Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

International Delight iced coffee vs Gold Peak Sweet Tea: which has more caffeine?

International Delight iced coffee has more caffeine than Gold Peak Sweet Tea on both counts: 88mg per 12 oz serving against 48mg per 18.5 oz bottle, and about 7mg 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.

International Delight iced coffee vs Gold Peak Sweet Tea: the numbers

International Delight iced coffee Gold Peak Sweet Tea
Caffeine per serving 88mg per 12 oz serving 48mg per 18.5 oz bottle
Caffeine per fl oz 7.3mg 2.6mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 4.5 8.3

Sources: International Delight iced coffee's figure is verified in our International Delight iced coffee caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Gold Peak Sweet Tea's figure is verified in our Gold Peak Sweet Tea guide against Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Gold Peak Sweet Tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and International Delight iced coffee 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 International Delight iced coffee or Gold Peak Sweet Tea have more caffeine? International Delight iced coffee: 88mg per 12 oz serving versus 48mg per 18.5 oz bottle for Gold Peak Sweet Tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? International Delight iced coffee, at about 7.3mg per fluid ounce versus 2.6mg for Gold Peak Sweet Tea.

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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