Strongest Coffee At Starbucks: Top 10 Picks

Your coffee doesn’t do a great job at keeping you awake?

Well, you’re probably just ordering the wrong stuff.

There are tons of options you can get at Starbucks that can give you energy for practically the entire day. As long as you know what to order.

Don’t worry. That’s why we’re here today.

In this article, I’ll share with you the top 10 strongest coffee at Starbucks so that you know what to get next time.

Let’s jump straight in.

The Strongest Coffee at Starbucks: Top 10 Picks

Alright, let’s talk numbers! 

Here are the strongest drinks you can order at Starbucks.

1. Blonde Roast Filter Coffe

While the blond roast has been around for quite some time, Starbucks is the “responsible” one for making it popular.

Today, it’s a staple on the drink menu, and it’s known for making a hella strong cup of coffee.

Starbucks blonde roast combines Latin American and African coffee beans. A shorter roast time makes blond roast smooth on the palate yet gives a strong caffeine kick. 

So while your drink might appear rather sweet and subtle, it will wake you up in the morning even better than your regular filter coffee.

The light flavor easily conceals the fact that the blonde roast is much stronger in acidity than the darker counterpart. That makes this drink suitable even for those that struggle with heartburn after drinking a large cup of coffee.

2. Clover Brewed Coffee

If your local Starbucks features the Clover, then I sincerely hope you’ve tried it out. If not, you’re definitely missing out.

What I’m talking about is a coffee machine that makes a single cup of probably the best coffee out there.

It allows you to program everything from the dose and water temperature to the brewing time. 

This means you can tailor the Clover brewed coffee depending on what type of coffee you’re using.

Now, you might be thinking – if the Clover is so great, why aren’t other coffee shops using it?

Well, that’s because Starbucks acquired the company that invented it back in 2008. By doing that, the brand got exclusive rights to use this revolutionary machine, making it a secret weapon.

Starbucks offers a variety of coffee blends for use with this machine. Some of them include the Italian roast coffee bean, Sumatra, Caffe Verona, and Komodo Dragon. 

If you’re looking for a strong caffeine kick, you can’t go wrong with any of the above. Clover-brewed coffee is the strongest coffee at Starbucks. Each of these drinks contains as much as 380 milligrams of caffeine when served in a grande cup size.

3. Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew is generally known as a strong coffee. As you probably know, extraction time and caffeine content are in direct relation. 

In the case of Starbucks cold brew coffee, this caffeinated drink is brewed for 20 hours. That means there’s plenty of time for caffeine to get extracted from the ground coffee.

If we’re speaking in numbers, a grande cold brew has about 310 milligrams of caffeine.

The Starbucks version of this drink is smooth and slightly bitter.

It’s served over ice, but you can further customize it to your liking. From syrups to toppings and creamers, you can make cold brew even more palatable. 

When served plain, cold brew has only 5 calories. This makes it great even for those that are watching their calorie intake religiously.

4. Nitro Cold Brew

If a regular cold brew is too boring for you, consider getting the nitro version instead.

As the name suggests, this drink is made when the cold brew is infused with nitrogen poured from a tap. 

What nitrogen does is it makes microbubbles, giving your coffee a frothy texture as beer has. 

In terms of flavor, nitro makes cold brew taste slightly sweeter and richer, with a light body and velvety finish. 

Starbucks nitro cold brew comes in only two sizes, tall and grande. When it comes to caffeine content, that’s 215 and 280 milligrams, respectively.

If you’re looking for a chilly yet strong coffee, then nitro cold brew is definitely worth considering.

5. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

If you prefer a sweeter coffee beverage but still want the much-needed caffeine kick, then the vanilla sweet cream cold brew might be what you need. 

This drink is the Starbucks signature cold brew flavored with vanilla syrup and topped with vanilla sweet cream.

The sweetness of this cold brew perfectly hides the fact that this is a strong drink that will keep you energized for hours.

A venti-sized cup of vanilla sweet cream cold brew contains 275 milligrams of caffeine. But if you feel like that’s not enough somehow, you can go even larger.

This drink is also served in a trenta size, which is 30 ounces. And in terms of caffeine, that’s as much as 320 milligrams!

6. Iced Shaken Espresso

Of course, a list of the strongest Starbucks drinks wouldn’t be complete without espresso. 

But we’re not talking about just any type of espresso. We’re talking about the iced shaken espresso, which is served in tall, grande, and venti sizes. 

This iced coffee is basically a couple of espresso shots served over ice, then topped with syrup and milk. Just a splash of these ingredients makes espresso mellowed down and slightly sweeter.

Although the name might be new on the menu, the drink itself isn’t. Previously known as the double shot on ice, its name was changed because it was misleading. 

While the tall cup of this Starbucks drink is made with 2 shots of espresso, the venti has as many as 4! That’s about 300 milligrams of caffeine, which is slightly less than a daily caffeine intake limit for healthy adults.

7. Caffe Americano

If you ask me, an Americano is one of the simplest yet tastiest coffee we invented. It’s basically a shot of espresso diluted with water. 

This results in a drink that’s smoother and less bold than a standard espresso shot. At the same time, it features a light crema layer that espresso is known for.

But while the flavor might appear slightly diluted, that’s not the case with caffeine.

So, for instance, a venti size has about 300 milligrams of caffeine, which is more than enough to get you through the day.

8. Iced Caffè Mocha

Who said that a highly caffeinated drink has to actually feel “strong?”

The iced caffe mocha practically tastes like a dessert. After all, it’s made with espresso flavored with mocha syrup and milk.

This Starbucks coffee drink is served over ice and then topped with whipped cream. Basically, it’s better than ice cream.

In fact, I bet even non-coffee lovers would like this Starbucks iced coffee The mocha syrup gives it a sweet and chocolaty note that prevails over the actual bitterness of an espresso shot. 

While high in caffeine, this iced coffee is also high in calories. Basically, the venti size contains more calories than your lunch meal! That’s something to keep in mind if you’re careful about what you eat and drink.

Related reading: 27 Best Starbucks Mocha Drinks You Have To Try

9. Honey Almondmilk Flat White

What do you get when you mix honey, almond milk and flat white? A match made in heaven!

This Starbucks coffee tastes creamy and nutty, so it’s easily palatable.

But don’t think for a second that this is a weak beverage. When served as a grande, honey almondmilk flat white has 225 milligrams of caffeine. 

One of the factors that influence this drink’s strength is the type of roast.

In this case, Starbucks uses a blonde espresso roast, which is known for being more caffeinated than the dark roast.

10. Pike Place Brewed Coffee

The name of this coffee drink comes from the Pike Place Market, the location of the first Starbucks store.

Back in 2008, Starbucks baristas created a perfect blend of Latin American coffee beans that is nowadays a staple in their coffee stores.

Pike Place brewed coffee is known for subtle but rich chocolate and nutty flavor. What’s more, it’s also known for the strong energy kick it gives.

A grande cup has as much as 310 milligrams of caffeine. Just thinking about these numbers makes my heart rate speed up!

Ask For Your Espresso As a Long Shot

Typically, Starbucks uses a ristretto shot to make espresso-based drinks.

A ristretto is basically a shorter version of espresso. It’s made by using less water and about half the brewing time compared to the original drink. 

What this does is affect the flavor of the drink. A ristretto is more concentrated and sweeter than the actual espresso. This makes it the perfect base for many espresso-based drinks.

That is if that’s your preferred coffee profile.

Rather have a slightly diluted drink? 

Actually like the bitterness in your coffee?

Enjoy the chocolate and nutty notes?

Then consider getting a long shot instead.

A long shot, also known as lungo, is a longer version of the original espresso. It’s made by adding twice the amount of water and brewing it twice as long.

If this sounds more up your alley, then consider switching from ristretto to long shot the next time you’re ordering an espresso-based drink.

FAQ

Still on the fence about Starbucks drinks? Here’s a short FAQ that should solve any doubts you might have.

Does caramel macchiato give you energy?

A venti caramel macchiato has about 150 milligrams of caffeine. Compared to drinks that made our list, that’s a rather low amount. Still, it can be more than enough to keep you going through the day.

Is dark roast stronger?

No, the situation is actually quite the opposite. Caffeine decomposes at higher temperatures. But since dark roast has a slightly lower mass, the difference in caffeine is rather negligible when measured on a scale.

Is Starbucks Veranda Blend strong?

The Veranda Blend is a light roast with a mellow flavor, which conceals the actual strength of the blend. A tall cup of coffee contains as much as 270 milligrams of caffeine.

Final Thoughts

There you have it – a list of the most caffeinated Starbucks drinks.

If you want the strongest coffee at Starbucks, go with the blonde roast coffee drinks. Starbucks blonde espresso roast has the highest caffeine amount.

Whether you prefer it sweet or bitter, there’s a type of coffee for everyone.

Try them all before making a pick!