Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

Pure Leaf black iced tea vs OLIPOP Vintage Cola: which has more caffeine?

Pure Leaf black iced tea carries more total caffeine per serving (54mg per 18.5 oz bottle vs 50mg per 12 oz can), but ounce for ounce OLIPOP Vintage Cola is actually the stronger drink at about 4mg per fluid ounce against 3. Which one "has more caffeine" depends on whether you measure the container or the concentration.

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.

Pure Leaf black iced tea vs OLIPOP Vintage Cola: the numbers

Pure Leaf black iced tea OLIPOP Vintage Cola
Caffeine per serving 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle 50mg per 12 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 2.9mg 4.2mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 7.4 8.0

Sources: Pure Leaf black iced tea's figure is verified in our Pure Leaf black iced tea caffeine guide against PepsiCo label data (source); OLIPOP Vintage Cola's figure is verified in our OLIPOP Vintage Cola guide against Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick OLIPOP Vintage Cola when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Pure Leaf black iced tea 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 Pure Leaf black iced tea or OLIPOP Vintage Cola have more caffeine? Pure Leaf black iced tea: 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle versus 50mg per 12 oz can for OLIPOP Vintage Cola.

Which is stronger per ounce? OLIPOP Vintage Cola, at about 4.2mg per fluid ounce versus 2.9mg for Pure Leaf black iced 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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