Red Thunder (Aldi) vs brewed coffee: which has more caffeine?

Red Thunder (Aldi) carries more total caffeine per serving (120mg per 12 oz can vs 95mg per 8 oz cup), but ounce for ounce brewed coffee is actually the stronger drink at about 12mg per fluid ounce against 10. 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.

Red Thunder (Aldi) vs brewed coffee: the numbers

Sources: Red Thunder (Aldi)'s figure is verified in our Red Thunder (Aldi) caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); brewed coffee's figure is verified in our brewed coffee guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick brewed coffee when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Red Thunder (Aldi) 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

• Red Thunder (Aldi): the full caffeine guide
• brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does Red Thunder (Aldi) or brewed coffee have more caffeine? Red Thunder (Aldi): 120mg per 12 oz can versus 95mg per 8 oz cup for brewed coffee.

Which is stronger per ounce? brewed coffee, at about 11.9mg per fluid ounce versus 10.0mg for Red Thunder (Aldi).