High Brew Double Espresso wins on total caffeine per serving (140mg per 8 oz can, against 120mg for Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream and 95mg for brewed coffee), but ounce for ounce Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream is the strongest of the three at about 18.5mg per fluid ounce. The three servings are different sizes, so the ranking flips depending on which number you mean.
Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream vs High Brew Double Espresso vs brewed coffee: the numbers
| Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream | High Brew Double Espresso | brewed coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 120mg per 6.5 oz can | 140mg per 8 oz can | 95mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 18.5mg | 17.5mg | 11.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 3.3 | 2.9 | 4.2 |
Sources: Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream is 120mg per 6.5 oz can per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream guide; High Brew Double Espresso is 140mg per 8 oz can per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our High Brew Double Espresso guide; brewed coffee is 95mg per 8 oz cup per USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 171890, 40mg per 100g times 237g (source), and the figure is carried in our the caffeine database.
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:
- Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream vs High Brew Double Espresso, head to head
- Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream vs brewed coffee, head to head
- High Brew Double Espresso vs brewed coffee, head to head
Which one should you pick?
Take brewed coffee when you want the smallest dose of the three, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream when you want a middle number without thinking about it, and High Brew Double Espresso when you actually want the 140mg 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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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Which has the most caffeine, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream, High Brew Double Espresso or brewed coffee? High Brew Double Espresso, at 140mg per 8 oz can. Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream has 120mg per 6.5 oz can and brewed coffee has 95mg per 8 oz cup.
Which of the three is strongest per ounce? Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso & Cream, at about 18.5mg per fluid ounce, ahead of High Brew Double Espresso at 17.5mg and brewed coffee at 11.9mg.
How many High Brew Double Espresso servings reach the FDA 400mg reference? About 2.9 of them, at 8 oz can 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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