumed in half an hour or your lunch hour or on your way to work may very well leave you feeling sick, trembles, shakes, nausea, an upset stomach, anxiety or more.

If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be, forget about all the drinks on this list as your limit, as suggested by the FDA is 200 mg per day.

Let’s start by revealing the most caffeinated Starbucks drink from highest to lowest.

Read: Strongest drink at Starbucks

#1 Venti Blonde Roast Brewed Coffee – 475 Mg

Brewed coffee, good old-fashioned drip coffee in a blonde roast in the venti drink size tops the list of the most caffeinated drink at Starbucks with the equivalent of a shot of espresso over the 400 mg daily recommended limit for caffeine consumption.

This drink, a black coffee that I’d love to describe as a strong black coffee, it simply isn’t, it is a very light black brewed coffee due to being a blonde roast.

If you haven’t tried a brewed coffee without milk and want to start drinking black coffee to enjoy and recognize the unique flavors of single origin coffee, starting with a blonde roast brewed coffee is a good start as it simply does not have the intense flavor that you would associate with a black coffee or indeed a strong coffee.

It’s light, it’s lingering and a pleasant and very clean tasting coffee. If the taste is not to your own liking, you can ask for steamed milk to be added to it. A blonde coffee with oat milk has a great taste and texture.

Vanilla in coffee drinks goes well, we all know that from experience, but it goes incredibly well with light roasts like a blonde coffee.

It’s a strong coffee with 475 mg of caffeine, on the plus side when ordered without syrup, sweetener or any milk added it has only 5 calories and no fat and no sugar.

#2 Venti Clover Brewed Coffee Dark Roast – 470 mg

This beverage is a joint runner-up with only a tiny, insignificant amount of caffeine less than the most caffeinated drink at Starbucks. Neither you nor your body will notice the 5 mg difference.

The dark roast is in contrast to the very light and bright blonde coffee and has the depth of flavor and intensity that you would expect.

Being a clover brewed coffee, you might find this drink is not on the menu at your local Starbucks. To find out which locations have clover coffee, send them a message and ask.

I suspect that only the largest locations in the bigger cities have it. It’s a particular brewing method that is exclusive to Starbucks that is a combination of vacuum and press-based brewing. One of the clear advantages is only a single cup of coffee is brewed at a time, no matter how large or small your drink size.

If you have it in an outlet in your city, try it as you get some of the unique and best flavors in your coffee.

Since it is a highly caffeinated drink, and unless you are seeking a serious caffeine punch, it may be in your best interest to try a smaller drink size due to the high 470 mg of caffeine. Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) and Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) have 280 mg and 380 mg respectively.

#2 Venti Clover Brewed Coffee Reserve Roast – 470 mg

Clover brewed coffee reserve roast is another coffee brewed using their exclusive brewing method which perhaps suggests that this brewing method gives the biggest caffeine boost, based on the concentration of caffeine in their range of clover brewed coffees on their drinks’ menu.

These coffees, hot or cold, contain high amounts of caffeine and also top any list of iced drinks at Starbucks with the highest caffeine content. As an iced coffee, worthy of noting it is also brewed hot with ice added to chill the drink.

Read: What coffee has the most caffeine?

#4 Venti Clover Brewed Coffee Medium Roast – 445 mg

With slightly less caffeine the venti clover brewed coffee medium roast is another clover brewed coffee that makes the top 5 – and it not that last.

With 445 mg of caffeine in the largest drink size, it has more than plenty of caffeine and breaches the 400 milligrams per day caffeine limit.

This, in my own opinion, is one of the better clover brewed coffees with a neat balanced flavor that is not too strong and not too weak and light tasting. With a medium roast you get a nuanced flavor from the coffee beans balanced with flavors brought out by the roasting process.

Even though it is “only” the 4th strongest drink on this list there is more than an ample caffeine kick.

#5 Venti Clover Brewed Coffee Blonde Roast – 425 mg

And there it is, the entire top 5 of the most caffeinated Starbucks drink, with the exemption of the top position, are occupied by this vacuum-press brewing method. Clover brewed coffees clearly have a high amount of caffeine per drink.

Their other drink sizes, would also fill up more places in the top 10, but due to being the same beverage only in a smaller size, they are excluded.

Since it is a blonde roast, you can add almond milk and a pump or two of vanilla syrup for what is a great tasting cup of coffee. Oat milk and coconut milk are great options if steamed milk is not to your suiting.

Changing the type of milk and how you sweeten your coffee has a surprising dramatic effect on how your cup of coffee will taste, which is why I encourage experimentation with different milks, sugars and sweeteners.

Read: Which coffee has the most caffeine?

#6 Venti Pike Place Brewed Coffee – 410 mg

Pike Place roast, often just called Pike Place, is a signature coffee medium roast coffee by Starbucks. Although used for many different coffee drinks including pour over, as a brewed coffee it has in the ample Venti 20 Oz (600 ml) drink size has a caffeine intake of 410 mg which is only just over your 400 mg limit.

It’s subtle, rich flavor with flavors of cocoa and toasted nuts are very enjoyable.

#7 Grande Reserve Nitro Cold Brew Coffee – 400 mg

Bang on the daily maximum caffeine amount per day and no extra caffeine for that day a grande reserve nitro cold brew coffee will keep you to within the suggested maximum amount per day.

While at 7th place, it is the first and highest placed cold coffee or cold drink that is specifically intended to be served cold. If you have never tried a cold brew coffee, give it serious consideration.

Despite being brewed with dark roast coffee beans it is very mellow, very well-balanced and if you have issues with acid reflux, this low acid brewing method is suitable for you.

It is claimed on a few sites that Starbucks cold brew coffee is brewed using a cold brew concentrate, and while many coffee shops do use a cold brew concentrate, Starbucks do, in fact, brew a fresh batch daily at their outlet and do not use a concentrate.

The Nitro cold brew coffee is cold-brewed coffee with nitrogen infused, which makes the drink creamy, rich and sweet. There is no requirement for you to add any milk, cream or anything to make it sweeter or creamier unless you have a particular sweet tooth.

Try it as it is served and try a few sips before requesting milk or sugar. As a cold brew coffee snob, I encourage you to try the coffee as it is before adding anything to alter the flavor or texture.

With 400 milligrams of caffeine and only 5 calories with no fat or sugar, you can consider this as a healthy coffee choice.

#8 Venti Doubleshot On Ice – 375 mg

A Venti doubleshot as standard is made with their signature espresso roast and has a very ample 375 mg of caffeine per drink which can be upped to 425 mg when made with blonde roast espresso shots or a pretty stunning 450 mg if an extra shot was to be ordered.

But at 5 shots of espresso and a blast of caffeine that most people won’t be able to handle there is no need for extra caffeine or an extra shot of anything requesting your drink to be made with blonde roast coffee.

At 375 mg, you are healthily below the FDA’s recommended 400 mg daily caffeine allowance for healthy adults.

The drink as it comes is made with classic syrup and regular steamed milk with the 5 shots pulled and then shaken with ice. A better and tastier option is to request oat milk or almond milk and brown sugar simple syrup.

#9 Trenta Cold Brew Coffee – 360 mg

Cold brew coffee is perfect if you are just not in the mood for or simply don’t enjoy the intense flavor of coffee and find light roast just, well, too light. It’s smooth, light and lingering.

Cold brew coffee is specifically and intentionally made to extract the low temperature compounds and brewed using cold water. While I, at home, use ice cold water and leave my brew to extract while it is in the fridge, Starbucks cold brew is not made in the same way for a few reasons, namely the quantity they need to make and the brewing time.

The colder the water, the longer the extraction time is. Starbucks brew their cold brew at room temperature which is cold enough and produces a great tasting cup of coffee with a reduced brew time.

You can enjoy your cold brew as it is or with sweet cream, vanilla sweet cream cascading beautifully into your drink or with cold foam topping.

#10 Blonde Caffé Americano – 340 mg

A regular caffé Americano made with the same number of shots of espresso still has a very ample caffeine kick with 300 mg of the stimulant. Change the shots to blonde roast, and you end up with 40 mg of extra caffeine and a very different tasting caffé Americano.

Despite being bottom of the list, a blonde caffé Americano is not to be dismissed as a coffee that is weak – far from it! – It has the equivalent of more than four and a half shots of espresso.

What Is The Most Caffeine In A Starbucks Drink?

A quick recap, and let’s get to a clear understanding the strongest hot drink that you can order at Starbucks is the Venti blonde roast brewed coffee which has 475 mg of caffeine.

What about the strongest cold drink on the Starbucks menu?

Well,

Strictly speaking, that too is the Venti blonde roast brewed coffee as you can order this drink in the same size with ice. The most caffeinated cold brew coffee is their tasty, creamy and sweet reserve nitro cold brew coffee with 400 mg of caffeine.

What Is The Most Caffeinated Iced Drink At Starbucks?

While this is often erroneously stated as a Trenta 30 ounce (900 ml) cold brew coffee which has 360 mg of caffeine.

The venti blonde roast brewed coffee with ice has 475 mg and has a higher caffeine content as do all the clover brewed coffees which range from 425 to 470 mg of caffeine.

Of course the Grande reserve nitro cold brew and the Venti doubleshot on ice both have more caffeine too with 400 mg and 375 mg respectively, which puts to rest the myth or urban legend that the trenta cold brew coffee is the cold coffee or iced drink that has the highest caffeine content.

Frequently Asked Questions About Most Caffeinated Starbucks Drinks

What Is Starbucks Strongest Tasting Coffee?

The strongest tasting coffee at Starbucks is their Italian roast. It’s not the most caffeinated by a long way. Strong tasting coffee and a lot of caffeine are not necessarily the same thing as dark roasts are the ones that produce the strongest, boldest and most intense flavor.

But,

it is the lighter roasts that have a greater caffeine content. Now that I have identified the strongest tasting coffee, Starbucks Italian roast. But what about the drink to make with the Italian roast?

By far a ristretto is the strongest tasting coffee drink as it is an intense tasting coffee drink as it is an intense espresso made with a 1:1 ratio of coffee to water. Thus, a ristretto made with an Italian roast will taste very strong.

What Drink Keeps You Awake The Longest?

The drink that will keep you awake the longest in my opinion is a large highly caffeinated coffee. If you sip at it and drink it slowly, you’ll end up with a long and sustained caffeine kick.

Starbucks blonde roast brewed coffee in their venti, 20 Oz (600 ml) has 475 mg of caffeine. Enjoy it hot or with ice.

What Coffee Has Most Caffeine?

The type of coffee that has the most caffeine is a robusta coffee bean. On average, a robusta coffee bean has 2.2 to 2.7 more caffeine than an Arabica coffee bean.

This, though, does not automatically mean that a cup of coffee made with robusta coffee beans has more caffeine as there are multiple factors and variables including brewing temperature, brewing method, brew time, coffee to water ratio used and more.

How Many Shots Of Espresso Is Too Much?

400 milligrams of caffeine is the recommended limit per day for healthy men and women and 200 milligrams for pregnant ladies. The average shot of espresso has 75 milligrams of caffeine in a single shot. 5 x 75 mg = 375 milligrams; and thus 5 shots of caffeine is the most that you can safely have in a single day. 6 shots would take you 50 mg over the caffeine limit.

Even if you have a high caffeine tolerance, please respect the 400 mg per day limit.

Whats The Best Drink For An All Nighter?

The best drink for an all all nighter be it for work or study is to ensure that you have plenty of water to keep you hydrated. If it is caffeine that you need to keep you going, a good well-made mocha is best as the caffeine boost is ample with the chocolate taking the edge off of the stimulation and averting anxiety and aiding concentration. 

What’s A Strong But Sweet Coffee At Starbucks?

A well-made cordusio mocha is sweet, strong and highly caffeinated. The chocolate will help to prevent anxiety attacks from the caffeine stimulation. There is a good strong balanced flavor of coffee, chocolate and milk.

Final Thoughts – Most Caffeinated Starbucks Drink

If you have read this far, you know what the most caffeinated Starbucks drink is and what makes their top 10 in terms of sheer caffeine content and found one that suits your own personal likes and dislikes.

Join our cool coffee community and take part in the conversation and let us know what your favorite highly caffeinated coffee drink at Starbucks is. Find us on Facebook/Meta.

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location