Starbucks Caffeine: The Big Mystery
UPDATE: We now have a complete table of Starbucks Caffeine here.
A multitude of publications (including the caffeine database here at EnergyFiend) list caffeine content for Starbucks beverages. There is just one problem.
Just today I was reading an article about Caffeinated Kids. In the article they list the nutritional info of a large White Chocolate Mocha Latte – and display 200 mgs of caffeine.
Go to the Starbucks nutrition calculator – and there is no information whatsoever about the caffeine content. Dig deeper and we find this explanation:
Why isn’t the caffeine content listed for Starbucks® beverages?
The caffeine content is variable and Starbucks currently doesn’t have quantitative caffeine information for all of our beverages. We intend on adding caffeine information in a future upgrade.
The current amounts listed here at EnergyFiend are based on figures from Starbucks’ nutrition data.
Watch this space. The research will continue.
36 Comments
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i’d rather drink diahrea
I’ve never had a venti with two shots – and I’ve gotten Starbucks all over the US. Then again, I only order quad ventis, so maybe that explains it.
“I’m a Starbucks Barista from Canada. Starbucks coffee actually has less caffeine then most coffee out there. The reason for this is that they roast the beans for longer.” by jeorge horgensone September 16th, 2007 5:37 am
“I’m a Starbucks Barista from Canada. Starbucks coffee actually has less caffeine then most coffee out there. The reason for this is that they roast the beans for longer” by Tierny-Rose November 1st, 2006 12:23 pm
“I’m a Starbucks Barista from Canada. Starbucks coffee actually has less caffeine then most coffee out there. The reason for this is that they roast the beans for longer.” Laura October 2nd, 2006 1:16 pm
Does anyone else find it funny that three posts begin exactly the same way. One might almost expect there’s a Starbucks commentary canned and ready for questions about caffeine.
i live in LA and i get starbucks almost everymorning. here the iced venti americano comes with 4shots. i like to get it with 5 and no water. i just like coffee for the taste not all that sweeet stuff some put.i guess i can say i love the way it tatses.
As yet another Starbucker, myself an assistant manager in Kansas City, let me back Laura up on the roasting/loss of caffeine fact. It’s also the case that Starbucks uses arabica coffee beans, a higher quality bean than the robusto bean used for most North American canned coffee. Arabica beans have about half the caffeine of robusto beans.
To clear up a previous post Starbucks actually roasts their beans twice. Thus making it stronger, and the longer you roast them the less caffeine there is in coffee.
I bought some illy fine ground espresso today..its almost twice the price..but one sip wakes me up like an entire 7 shot peppermint latte. this stuff blows italian roast, gold coast and sumatra out of the water.
No wonderStarbucks sucks. Where I’m at a venti anything gets one shot unless you say double venti blah blah. They need standards to keep up the more educated people get about their quality. If available always go independant.
I’m an assistant manager of a store in nevada. ACTUALLY it is one shot in a tall, two shots in a grande, and 2 shots in a venti…BUT thats for HOT drinks. In iced and cold drinks its 1 in a tall, 2 in a grande, and 3 in a venti.
Thanks.
17 second shot at Starbucks? No wonder it’s undrinkable swill. The crema on the shot isn’t proper unless the shot pulls b/w 20-27 seconds on a real machine.
@coffeejerk: Starbucks coffee also sucks b/c the milk is usually scalded (and from the aforementioned shot pull fail). The Starbucks near me let the steam wand “scream” when they steam milk. Epic steaming fail!
Very interesting. I always just assumed that an espresso drink had much more caffeine than just a regular cup a joe. Know I know why I twitch a lot when I have them add a shot of espresso in my large coffee.
Hilarious reading all of these comments, esp the three from Starbucks baristas in Canada.
Just today I went to Starbucks and enquired about the amount of caffeine in a shot of espresso. Not one of the five employees, including the manager, had any idea, and it seemed as if no one had ever asked before. I was shocked, but then, didn’t realise this issue even existed.
I did find this helpful table:
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/caffeine-and-calories/
But still, the fact this isn’t common knowledge from Starbucks is shocking. I’m in my first trimester of my second pregnancy, and watching my caffeine intake, so 50mg v 100mg matters to me right now.
I realize that the coffee beans may have less caffeine because they are roasted longer. Starbucks coffee has more caffeine because they use more coffee when they brew it and it is much stronger.
Try this test…go to Tim Hortons and order the same size coffee as Starbucks….then try the Starbucks. Guaranteed you will get more of a jolt from the Starbucks brew – bold or mild.
Just as a side note…I like Starbucks and yes they have more caffeine and better coffee…that’s why I go there.
If you are getting heart palpatations from drinking coffee…stop drinking it or cut back. We are adults.
In short my 5 shot venti mocha should have around 500mg caffeine…perhaps. Bit more from the mocha syrup. Just enough to get me through boring board meetings without having to drink. so much I can’t stay out of the bathroom. Sounds okay.
yeah well tim hortons coffee quality doesn’t compare to starbucks coffee , plus TH coffee is considered a light coffee meaning less roasting time = more caffeine. and just because done store failed to know exactly the caffeine content in one shot of espresso or cup of brewed coffee doesn’t mean the whole company is unaware of it… it depends a lot on roasting time.. and in the end if you don’t like starbucks coffee then just keep to your tim horton or half mild half hot water as they say at starbucks
there is no such thing as 100% decaf coffee ..so expecting mothers probably should watch out when they order those decaf quad americanos