Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

Pepsi vs Mountain Dew Baja Blast: which has more caffeine?

Mountain Dew Baja Blast has more caffeine than Pepsi: 59mg vs 38mg in the same 12 oz can. That is a 21mg gap, and since the cans match, the per-serving number is the whole story.

Pepsi vs Mountain Dew Baja Blast: the numbers

Pepsi Mountain Dew Baja Blast
Caffeine per serving 38mg per 12 oz can 59mg per 12 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 3.2mg 4.9mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 10.5 6.8

Sources: Pepsi's figure is verified in our Pepsi caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Mountain Dew Baja Blast's figure is verified in our Mountain Dew Baja Blast guide against PepsiCo product facts (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Pepsi when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Mountain Dew Baja Blast 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 Pepsi or Mountain Dew Baja Blast have more caffeine? Mountain Dew Baja Blast: 59mg per 12 oz can versus 38mg per 12 oz can for Pepsi.

Which is stronger per ounce? Mountain Dew Baja Blast, at about 4.9mg per fluid ounce versus 3.2mg for 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