Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee? The Caffeine Clash!

Read this article and get that question: Does cold brew have more caffeine than iced coffee? Answered in detail with the evidence to back it up!

For those of you that are in a rush, yes, cold brew has more caffeine than iced coffee.

But how much more?

Keep reading to find out!

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee?

That question, does cold brew have more caffeine than iced coffee, is easily answered with an emphatic yes as all drink sizes available for the two beverages result in cold-brewed coffee having a greater amount of caffeine for all of them.

The table below shows you how much caffeine is in all drink sizes for the two drinks.

Iced coffee is brewed coffee, drip coffee with ice added to chill the drink. The perfect coffee to water ratio for brewed coffee is 1:18, while for cold brew it is 1:8, meaning cold brewed coffee uses a greater concentration of coffee, which is where the extra caffeine comes from.

Read: Does nitro cold brew have more caffeine?

How Much Caffeine Is In Cold Brew Starbucks

The amount of caffeine in the cold brew coffee at Starbucks, for all drink sizes available, is as follows:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 155 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 205 mg
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 310 mg.
• Trenta 30 Oz (900 ml): 360 mg.

The details can be cross-referenced with Starbucks own website, where I extracted the details.

How Much Caffeine In Starbucks Cold Brew Vanilla Sweet Cream?

Starbucks vanilla sweet cream cold brew coffee has slightly less caffeine than a regular cold brew coffee as slightly less coffee is used in order for there to be enough space for the vanilla sweet cream.

Here is how much caffeine is in all drink sizes available for this coffee drink:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 140 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 185 mg
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 275 mg.
• Trenta 30 Oz (900 ml): 320 mg.

Details of the caffeine content I extracted from Starbucks own website.

Read: Why does cold brew have more caffeine?

How Much Caffeine In Cold Brew Concentrate?

Starbucks has a very interesting and very tasty cold brew concentrate that is available in a few different flavors.

The flavors available are:

• Cold Brew Concentrate Black.
• Caramel Dolce.
• Madagascar Vanilla.
• Pumpkin Spice.

Madagascar vanilla is delicious, tasty, the vanilla flavor pops more than regular vanilla. This is why I encourage the use of Madagascar vanilla in my vanilla coffee recipes.

What really catches many coffee lovers attention is the pumpkin spice cold brew concentrate flavor.

The amount of caffeine that is a cold brew concentrate is 20% more than regular cold brew coffee with 12 Oz (360 ml) serving having 180 mg of caffeine compared to 150 mg of regular cold brew coffee.

A 16 oz (480 ml) serving has 245 mg of caffeine compared to 205 or regular coffee.

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than A Latte?

Yes, cold brew coffee has more caffeine than a latte. Even though hot coffee brewing results in greater caffeine content and the espresso shot used has a very focused 1:2 coffee to water ratio, the volume of coffee matters a lot when it comes to the total caffeine content of a coffee beverage.

A Latte has 75 mg to 150 mg of caffeine depending on the drink having a single or double shot. A cold brew at the smallest drink size has 155 mg of caffeine, meaning that even the smallest serving has more caffeine than the largest serving of a latte.

A latte typically only has 30 ml (1 oz) to 60 ml (2 Oz) of espresso with the rest made up of milk due to an espresso to milk ratio of 1:2. It’s a very milky drink.

Read: Does cold brew have more caffeine?

Does Iced Coffee Have More Caffeine Than Hot Coffee?

Iced coffee, despite the name, is a hot coffee. It is brewed using a hot brewing method, namely it is drip coffee, often double brewed drip coffee that has been chilled using ice.

It does not start out as cold coffee, unlike cold brew coffee which is brewed with cold water.

Let’s see how it compares with some popular hot brewed coffee drinks.

Iced coffee has more caffeine than most hot coffee drinks, including espresso, which has 75 mg per shot but not more than Pike Place drip coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions About Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee

Is Iced Coffee Stronger Than Cold Brew?

When you compare the caffeine content of an iced coffee and cold brew you will see that for all drink sizes that there is more caffeine in all drink sizes for the cold brew coffee.

Despite the mellow taste, it is stronger in caffeine, which is due to the stronger coffee to water ratio.

Is Cold Brew Coffee Higher In Caffeine?

Yes, cold brew coffee is higher in caffeine in terms of total caffeine content than many other (most other) coffee beverages. The reason is the stronger coffee to water ratio used, which is typically 1:8 and 1:2 for a cold brew concentrate.

It is the high concentration of coffee and the long extraction time that makes cold brew coffee highly caffeinated.

It has more total caffeine, typically than an espresso but not more on a per-ounce basis.

Why Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee?

Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than iced coffee due to the way in which both coffees are brewed.

While hot water is more efficient at extracting caffeine, it is not everything and does not automatically mean that a hot coffee has more caffeine than a cold brewed coffee.

A large contributing factor is how much coffee is used, which is expressed as a ratio, the coffee to water ratio.

Here are the coffee to water ratios of both brewing methods:

• Iced Coffee: 1:17 Ratio.
• Cold Brew Coffee: 1:8 Ratio.

Iced coffee is made with brewed coffee (drip coffee) which is often brewed to the golden ratio of 1:17, but can be made using a ratio of 1:15 for a stronger flavor. Still, it would have less caffeine than a cold brew.

The more focused ratio of a cold brew coffee is why this coffee beverage has more caffeine. In simple terms, it uses more caffeine.

What Has More Caffeine Cold Brew Or Iced Latte?

The amount of caffeine in an iced latte ranges from 75 mg to 225 mg for the tree drink sizes that it is available in. An iced latte, unlike iced coffee, is not made with regular brewed coffee. It is made with 1 to 3 shots of espresso.

Notably, it is a hot coffee that is instantly chilled.

The same three drink sizes of a cold brew coffee have 155 mg to 310 mg of caffeine and have notably more caffeine. Thus, cold brew coffee has more caffeine than an iced coffee.

Why Cold Brew Is Better Than Iced Coffee?

Cold brew is better than iced coffee as it uses cold water to extract the low temperature compounds and time to extract the coffee oils and compounds, which results in a mellow, well-rounded and low acid coffee.

It is a great coffee to enjoy at your local coffee shop on a hot day.

Why Is Cold Brew Healthier?

Cold brew is often considered as healthier as it has a greater concentration of the nutrients, antioxidants, flavonoids and phenolic compounds that are found in coffee.

It also has a lower acidity, up to 60% lower, making it healthier all around and better for people with stomach issues.

Cold brew is also easier to enjoy black with no milk or sugar added, making it a low calorie drink with typically only 5 calories.

Is Starbucks Cold Brew Actually Cold Brew?

Yes, absolutely! The coffee giant, Starbucks, brews their cold brew coffee overnight at room temperature using filtered water.

When they run out, they run out! They need to make another batch. During the summer months, larger quantities are made, and it is made fresh daily.

Cold brew coffee keeps fresh for 5 to 7 days.

Is Cold Brew Easier On Stomach?

Yes, due to the reduced acidity, cold brew coffee may be easier on your stomach than regular coffee, be it hot coffee or iced coffee.

Like all coffee beverages, you can reduce the acidity further by adding half a teaspoon of baking soda and stirring well.

Final Thoughts – Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee

If you have read this far, you know the answer to that central question: does cold brew have more caffeine than iced coffee, and how much more caffeine cold brew has than regular iced coffee.

If you have any questions about this article, or about iced coffee and cold brew simply ask us as we are too happy to help you and answer all your questions.

Join our cool coffee community and tell us about the great new coffee beans that you are trying out, your coffee creations, great recipes and anything coffee related. 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