Last Updated on August 25, 2024
Whether you need an energy boost after pulling an all-nighter or an extra kick before marathon meetings throughout the day, there’s a drink at Starbucks that will wake you up.
We feature 15 of the best caffeine-loaded Starbucks drinks below, available at most locations—although some variations may exist.
Our list includes the size of drink you’ll need to order to get the specified amount of caffeine.
Starbucks Drinks to Wake You Up
| Drink | Temp | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blonde Roast Filter Coffee | Hot | Venti | 475 mg |
| Pike Place Roast Filter | Hot | Venti | 410 mg |
| Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee | Cold | Trenta | 360 mg |
| Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso | Cold | Venti | 340 mg |
| Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew | Cold | Trenta | 320 mg |
| Espresso | Hot | Quad | 300 mg |
| Iced Caffé Americano | Cold | Venti | 300 mg |
| Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew | Cold | Grande | 290 mg |
| Iced Coffee | Cold | Trenta | 280 mg |
| Nitro Cold Brew | Cold | Grande | 280 mg |
| Iced Caffé Mocha | Cold | Venti | 265 mg |
| Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha | Hot | Venti | 265 mg |
| Iced Caramel Macchiato | Cold | Venti | 225 mg |
| Espresso Frappuccino® Blended Beverage | Cold | Venti | 185 mg |
| Blonde Vanilla Latte | Hot | Venti | 170 mg |
15 Caffeine-Loaded Starbucks Drinks in Detail
1. Blonde Roast Filter Coffee
- Served: Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 475 mg
Despite a softer taste, the Blonde Roast filter coffee truly packs a lot of caffeine in a cup. A top contender among its eye-opening peers, this quality coffee will get you moving and help keep you intensely focused as the java works its way through your system. It’s a sugar-free selection, so some people add those crystals along with milk or vanilla to give this strong dose a personalized taste.
2. Pike Place Roast Filter
- Served: Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 410 mg
Added to the Starbucks menu in April 2008, this hot pick-me-up offers a consistent taste and familiar selection on the company’s ever-changing menu. A hot filtered, medium-roast brew that honors the Pike Place Market in a downtown Seattle neighborhood where the company first opened its doors in 1971, this drink possesses a lot of perkiness from its percolation.
3. Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
- Served: Cold
- Size: Trenta
- Caffeine: 360 mg
For those who prefer a cold coffee with ice cubes to get them swinging, the Trenta-size Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee is an obvious contender. A great option for someone who prefers a fast, cooler caffeine injection over a blow-and-cool-the-rim hot drink, this black coffee option can be modified for taste and consumed quickly for nearly immediate impact.
4. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
- Served: Cold
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 340 mg
Anyone who has ever indulged in a few espresso shots knows they will soon go into overdrive. Rather than a regular espresso, this Venti packs the power of four stronger Blonde espresso shots. Oat milk, six pumps of brown sugar syrup, and a touch of cinnamon and spice complete this milk-free, vegan-friendly alternative. Less powerful than a Blonde Roast, this brown sugar brew carries enough energy to get coffee drinkers ready for the day.
5. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Served: Cold
- Size: Trenta
- Caffeine: 320 mg
With sweet cream and vanilla syrup to enhance its already delicious taste, this cold drink offers a great alternative for those who don’t want a hot, humdrum, black regular coffee. For those who want a smaller version, they should grab a Venti and enjoy its 275 mg caffeine boost.
6. Espresso
- Served: Hot
- Size: Quad
- Caffeine: 300 mg
The standard espresso is a reliable option for those who want black, strong coffee rather than a drink with a variety of flavors. The four shots in the quad espresso activates you in a couple of gulps rather than in long and enduring swigs of coffee. For a little more caffeinated intensity, consider substituting the standard espresso with the Blonde Roast that brings in an additional 40 mg of punch.
7. Iced Caffè Americano
@Starbucks Iced Caffè Americano pic.twitter.com/H3wSaNEic2
— Kelly Maude (@Nwesterncats) September 1, 2017
- Served: Cold or Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 300 mg
The four potent shots of espresso in the Caffè Americano usually come with cold water, though some may want it warmer. For those who want more variety than straight-black jet fuel, they may want to add caramel, milk, vanilla, or another tasty addition to this always-awakening drink.
8. Honey Almondmilk Nitro Cold Brew
Dec.6: doll diet day 1
Fasting w honey almondmilk nitro cold brew from Starbucks (50cals) pic.twitter.com/tGiUeBoYvX— elia ☁️ is inpatient (@cbmgyus) December 6, 2021
- Served: Cold
- Size: Grande
- Caffeine: 290 mg
With its honey syrup and almond milk enhancements, this strong and flavorful cold drink packs nearly as much caffeine as four espresso shots.
9. Iced Coffee
- Served: Cold
- Size: Trenta
- Caffeine: 280 mg
Seven sugar syrup pumps certainly help this cold Trenta take you and wake you. Best for an extra boost of energy in the immediate future rather than as an all-day alertness alternative, this cold drink focuses on short-term energy enhancement.
10. Nitro Cold Brew
- Served: Cold
- Size: Grande
- Caffeine: 280 mg
Straight from the tap and powered by nitrogen, this thick cold brew reminds fans of a dark, foamy Guinness beer. Belly up to this brew if high caffeine is for you.
11. Iced Caffè Mocha
- Served: Cold
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 265 mg
For those who appreciate the marriage of chocolate and coffee, this “cold chocolate” coffee combines steamed milk, three espresso shots, mocha sauce, and a sweet whipped cream topping.
12. Starbucks Reserve Dark Chocolate Mocha
Dark Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room #Seattle pic.twitter.com/wut8SvviM8
— LadyTravels2013 (@LadyTravels2013) December 31, 2018
- Served: Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 265 mg
Diving into this dark chocolate drink with espresso shots will get most people moving and motivated. With Standard Reserve rather than Blonde Roast, some may prefer to add an extra shot to make this hot chocolatey brew even more intense.
13. Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Served: Cold or Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 225 mg
A popular drink, this macchiato can be served either hot or cold, though the temperature influences the java’s jolt. While the iced version packs 225 mg of caffeine, a hot Venti packs only 150 mg. This is due to an extra espresso shot in the colder caramel macchiato version.
14. Espresso Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Served: Cold
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 185 mg
A Frappuccino with espresso differentiates it from other, lower-caffeine versions. With a hint of chocolate taste but not excessively sweet, this cold Venti has more than its share of admirers. Some may enhance this get-going drink with a little whipped cream on top.
15. Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte
- Served: Hot
- Size: Venti
- Caffeine: 170 mg
With just two espresso shots, this hot Venti has less impact than most other espresso drinks. Some who enjoy this delicious vanilla-based brew may prefer to add an extra shot or choose a Grande instead, with an extra shot, of course.
One Last Shot?
Similar to adding hot sauce to your favorite food, adding a shot of espresso to your Starbucks coffee will give it a little extra caffeine kick. This is known as a red eye coffee.
There’s approximately 75 mg of caffeine in each shot, so requesting one (or more) shots in your brew offers the quickest way to increase your coffee’s potency.
A cup of coffee can handle up to four shots of espresso at Starbucks:
- 1 Shot (Single): 75 mg of additional caffeine
- 2 Shots (Double): 150 mg of additional caffeine
- 3 Shots (Triple): 225 mg of additional caffeine
- 4 Shots (Quad): 300 mg of additional caffeine
Choose the drink you enjoy most and add a little more espresso to give yourself an extra blast of caffeine.
If you’ve tried these Starbucks drinks and they’re not working for you, you might just be one of those people whom coffee doesn’t wake up.
Not sure how to order iced coffee at Starbucks? See this quick guide.
Thumbnail image: © emrank | Creative Commons
