10 Strongest Coffee Drinks at Starbucks (2024)
If you’ve had a rough night and are looking for a big hit of caffeine, you’ll want to check out this list of the Top 10 Strongest Coffee Drinks at Starbucks. Learn exactly what to order and know how much caffeine is in each option.
Strongest Coffee at Starbucks (Short List)
1. Blonde Roast Drip Coffee: Venti Size, 475 mg
2. Pike Place Roast Drip Coffee: Venti size, 410 mg
3. Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee: Trenta size, 360 mg
4. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso: Venti size, 340 mg
5. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew: Trenta size, 320 mg
6. Iced Caffè Americano: Venti size, 300 mg
7. Espresso: Quad, 300 mg
8. Nitro Cold Brew: Grande size, 280 mg
9. Iced Coffee: Trenta size, 280 mg
10. Iced Caffè Mocha: Venti size, 265 mg
Recommended Caffeine Doses
A typical 8-ounce cup of drip coffee has 95 milligrams of caffeine and a 1-ounce shot of espresso has about 64 milligrams of caffeine. The recommended maximum daily dose caffeine is 400 mg of caffeine.
This amounts to about 2-4 cups of coffee per day. That being said, if you’re pregnant, nursing, a child, or have other health conditions such as high blood pressure or anxiety, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the right amount of caffeine for you.
Side Effects of Caffeine
While there are many benefits to caffeine, there are also potential side effects.
Too much caffeine can cause jitteriness, increased feelings of anxiety, heart palpitations, restlessness, and trouble sleeping. Too much caffeine may also trigger headaches, migraines, or increase blood pressure in some people.
Caffeine and the natural acids in coffee can also affect your digestion and stomach. See my related articles on the Best Low-Acid Coffee at Starbucks and how to reduce heartburn with coffee.
Some medications interact with caffeine so it is best to speak with your doctor if you are on any medications or are experiencing any side effects when you have higher caffeine levels.
Also, please note that caffeine may not be recommended for children or pregnant people.
Ways to Increase Energy Without Caffeine
If you are looking to boost your energy but can’t consume sugary beverages or caffeine, try changing a few habits.
Making sure to eat enough and have balanced meals throughout the day can prevent your blood sugar from dropping. Getting adequate sleep each night can help with sluggishness and tiredness, too. Exercise, even gentle walking in the afternoon, can help boost your energy naturally.
Strongest Coffee at Starbucks (Expanded List)
That said, if you are looking to get the most caffeinated drink at your local Starbucks, then this list is for you! From espresso shots to Blonde roast coffee to coffee beans, find out the strongest drink your money can buy.
1. Blonde Roast Filter
This filter, or drip, coffee packs a surprising bunch – in caffeine! A hot venti (20-ounce) cup has 475 milligrams of caffeine. If you don’t love the taste of black coffee, ask for room for milk and add your favorite milk or dairy alternative.
You can also ask for a pump of vanilla or caramel to sweeten and boost the flavor profile. Or, add your preferred sweetener on your own if you would prefer a less bitter flavor. See the best sugar alternatives.
The blond roast from Starbucks is a lighter roast, which means it has a milder, smooth taste.
2. Pike Place Roast Filter
A 20-ounce cup of Pike Place Roast drip coffee has 410 milligrams of caffeine. This medium roast coffee has a bolder flavor than the light roast.
It’s Starbucks’ original roast and you can find it all around the world in every Starbucks globally. Most Starbucks locations use the Clover brewing system using small batches or single brews using Clover machines.
If you love this flavor hot, try adding just a splash of cream (if you do dairy) and notice how the profile shifts slightly from a strong coffee to a milder flavor. This is one of the most popular of the Starbucks drinks.
3. Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
If you order the trenta (31-ounce) size of the cold brew coffee you’ll consume 360 milligrams of caffeine. This is a great option is you are craving cold drinks with the most caffeine.
Cold brew can be consumed as-is, but flavored cream like Vanilla Cream, Pumpkin Cream (which is seasonal) or salted caramel cream are quite popular to vamp the flavor up!
For no sugar added, splash your favorite dairy or milk alternative to soften this bold flavor. It only comes as iced, but an added jolt of cold may help wake you up if you’re sleepy and need some caffeine intake.
4. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
This iced espresso carries 340 milligrams of caffeine in a 20-ounce venti cup. It has FOUR shots of espresso, six pumps of brown sugar syrup, and it’s made with oat milk.
This drink is dairy-free, but if you want a little less sugar, ask for fewer pumps of the syrup. Between the espresso and the sugar, you’ll surely have a pep in your step after this iced shaken espresso.
5. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
The vanilla sweet cream cold brew has 320 mg of caffeine in the 30-ounce size. It’s made with 4 pumps of vanilla syrup and a splash of vanilla sweet cream.
If you’d like to try this drink but want a lower-sugar option, you can order it with sugar-free vanilla syrup. Or, if you want a dairy-free option, you can order cold brew with four pumps of vanilla syrup and a splash of your favorite non-dairy milk alternative.
6. Iced Caffè Americano Cold Venti
Order a venti (20-ounce) iced caffè Americano and you’ll get 300 mg of caffeine that is sugar-free and dairy-free. It is made with simply four shots of espresso, ice, and water.
If you don’t love the bold, dark flavor of an iced Americano, you can add your preferred sweetener or a splash of your favorite milk to alter the flavor and mellow it out a bit.
7. Quad Espresso
Have you ever ordered regular espresso from Starbucks as-is? A Quad has four shots and 300 milligrams of caffeine.
It’s a bold flavor profile that will definitely jolt you awake morning, noon, and night. It’s a good way to supercharge your consumption because it’s just espresso, no frills.
8. Nitro Cold Brew
The Nitro cold brew is a cold brew coffee pumped up. Literally, it is infused with nitrogen oxide bubbles so that when it’s poured out of the tap it has the foamy froth like a Guinness beer and the process creates a sweeter flavor to the cold brew coffee.
The biggest size it’s available in is Grande (16-ounce) and has 280 milligrams of caffeine. If you want a slightly sweeter cold brew, this one is for you!
9. Iced Coffee
Ah, the classic iced coffee. A 30-ounce trenta size has 280 milligrams of caffeine. This iced coffee is the perfect summer refresher when you want a boost on a hot day.
It is sugar-free and dairy-free, though you can add your preferred sweetener and/or milk option to boost the flavor. I don’t supercharge my caffeine much anymore, but I love the simple, robust flavor this iced coffee offers.
10. Ice Caffè Mocha
A venti has 265 milligrams of caffeine and the iced caffè mocha is made with three shots of espresso, 2% milk, and six pumps of mocha sauce. It’s like buzzy chocolate milk!
Delicious and sweet, it can be made with non-dairy milk if you prefer. If you want the same caffeine boost but less sugar, you can ask for fewer pumps of mocha sauce, too.
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Conclusions
If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up and a boost to your morning coffee, try one of these ten drinks! You can still live your best life if you’re dairy-free, low-sugar, or sugar-free by making simple swaps to any of these drinks to best suit your needs. Put a skip back in your step and enjoy your next extra-strong Starbucks coffee drink.
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.
