Starbucks Pike Place (grande) has the most caffeine of the three: 310mg per 16 oz grande, against 25mg per 16 oz serving for Starbucks decaf brewed coffee and 5.6mg per 8 oz cup for brewed decaf coffee. It also leads per ounce, at roughly 19.4mg to 0.7mg, so the order holds whichever way you count.
Starbucks decaf brewed coffee vs Starbucks Pike Place (grande) vs brewed decaf coffee: the numbers
| Starbucks decaf brewed coffee | Starbucks Pike Place (grande) | brewed decaf coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 25mg per 16 oz serving | 310mg per 16 oz grande | 5.6mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 1.6mg | 19.4mg | 0.7mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 16.0 | 1.3 | 71.4 |
Sources: Starbucks decaf brewed coffee is 25mg per 16 oz serving per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our Starbucks decaf brewed coffee guide; Starbucks Pike Place (grande) is 310mg per 16 oz grande per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our the caffeine database; brewed decaf coffee is 5.6mg per 8 oz cup per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our brewed decaf coffee guide.
Why the three numbers are not measured the same way
Canned drinks list an exact figure because caffeine is a measured ingredient, so the number on the label is the number in the can. Brewed drinks are averages: grind, dose, water temperature and steep time move a cup of coffee or tea by tens of milligrams either way. When you compare across those categories, treat the canned figures as fixed and the brewed ones as a center point with real spread around it.
The three head-to-head pages
Each pairing has its own page with the full math:
Which one should you pick?
Take brewed decaf coffee when you want the smallest dose of the three, Starbucks decaf brewed coffee when you want a middle number without thinking about it, and Starbucks Pike Place (grande) when you actually want the 310mg and know how you handle it. If you drink more than one caffeinated thing a day, the useful move is adding the day up against the 400mg reference rather than judging each drink alone.
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
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
- Compare any two of 120+ drinks
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FAQ
Which has the most caffeine, Starbucks decaf brewed coffee, Starbucks Pike Place (grande) or brewed decaf coffee? Starbucks Pike Place (grande), at 310mg per 16 oz grande. Starbucks decaf brewed coffee has 25mg per 16 oz serving and brewed decaf coffee has 5.6mg per 8 oz cup.
Which of the three is strongest per ounce? Starbucks Pike Place (grande), at about 19.4mg per fluid ounce, ahead of Starbucks decaf brewed coffee at 1.6mg and brewed decaf coffee at 0.7mg.
How many Starbucks Pike Place (grande) servings reach the FDA 400mg reference? About 1.3 of them, at 16 oz grande each. The FDA cites 400mg a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. This is information, not advice.
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