Barista Life Blog · 2 min read

Big Red vs La Colombe Draft Latte: which has more caffeine?

La Colombe Draft Latte has more caffeine than Big Red on both counts: 155mg per 9 oz can against 34mg per 12 oz can, and about 17mg per fluid ounce against 3. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.

Big Red vs La Colombe Draft Latte: the numbers

Big Red La Colombe Draft Latte
Caffeine per serving 34mg per 12 oz can 155mg per 9 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 2.8mg 17.2mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 11.8 2.6

Sources: Big Red's figure is verified in our Big Red caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); La Colombe Draft Latte's figure is verified in our La Colombe Draft Latte guide against La Colombe product page (source).

The concentration gap is the striking part: La Colombe Draft Latte packs roughly 6 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 9 oz can finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Big Red when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and La Colombe Draft Latte when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

FAQ

Does Big Red or La Colombe Draft Latte have more caffeine? La Colombe Draft Latte: 155mg per 9 oz can versus 34mg per 12 oz can for Big Red.

Which is stronger per ounce? La Colombe Draft Latte, at about 17.2mg per fluid ounce versus 2.8mg for Big Red.

Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.

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