Which are the Strongest Coffees at Starbucks by Type? (+ Chart)

Sometimes we just need a beverage that will get us going as fast as possible.

At some point, we’ve all wondered what is the strongest caffeine drink that one could get at Starbucks.

So I did some digging and found the most caffeinated versions of each Starbucks coffee by type.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for something cold or hot – I made sure to include both iced and warm beverages that will energize you.

So let’s get started.

Which is the strongest coffee drink at Starbucks?

The strongest coffee at Starbucks is made with the Clover Brewing System.

Depending on the used coffee blend, the caffeine content in a Clover coffee varies between 155 and 190 mg for a short cup, 255 to 280 mg for a tall cup, 340 to 380 mg for a grande cup, and 425 to 470 mg for a venti cup.

Furthermore, The iced Clover drinks are the most caffeinated cold drinks on the Starbucks menu.

A tall cup of those contains between 120 and 280 mg of caffeine, a grande cup – 160 to 380 mg, and a venti cup – 235 to 470 mg.

Nevertheless, the Clover brewing system is not readily available in all Starbucks shops.

If such a machine isn’t present in your local Starbucks, you can get a cold brew coffee, which is the strongest alternative to a Clover coffee.

By having a tall cup of cold brew you will consume between 140 and 215 mg of caffeine.

If you go for a grande cold brew you will get 185 to 310 mg of caffeine, whereas a venti will contain 275 to 310 mg, and a Trenta cup will have between 320 and 360 mg of caffeine.

If you’re not a fan of cold brew, I made sure to include the most caffeinated versions of each drink type in the following overview chart.

Here are the strongest coffee beverages at Starbucks by type:

As you can see on the table, some of the drinks contain more than 350 mg of caffeine in just a single cup.

You should be aware that according to the FDA a healthy individual shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.

So please, even if you’re trying to quickly wake up and get yourself going, make sure you opt for a smaller serving size.

It’s better to stay away from the long-term harm that high caffeine consumption may potentially cause.

It’s also worth noting that you can have your drink’s original recipe tweaked by asking the Starbucks barista to add another espresso shot and further boost the strength of the drink you order.

Most of the stronger coffees at Starbucks have a bold taste, but if you don’t like that you could also easily add flavored syrup, sauce, or some kind of topping to your drink, according to your taste.

With that being said, let’s get started with the reviews of some of the most caffeinated coffee drinks at Starbucks.

1. Espresso Roast Clover – 380 mg of caffeine, grande

*The following Clover drinks have just as much caffeine as the Espresso Roast Clover:

• Clover Brewed® Gold Coast Blend
• French Roast Clover®
• Italian Roast Clover®
• Komodo Dragon Clover®
• Sumatra Clover®

A cup of Joe made with a Clover machine is not only the most caffeinated at Starbucks but it’s also very delicious.

Even if you aren’t a fan of having yours black, you will most likely enjoy the taste of this coffee without adding anything to it. This is because of the brewing precision the Clover system provides.

A barista can dial in the optimal temperature and brew time required for the perfect extraction.

The aforementioned coffee blends that are used in this sophisticated maker are of good quality and each has its own flavor profile that even the passionate coffee enthusiast may appreciate.

The Espresso Roast blend is made with darkly-roasted beans that produce a rich and bold cup of coffee.

You can try out other blends such as the French Roast or the Sumatra Clover. They have different flavor profiles but all are still very strong.

The high caffeine content is achieved through the higher amount of ground beans that are used – 40 grams (1.4 oz) of coffee grounds are used to make a tall 12 fl. oz. Clover cup at Starbucks. This is double the amount compared to other coffee drinks made there.

Overall a cup of Clover coffee will definitely give you the needed caffeine kick and instantly wake you up, without you having to ingest extra calories.

I would recommend going for a short cup though, as the larger options may have you a bit too jittery.

2. Iced Espresso Roast Clover – 380 mg of caffeine, grande

*There are other cold Clover drinks that have just as much caffeine content as the Iced Espresso Roast one. These are the Iced:

• Caffè Verona Clover®
• Clover Brewed® Breakfast Blend
• Jamaica Blue Mountain Clover® Starbucks Reserve®
• Ethiopia Clover®
• French Roast Clover®
• Clover Brewed® Gold Coast Blend
• Guatemala Antigua Clover®
• Clover Brewed® Italian Roast
• Clover Brewed® Kenya
• Komodo Dragon Clover®
• Pike Place Roast Clover®
• Organic Yukon Blend Clover®

For those of you who are in search of the most caffeinated iced Starbucks drink, get yourself an iced Clover.

You can choose from a large variety of differently roasted blends. Again, no sediment, precise extraction process, delicious coffee, but this time – a refreshing cold drink.

If there’s a Clover brewing system at your local Starbucks, order one of these well-caffeinated cups to quickly boost your energy levels.

It’s also worth noting that this machine costs $11 000. So get a Clover coffee if you want to find out how you would feel after having a cup made in such an expensive device.

3. Cold Brew – 205 mg of caffeine, grande

*You can also order a tall, grande, venti, or a trenta cup of Starbucks’ Cold Brew coffee with Milk and you’ll get a drink with the same amount of caffeine. The milk they usually add is 2%, but you can replace it with a whole milk, nonfat, breve, or another plant-based alternative.

The Cold Brew coffee at Starbucks is a drink that’s high in caffeine. Hot water isn’t used throughout the process of brewing. The ground beans are steeped in cold water for 20 hours. The coffee oils and caffeine are slowly extracted, resulting in a smooth yet rich cup of Joe.

The coffee is served over ice, and you can even get a large Trenta cup (30 fl. oz., 887 ml.) that contains the impressive 360 mg of caffeine.

So the Starbucks cold brew drink is definitely one of the best options you have when it comes to boosting your energy levels quickly.

Related Posts:

• Does Cold Brew Coffee Have More Caffeine
• How to Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home?
• Hot Cold Brew Coffee

4. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew – 185 mg of caffeine in a grande serving

The Vanilla Sweet Cream cold brew is another very caffeinated iced beverage that’s pretty similar to the previous entry.

If you order it, you will get a cup of iced cold brew coffee, sweetened with a few pumps of vanilla syrup and a splash of sweetened vanilla-flavored cream.

5. Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew – 185 mg of caffeine in a grande serving

The Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew is sweetened with caramel syrup and topped with a tasty salted vanilla cream foam.

6. Nitro Cold Brew – 280 mg of caffeine, grande cup

*The Starbucks Reserve® Nitro Cold Brew contains the same amount of caffeine.

This is a nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee, that has more texture and a creamy mouthfeel.

Your cup will be topped off with a layer of cold foam that makes the experience of drinking this beverage quite unique.

Many beer lovers enjoy having the Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew because it reminds them of their favorite drink.

Overall the Nitro Cold brew is not only smooth and tasty, but it’s also strong in terms of caffeine.

You can’t get it in a venti cup, but a grande will definitely give you the kick you need.

7. Salted Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew

This is the exact same strong iced coffee drink as the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, but made with Nitro Cold Brew instead of a regular one.

7. Blonde Roast – 360 mg of caffeine, grande

Having a cup of Blonde Roast brewed coffee is another great way to get a high dose of caffeine.

It is, in fact, the strongest hot coffee alternative to a Clover that you can get at Starbucks.

The blend is made of lightly roasted Latin American and East African beans, that result in a smooth delicious cup of Joe.

Those of you who have more sensitive palettes might be able to feel the citrus notes that are usually more pronounced in such light roasts.

Nevertheless, passionate coffee enthusiasts who are used to buying high-quality single-origin lightly roasted beans might be a bit disappointed with the flavor profile of this blend.

That being said, the Blonde Roast brewed coffee truly is one of the best ways to get a strong cup of Joe at your local Starbucks.

8. Caffè Americano – 225 mg of caffeine, grande

The Caffè Americano is made by pulling a shot of espresso and diluting it with hot water to make its taste more bearable to those who aren’t used to the instense flavor.

In a short cup, you get 1 espresso shot, in a tall – two of them, in a grande – 3, and in a venti – 4 shots.

There is also an iced version of this drink, which contains just as much caffeine (you can check out the caffeine content in the table at the beginning of the article).

Related Post: Americano vs. Latte – Coffee Drink Comparison

9. Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso – 255 mg of caffeine in a grande

This is one of the new entries on this list.

It’s a very intriguing drink that you should definitely try out, especially if you’re looking to have a strong Starbucks coffee drink.

The Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso is made with espresso shots, almondmilk, and it’s flavored with chocolate malt powder, which has cocoa and malt flavoring in it.

As you might’ve guessed from the name, the espresso and the flavored powder are shaken, which I definitely consider an advantage. After shaking the barista adds a splash of almondmilk (which is sweetened) and ice cubes.

10. Iced Shaken Espresso

The Iced Shaken Espresso is a simple shaken espresso drink, made with esresso shots, sweetened with Starbucks’ classic syrup and a splash of 2% milk.

11. Espresso Macchiato – 225 mg of caffeine, Triple

Most macchiatos offered at Starbucks are quite different from the classic version of this espresso-based drink.

Their Espresso Macchiato is not only the most caffeinated one from these, but it’s also the only one that captures the essence of the Italian macchiato.

If you want to find out more about the classic version and how it compares to a Mocha, click this link.

The Starbucks Espresso Macchiato contains espresso shots that are topped off with a splash of foamed milk. This foam softens the bitterness of the espresso and makes the drink naturally sweeter.

In a ‘Solo’ you get one shot of espresso, in a ‘Doppio’ – 2, ‘Triple’ – 3 shots, and in a ‘Quad’ – 4.

The Espresso Macchiato is not only the strongest one of all the Macchiatos offered at Starbucks, but it also contains the least amount of calories. So you should definitely consider it as an option when in search of an energy boost drink, that wouldn’t add a lot to your daily calorie intake.

12. Flat White – 195 mg of caffeine, grande

The Flat White is another espresso-based drink, that is made by diluting the shots with whole milk.

Nevertheless, in a Flat white, instead of using regular espresso, the baristas pull ristretto shots.

These are made by using the same amount of ground coffee, but less water goes through them.

This results in lower volume shots that are more concentrated compared to the regular ones.

In a short and in a tall cup of Flat White, you get 2 ristretto shots, and if you go for a grande or a venti your drink will consist of 3 ristretto shots.

The Flat White has a more pronounced coffee flavor compared to a Starbucks Latte and is also stronger in terms of caffeine.

13. Iced Almondmilk Honey Flat White with Starbucks® Blonde Espresso – 225 mg of caffeine, grande

Unlike the standard Flat White, this one is made with almond milk, a hint of honey and the aforementioned Blonde Roast.

You can have this drink both iced and hot.

According to the Starbucks website, its cold version has the most caffeine compared to the other Flat White beverages.

This one is a bit sweeter, more complex when it comes to ingredients, and, overall, more fun than the regular Flat White.

You can definitely count on it to energize you when you need something to quicky get you going.

14. Starbucks Reserve Latte – 135 mg of caffeine, grande

This is a classic espresso-based drink made with 2 Starbucks Reserve espresso shots, steamed and frothed whole milk.

If you wonder what ‘Reserve’ actually means – well, your coffee is supposed to be made with the best beans Starbucks can offer.

Anyway, the latte is a classic drink that has just enough strength to wake you up. The good thing is that in a short cup you still get those two espresso shots with the Reserve Latte.

You can also have it iced, so you can refresh yourself with this classic drink even on a hot summer day.

15. Espresso Frappuccino – 155 mg of caffeine, grande

The Frappuccino is one of the best-sellers at Starbucks.

It’s made by blending whole milk, coffee, and ice, which results in a creamy nicely-textured cold drink.

The Espresso Frappuccino is the strongest one. Usually, a Frappuccino is made with something called Frappuccino Roast. This is basically an instant coffee powder that gets diluted with room temperature water. Each Frappuccino contains a certain number of Frappuccino Roast pumps. Nevertheless, the Espresso Frappuccino contains both espresso shots and Frappuccino roast, which is why it’s the most caffeinated Frappuccino.

The thing is that this one doesn’t have whipped cream on top. If you’re used to having this topping, simply ask the barista to top off your drink.

The Espresso Frappuccino is definitely one of the best cold drinks with high caffeine content at Starbucks.

16. Iced Caffè Mocha – 175 mg of caffeine, grande

Generally, the mocha is an espresso-based drink made with espresso shots, milk and a chocolate component (syrup or powder).

At Starbucks the Mocha is made with their Mocha sauce, which has some cocoa in it.

The cocoa also contains caffeine which adds up to the strength of the drink.

This is why the Caffè Mocha, the Iced Caffè Mocha, and the Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha are all caffeine-rich Starbucks drinks. They are also sweet and delightful, making them a great pick for those of you who don’t like having their coffee black.

The Caffè Mocha is also topped off with some whipped cream which adds a bit more sweetness to the beverage.

17. Cappuccino – 150 mg of caffeine, grande

Another one of the classics – a cappuccino.

You probably know what it is made of. Well, it contains steamed and frothed whole milk and espresso shots.

In a short and a tall cup you get 1 shot, and in a grande and venti – 2 shots of espresso.

Some might think that this classic drink is a bit boring, but I would say that it’s simply perfect.

There isn’t an iced version, but the Iced Caffè Latte is a perfect cold alternative that contains a decent amount of caffeine.

There is also an iced Cocoa Cloud Macchiato that’s made with toffee nut syrup and some mocha and caramel drizzle on top. It’s differently flavored, but as you can see in the chart above, it contains just as much caffeine.

18. Java Chip Frappuccino – 105 mg of caffeine, grande

The Java Chip Frappuccino is another iced blended beverage that you can get at Starbucks.

It’s somewhat stronger than its other Frappuccino brothers (except the Espresso Frappuccino), as it has Mocha Sauce and Frappuccino Chips. These ingredients contain cocoa which adds more caffeine to the drink.

That being said, the Java Chip Frappuccino is sweet, and a bit crunchy because of the chocolate chips. Its well-pronounced chocolate flavor somewhat overshadows the coffee taste. Nevertheless, it is, in fact, strong in terms of caffeine so don’t treat it like a simple chocolate milkshake. It will keep you awake for quite a while.

What about the Refreshers – caffeine content

These refreshing drinks do contain caffeine as well. But could they be stronger than a coffee beverage?

Here’s how much caffeine there is in the Starbucks Refreshers:
Starbucks Refreshers do contain caffeine but they are less caffeinated than most coffee drinks there.

All refreshers have the same amount of caffeine content – 35 mg in a Tall cup, 45 mg in a Grande cup, 70 mg in a Venti cup, and 110 mg in a Trenta cup.

Even though the refreshers aren’t the strongest drinks offered at Starbucks, they are still capable of energizing you.

Not only through the caffeine in them, but also through their fresh fruity taste.

Final Words

Knowing which are the strongest ones among each type of coffee at Starbucks will help you make an adequate choice when you need that caffeine kick.

I made sure to include some basic information on most of the beverages so that you can order the one that suits your taste best. Drop a comment below to share your thoughts and questions if you have any.