Is The Pink Drink Caffeine Free At Starbucks? No! Here Is How Much It Has!

The question “Is the Pink Drink caffeine free at Starbucks?” is a question that is frequently asked in our cool coffee community on Facebook.

Since I don’t believe in wasting time, I’ll get straight to the point!

The answer to the question posed is, sadly, the Starbucks Pink Drink is not caffeine free as it is lightly caffeinated.

You can order a caffeine-free Pink Drink if you alter your drink or hack the menu; I’ll tell you how later in this article.

Keep reading for the details!

Is The Pink Drink Caffeine Free At Starbucks?

In my opinion, it is always good to know how much caffeine is in drinks in order to manage your intake effectively and to make sure that your children are not hyperactive and a little difficult to manage.

Unfortunately, many people visiting Starbucks make the false assumption that a Starbucks refresher is caffeine free – that is not always the case.

The Starbucks Pink Drink, listed as the Strawberry Acai Refresher is lightly caffeine-free with a similar caffeine per fluid ounce (or per 100 ml) as a can of Coca-Cola with the total caffeine content ranging from 35 mg to 90 mg depending on the size of the drink that you have ordered.

Read: Pink drink caffeine vs coffee

How Much Caffeine Is In Starbucks Pink Drink?

After establishing that there is caffeine in the eye-catching and popular photogenic pink drink, let’s get to detailing how much caffeine is in the popular beverage for the drink sizes that it is sold in:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 35 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 45 mg.
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 70 mg.
• Trenta 30 Oz (900 ml): 90 mg.

The Tall Pink Drink is the equivalent of a can of Coca-Cola while the Grande Pink Drink is the equivalent of a bottle of Coca-Cola of a similar volume.

A Venti Pink Drink has more caffeine than an espresso shot at a local coffee shop and an insignificant amount less than a shot of espresso from Starbucks.

The larger drink size, a Trenta Pink Drink, has 90 mg of caffeine, which is the same as a Short 8 Oz (240 ml) Caffe Mocha.

Can You Order A Pink Drink That Is Caffeine Free At Starbucks?

Yes, but it is an awkward order and removing the ingredient that has the caffeine alters the drink a lot where a bulk of the flavor is gone.

Some big time fans of the drink claim that it is not the same. There are two ways of ordering a caffeine-free Pink Drink at Starbucks for yourself or for your kids.

Let’s get you ordering a caffeine-free Pink Drink.

The first way to ask your barista to make it without the Starbucks VIA Instant Refresher Strawberry Lemonade and to replace that with Hibiscus tea or Passion Tango tea.

The second way is to hack the menu!

Here is how to hack the menu to get a caffeine-free Pink Drink! Order a Passion Tango tea, or Hibiscus tea, and ask for a scoop or two of freeze dried strawberries and a splash of coconut milk.

What Does Pink Drink Taste Like?

The pink drink tastes like heaven if you love coconut and strawberries. It’s fruity, refreshing and some fans of the drink describe it as having an explosion of flavor and delicious taste, which is fair and accurate.

It has a creamy coconut finish and subtle tartness.

If you are apprehensive, order the smallest drink size and try it.

Starbucks Pink Drink Ingredients

Now let’s get to the details of what is in this Starbucks refresher and detail the ingredients that are in a Starbucks Pink Drink.

There are 4 key ingredients, which one, the Strawberry Acai Juice, I’ll talk about in greater detail later.

Here are the four basic ingredients that make up a Starbucks Pink Drink:

• Strawberry Acai Juice.
• Coconut Milk.
• Freeze Dried Acai Juice.
• Ice.

A quick word about the ice. The water is triple filtered and thus is completely safe.

The amount of each ingredient varies depending on the size of the drink. A great example of this is the number of scoops of Strawberries. A Trenta pink drink has a double scoop while all other drink sizes have a single scoop.

Since all drinks can be customized, you can order an extra scoop in any drink size. A cool fact, ordering an extra scoop in your venti pink drink will result in you having the same concentration of strawberries as a tall pink drink.

Knowing this means that you can alter the flavor to suit your needs and preferences. If you want more of a coconut flavor, ask for an extra splash of coconut milk, like wise with strawberries.

Adding extra coconut milk is something I always request and not just because I absolutely love coconut milk.

Because it is incredibly healthy! I love my morning coffee and late night drinks to be as healthy as they can be.

Coconut is hydrating due to the electrolytes which, no matter what time of year, makes it a great drink to have after going all night without consuming any liquid.

It’s also a good argument for enjoying a pink drink on a summer afternoon!

Coconut milk has a great nutritional profile and is high in heart healthy medium chain triglycerides which help to manage cholesterol levels and a lot more health benefits.

What catches my attention is the properties of a compound found in coconut milk called lauric acid and its antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Obviously a good thing to enjoy when flu season comes around.

Let’s get into the details of the juice, the strawberry acai base!

• Green coffee extract.
• Green coffee flavor.
• White Grape Juice Concentrate.
• Water.
• Natural flavors.

It is the strawberry acai base that contains the caffeine content in the form of green coffee extract and green coffee flavor. This is why it is difficult to get a caffeine-free. pink drink without making adjustments to how it is made or by hacking the menu.

Despite containing green coffee extract and flavor, the beverage does not taste at all like coffee. Green coffee is unroasted coffee beans and has a grassy flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Is The Pink Drink Caffeine Free

Does Starbucks Pink Drink Have Caffeine In It?

Yes, the Starbucks strawberry acai refresher has caffeine. It’s lightly caffeinated on a per-volume basis with the caffeine coming from the green coffee extract. The iconic beverage has freeze dried strawberries and creamy coconut milk.

The caffeine content in the smallest drink size option is the Tall 12 Oz (360 ml), which has the same amount of caffeine as a can of Coca-Cola.

Is The Pink Drink Low Caffeine?

Yes, the Strawberry acai refresher is caffeinated and has from 35 mg to 90 mg of caffeine in the beverage. Even though the iconic Starbucks pink drink has 90 mg of caffeine in the largest drink size, it is still low in relation to the 30 Oz (900 ml) serving.

How Much Caffeine Is In Pink Drink Compared To Coffee?

The amount of caffeine in a Starbucks pink drink compared to coffee drinks is as follows:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) Pink Drink: 35 mg caffeine (46% of espresso shot).
• Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) Pink Drink: 45 mg caffeine (60% espresso shot).
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml) Pink Drink: 70 mg (93% espresso shot).
• Trenta 30 Oz (900 ml) Pink Drink: 90 mg (120% espresso shot).

Read: Pink Drink caffeine

What Starbucks Drink Does Not Have Caffeine?

The coffee beverages at Starbucks include their herbal teas, juice drinks, crème Frappuccinos, juice drinks, water, white-hot chocolate and milk steamers.

Do All Starbucks Refreshers Have Caffeine?

Yes, unfortunately, all Starbucks refreshers do contain caffeine. They are lightly caffeinated with a similar amount of caffeine as a can of Coca-Cola in terms of caffeine per fluid ounce or per 100 ml.

What Is The Healthiest Non-Caffeinated Drink At Starbucks?

In my opinion, the healthiest non-caffeinated drink at Starbucks is their Decaffeinated Pike Place brewed coffee, served black as it is sugar-free, fat-free and has only 5 calories!

Can You Just Say Pink Drink At Starbucks?

Yes, if you want to order the famous and iconic Starbucks pink drink you can simply ask your barista for a pink drink. The proper name is the Strawberry acai refresher but if you forget, just say your drink size and pink drink!

How Much Caffeine Can A Pregnant Woman Have?

A pregnant woman can have a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine per day as recommended by the FDA.

Final Thoughts – Is The Pink Drink Caffeine Free?

That question is the Pink Drink caffeine free is answered easily with a single one word answer, no, it is not caffeine free as it contains 35 to 90 milligrams of caffeine.

I hope that you have focused on the little menu hack or alteration to your order to make your Pink Drink 100% caffeine free. If you have other cool Starbucks menu hacks, share them with us!

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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