How Much Caffeine is in Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew?
Starbucks is known for its cool variety of Cold Brews like pumpkin cream, chocolate cream, salted caramel, and sweet vanilla cream. But how do these compare taste, texture, and caffeine content to a Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew coffee? More importantly, how much stronger is it than a regular cold brew?
This article answers how much caffeine in Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew is.

What Is Nitro Cold Brew?
Nitro Cold Brew is Cold Brew coffee infused with nitrogen.
Nitro Cold Brew’s characteristic texture comes from tiny bubbles that form due to nitrogen not entirely dissolving into the Cold Brew coffee.
This odorless, colorless gas gives Cold Brew coffee a carbonated quality, making it taste smooth and silky while having low acidity (1).
The nitrogen’s released and it agitates the beverage. Then when it’s poured it’s as if it’s been poured from a tap. It gives you that same mouthfeel, that same smooth feeling and taste
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Caffeine
There is 215 mg of caffeine in Nitro Cold Brew in a Starbucks Tall size of 12 fluid oz. and 280 mg in a Grande size of 16 fluid oz. There is more caffeine in Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew coffee vs a regular cold brew. Starbucks Cold Brew coffee’s caffeine content is 155 mg for a Tall and 205 mg for a Grande (2). Starbucks unfortunately does not offer Venti-sized Nitro Cold Brew because it tends to lose its “nitro cascade” when brewed at a certain amount. This means that the drink may lose the creamy, frothy texture that makes it different from a regular cold brew. (3)
Looking to make your own Nitro Cold Brew at home? You only need 3 things.
Want to learn the Secrets of Starbucks Coffee’s Nitro Cold Brew? Check out this YouTube video.
Caffeine In Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Vs…
How does the caffeine in Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew compare to other Cold Brews? Let’s look.
Death Wish
Death Wish Coffee contains 708 mg of caffeine in 12 fluid oz. and 944 mg in 16 fluid oz. as there is 59 mg per fluid oz. Since the FDA would disapprove of this much caffeine consumption in a single day, Death Wish Cold Brews come in cans of 8 fluid oz. Read here to learn how much caffeine is in a can of Death Wish Cold Brew.
Stumptown
The Stumptown’s Cold Brew coffee contains 319 mg of caffeine in 12 fluid oz. and 425 mg in 16 fluid oz.
Wandering Bear
The Wandering Bear Cold Brew contains 300 mg of caffeine in 12 fluid oz. and 400 mg in 16 fluid oz.
Final Thoughts
Starbucks Coffee’s Nitro Cold Brew contains 215 mg of caffeine in a Tall size of 12 fluid oz. and 280 mg of caffeine in a Grande size of 16 fluid oz. In contrast, the caffeine in Cold Brew Starbucks is 155 mg for a Tall and 205 mg of caffeine for a Grande. This drink is silkier, smoother, and stronger than a regular Starbucks Cold Brew. Compared to Death Wish, Stumptown, and Wandering Bear Cold Brews, Starbucks Nitro Cold Brews aren’t nearly as caffeinated and have a long way to go to match these other coffee brands’ intensities.
FAQs
There is 265 mg of caffeine in a Grande Nitro Cold Brew vanilla sweet cream. It also contains 70 calories, 3.5 mg of saturated fat, 15 mg of cholesterol, 20 mg of sodium, 4 g of sugars, and 1 g of protein.
Nitro Cold Brew has more caffeine due to its greater ratio of ground coffee to water than regular coffee. It has the same health benefits as regular coffee, which include lowering depression, prolonging longevity, bolstering against diabetes and dementia, and assisting weight loss (4).
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew has 215 mg of caffeine in 12 fluid oz. vs 235 mg in 12 fluid oz. of a regular coffee from Starbucks featuring their Medium Pike Place Roast. A standard coffee of 12 fluid oz. has 136 mg of caffeine, but this varies depending on many factors.
References
- Lee, J. (2016, October 4). Nitro Cold Brew: Is Coffee Following Craft Beer? Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2016/10/nitro-cold-brew-is-coffee-following-craft-beer/
- Starbucks. (n.d.). Cold Coffees. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/cold-coffees
- Deabler, A. (2019, September 10). Starbucks explains why you can’t order a Venti Nitro Cold Brew. Retrieved October 13, 2022 from https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/starbucks-cant-venti-nitro-cold-brew
- Link, R. (2018, August 2). Nitro Coffee: Is Cold Brew Better Than Regular? Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nitro-coffee