Why You Can't Order A Venti Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew
Starbucks first released its Nitro Cold Brew coffee in 2016 to much excitement from the company's fans and customers. A luxurious, creamy, and rich coffee drink, Nitro Cold Brew is pulled from a keg and resembles a Guinness stout with its cascading caramel coloring and thick head of foam. If you've ever ordered the drink from Starbucks, you know that it is only available up to a grande size. Many believe this is done to maintain the product's quality, as the microbubbles created by the nitrogen infusion would fizzle out before anyone could finish a venti. But, in reality, caffeine content is to blame for the size limit on Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew.
The FDA lists the maximum amount of caffeine that is safe for adults to consume in a day as 400 milligrams. A grande at Starbucks is 16 fluid ounces and contains 280 milligrams of caffeine. If Starbucks were to sell the Nitro Cold Brew in a venti size, which is 24 fluid ounces in the cold cups, one drink would pack a whopping 430 milligrams of caffeine which is well over the daily recommended limit. Compare that to a regular venti Cold Brew from Starbucks which has about 310 milligrams of caffeine. After Panera Bread had to discontinue its caffeinated Charged Lemonades due to several lawsuits, Starbucks is probably making the right call when it comes to limiting the size of the Nitro Cold Brew.
Why is Nitro Cold Brew so much more caffeinated than other coffee?
Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew is made by slow-steeping coffee grounds in cold water for 20 hours. It's the same way the regular Cold Brew is prepared, with the nitrogen being added as it pours from the special tap. The nitrogen bubbles give the coffee a slightly sweet, creamy, and frothy texture. But, if the Nitro Cold Brew is made the same way as the standard Cold Brew, where is that extra kick of caffeine coming from? The answer to that is up to some debate, especially on Reddit. In general, though, the answer that seems to make the most sense is the way the coffee is served. Starbucks doesn't pour the Nitro Cold Brew over ice and instead serves it straight up. This means there is no ice to dilute the coffee or take up any cup space, leading to more caffeine in comparable servings.
It's worth noting that Starbucks lists its Blonde Roast as having between 390 and 490 milligrams of caffeine in the venti size, easily putting it in the running for most caffeinated beverage on the Starbucks menu. If you order your drinks purely based on caffeine content, then the Blonde Roast is the best way to get your fix. But, you should still try the Nitro Cold Brew if you haven't already. It's a unique and delicious drink that still packs a commendable punch of caffeine.