Barista Life Blog · 2 min read

Diet Pepsi vs La Colombe Draft Latte: which has more caffeine?

La Colombe Draft Latte has more caffeine than Diet Pepsi on both counts: 155mg per 9 oz can against 35mg 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.

Diet Pepsi vs La Colombe Draft Latte: the numbers

Diet Pepsi La Colombe Draft Latte
Caffeine per serving 35mg per 12 oz can 155mg per 9 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 2.9mg 17.2mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 11.4 2.6

Sources: Diet Pepsi's figure is verified in our Diet Pepsi 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 Diet Pepsi 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 Diet Pepsi or La Colombe Draft Latte have more caffeine? La Colombe Draft Latte: 155mg per 9 oz can versus 35mg per 12 oz can for Diet Pepsi.

Which is stronger per ounce? La Colombe Draft Latte, at about 17.2mg per fluid ounce versus 2.9mg for Diet Pepsi.

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.

Free download: the espresso dial-in cheat sheet baristas tape to the machine.

Get the PDF