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Starbucks offers just about every caffeinated drink you can think of on their rather lengthy menu. However, if you are looking for a real caffeine kick, you need to know what is the strongest coffee at Starbucks. So, in this guide, we’re going to take a look.
So, what’s the strongest coffee at Starbucks? Here’s the definitive guide to what to order, what size, and how many shots to make the strongest possible drink.
The Strongest Coffee at Starbucks
Should you grab a tall Blonde Roast or a can of nitro cold brew? Let’s take a look at how much caffeine you should expect with Starbucks strongest coffee.
Brewed Blonde Roast Coffee
If you’re looking for a hot drink that gives you a lot of energy, Starbucks’ Blonde roasted coffee is the way to go.
No, I don’t mean the blonde espresso (although I won’t knock that – it tastes great). I mean the plain old, brewed blonde roast.
Its caffeine content is higher than that of medium or dark roast coffees because the beans have been roasted less.
During roasting, the caffeine breaks down. Because a light roast has a shorter roasting time, it contains more caffeine than a dark roast.
Unlike the strong flavor of dark roast coffee beans, the blonde roast is light and airy. If you love taking your coffee with milk and sugar, this is the way to go.
Clover Coffee
Clover Coffee is a special coffee-making technique that’s only offered at certain Starbucks stores. However, if you’re looking for a caffeinated coffee, I’d recommend you seek out a store with a Clover machine.
Just like how the roasting process can affect the caffeine content of your coffee, so can the brewing method.
Clover brewed coffee generally has high caffeine content, ranging from 155 mg for a short cup to 470 mg for the Venti size.
The Clover brewing system also creates the strongest iced coffee at Starbucks. These drinks contain 120 mg to 470 mg of caffeine.
So, if you’re looking for a major caffeine boost, I’d recommend you go for a Clover. Bonus points if you get a blonde roast!
Pike Place Brewed Coffee
Pike Place Roast Coffee is a classic Starbucks blend that has been around since 2008. Today, it’s sort of like the McDonald’s breakfast blend – it’s your standard, smooth, medium roast coffee.
The blend is made from coffee beans from Latin America. The medium roast tastes of hazelnut and subtle chocolate. It’s not just a simple cup of coffee, however. It’s also got a fairly high caffeine content!
Your standard cup of Pike Place Roast has about 300mg of caffeine. That’s not as much as a Clover coffee, but it’s still a decent amount of caffeine.
Stronger Than Average Coffee at Starbucks
Our second section is a runner-up in the caffeine marathon: while these drinks won’t keep you buzzed all day long, they’ll still offer a boost to get you through your shift.
Iced Coffee (Plain or Mocha)
Iced coffee offers the best of both worlds: caffeine and sugar. While we can’t recommend this drink for people with heart problems, other drinkers may find this combination irresistible.
Unlike cold brew’s steeping method, iced coffee involves tossing shots over ice. Now that you know how much caffeine a shot of espresso contains, you can adjust the amount easily. Consider adding a drizzle of mocha or a shot of syrup for a sugar high.
- Iced Coffee (two shots) – 140 to 160 mg
- Iced Coffee (three shots) – 210 to 240 mg
- Iced Coffee (quad shot) – 280 to 320 mg
Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha
If the bite of dark, bitter chocolate is more your style, consider the Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha. This recipe is also easy to adjust depending on how many shots you ask for.
The standard recipe comes with three shots of espresso, but you can toss in another one or two to tide you over. The sugar in the chocolate sauce will give you some sugar to pad things out, though sugar highs aren’t as reliable for energy. Whatever suits you best, try this winter delight in hot or cold form.
- Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha (standard) – 210 to 240 mg
Espresso Frappuccino Blended Beverage
Last but not least, we have the beloved Starbucks frappuccino. These drinks are not usually picked up for energy, but for their icy and creamy texture. Nonetheless, we had to put them on the list!
This drink is ideal when you want a reward for your hard work, but are ready to wrap up the day soon. With a basic foundation of ice, milk, and coffee, the frappuccino is highly customizable. This menu item comes with a slew of mouthwatering recipes such as Peppermint Mocha, Sugar Cookie, and Chestnut Praline.
Both the Grande and the Venti come with two shots of espresso.
- Espresso Frappuccino Blended Beverage Tall – 75 to 80 mg
- Espresso Frappuccino Blended Beverage Grande – 140 to 160 mg
- Espresso Frappuccino Blended Beverage Venti – 140 to 160 mg
How to Increase the Caffeine in Your Starbucks Drinks
Alright, alright. You now know what the strongest coffee at Starbucks is. But, how can you make your drinks even more caffeinated?
And, if you’re drinking a latte, is there a way for you to kick the caffeine up a notch without ditching the milky beverage for a boring brewed cup of Joe?
The answer is, yes. Here are a few ways to increase the caffeine in your Starbucks drinks.
Some of us never seem to get enough coffee. If you’re one of the people who prefers the most caffeinated drink from Starbucks. You can use the following tips to increase the amount of caffeine to the level you want.
Add an Extra Shot
The fastest way to increase the caffeine content is to simply add an extra shot of espresso to your coffee. That’s true regardless of whether you’re ordering a latte, frappuccino, or even a cup of brewed coffee!
Each shot of espresso contains around 63mg of caffeine. Sure, that might not be a lot on its own. But, if you add that number to an already caffeinated drink you can give yourself some serious energy boosts.
Always Order Blonde
Starbucks doesn’t just have blonde beans for drip brews. They also have blonde espresso beans that you can use in lattes and cappuccinos.
If you’re wanting to make your drink even more caffeinated, the way to go is to order your drink “blonde”.
All you’re doing is switching out the type of espresso, so it won’t take long to make your drink. Plus, you’ll get that extra kick of caffeine!
Ask for Long Shots
For a highly caffeinated drink at Starbucks, order your drink with a long shot instead of your standard espresso. Long shots contain more caffeine than ristretto or standard espresso shots due to the long extraction time.
If you want to add a bit more caffeine, a good rule of thumb is to ask for your drinks with long shots. You can also get them with the blonde espresso, helping boost the caffeine content even more!
Strongest Coffee at Starbucks – FAQs
Still got a couple of questions about the strongest Starbucks drink? I hear you. Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions about Starbucks and coffee in general
What Type of Coffee is The Strongest?
Arabica coffee beans have an aromatic, milder flavor with little caffeine. Robusta coffee has a more caffeinated, intense, and bitter in taste. If you want strong coffee, look for a Robusta blend.
What Size Drink Is the Strongest?
The larger the drink, the more shots of espresso are in it. However, more milk and sugar are in it as well. In general, the Venti is the strongest size Starbucks you can order.
What Is the Most Popular Starbucks Drink?
There are tons of popular drinks on the Starbucks menu. But, the two most ordered drinks are the vanilla latte and iced white chocolate mocha.
How Do You Order Strong Coffee at Starbucks?
Need a few tips to make your drink a little stronger? We touched on these throughout the article, but for brevity’s sake, try these methods out:
- Add another shot or two of espresso
- Get a pump of syrup
- Add a sprinkle of sugar
- Find a chocolate-sauce-based recipe
- Choose light or light-medium roast coffee
Final Verdict
There are a number of drinks that you can order if you’re looking to increase the caffeine content of your favorite Starbucks drinks.
Whether you order a red eye or just ask for a Venti Blonde roast, I’m confident you’ll wind up with a beverage that packs a powerful punch.
Now that you know what the strongest coffee at Starbucks is, which one will you choose? Let us know in the comments!
