# Does Starbucks spike their coffee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 20, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647 "2018-09-20T18:10:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/1 "2018-09-20T18:10:49Z")
My normal coffee routine ends up with me putting down 10 cups (yeah, the better part of a whole carafe) of strongish home-brew. Starbucks, Yukon when I can get it, otherwise whatever light roast is on sale when I’m buying. The routine involves knocking back about 6 cups of cold coffee with some choc syrup & milk before I hit the road for work. Hey, I gotta wash the vitamins down with _something_. Today, [for reasons] I had no home brew coffee, just a grande mocha which I slammed around 9:00. 3 hours later I’m still wired like NEVER happens when I put away easily 3 times that much juice. What gives? I thought for a moment “sugar?” but Starbucks doesn’t put any more syrup in their creations than I do mine. Do I need to swap out the old Mr. Coffee for a cappuccino machine? ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/2 "2018-09-20T18:15:18Z")
Spike it, no. Make it with lots of coffee per ounce of water, yes. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/3 "2018-09-20T18:56:32Z")
Light roasted coffee will have more caffeine, as the “second crack” destroys a significant portion on darker roasts so something else is going on. When roasting coffee you have one stage called the “first crack” which is when the water in the bean starts to vaporize; this is followed by the “second crack” which is when the coffee starts an exothermic reaction and is actually burning. If you stop the process at the start of “second crack” you end up with a “full city roast” which is a dark roast. Most starbucks roasts will be past that full city roast be before a French roast. A shot of espresso which is typically a darker roast will have about 40% less caffeine than a typical drip coffee despite the placebo effect. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/4 "2018-09-20T18:57:19Z")
For the curious, here is a breakdown of Starbucks caffeine levels. > **[The Complete Guide to Starbucks Caffeine](https://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-complete-guide-to-starbucks-caffeine)** > > Complete caffeine content of Starbucks drinks. Coffee, tea, refreshers, frappuccinos, iced coffee, via, and bottled coffee. UK and Europe amounts too. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/5 "2018-09-20T21:04:42Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > Spike it, no. Make it with lots of coffee per ounce of water, yes. Until we know your coffee-making recipe, I lean towards this explanation. When you make coffee, how many tablespoons of coffee to 6oz of water? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/6 "2018-09-20T21:32:04Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Today, [for reasons] I had no home brew coffee, just a grande mocha which I slammed around 9:00. If you mean cafe mocha, the dairy drink with chocolate, they’re made with espresso, not regular drip brewed coffee so a direct comparison can’t be made. Mocha is also the name of a bean variety, though. I do agree that Starbucks hits a lot harder than multiple cups of regular coffee. I usually have a cup of instant before leaving home in the morning and two cups in the first hour at work and it’s fine. One medium Starbucks leaves my chest pounding and mind racing. It’s not pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/7 "2018-09-20T22:20:20Z")
Arabica vs. robusta? Other varieties? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/8 "2018-09-20T22:44:22Z")
Starbux also loads their “mochas” with a tonne of sugar and fat. That might have had up to 500 calories. So yeah they do put more sugar than you do. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/9 "2018-09-20T22:54:32Z")
I also want to point out I have experienced that exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/10 "2018-09-20T23:09:33Z")
double post ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/11 "2018-09-21T16:48:44Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I thought for a moment “sugar?” but Starbucks doesn’t put any more syrup in their creations than I do mine. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Starbux also loads their “mochas” with a tonne of sugar and fat. That might have had up to 500 calories. > > So yeah they do put more sugar than you do. The “sugar rush” is a myth. Sugar is not a stimulant. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/12 "2018-09-23T02:26:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Starbux also loads their “mochas” with a tonne of sugar and fat. That might have had up to 500 calories. > > So yeah they do put more sugar than you do. How do you know how much sugar OP, who admits to drinking many cups of coffee with chocolate syrup and milk, uses? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/13 "2018-09-23T03:25:53Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > How do you know how much sugar OP, who admits to drinking many cups of coffee with chocolate syrup and milk, uses? I don’t. But he said _"knocking back about 6 cups of cold coffee with some choc syrup & milk "_ with no mention of sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/14 "2018-09-23T04:11:33Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I don’t. But he said _"knocking back about 6 cups of cold coffee with some choc syrup & milk "_ with no mention of sugar. “With choc syrup” _is_ a mention of sugar. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/15 "2018-09-23T04:25:05Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > “With choc syrup” _is_ a mention of sugar. No, it’s a mention of _Choc syrup_, which does contain sugar. But he didnt say how much. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/16 "2018-09-24T23:34:03Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Until we know your coffee-making recipe, I lean towards this explanation. When you make coffee, how many tablespoons of coffee to 6oz of water? Ach you science types. OK, just measured. 5 tablespoons per 12 oz pot. Drip coffee maker, wire mesh filter. About 2 tablespoons of Hershey’s syrup. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/17 "2018-09-25T00:29:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, it’s a mention of _Choc syrup_, which does contain sugar. But he didnt say how much. Choc syrup is mostly sugar. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/18 "2018-09-25T02:37:36Z")
So does Starbucks use more coffee per ounce of water than other coffee houses? Is that why their coffee has a bitter, almost burnt taste? I don’t find this to be true of other coffee chains like Seattle’s Best, nor at independent coffee houses. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/19 "2018-09-25T15:03:15Z")
Does Starbucks even make drip coffee? I thought everything there was based on espresso. ---
**Author:** ![carag73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@carag73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carag73)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647/20 "2018-09-25T15:21:59Z")
I 100% think that Starbucks puts additional caffeine in their drinks. When I make a cup of Joe at my house it is about one third the strong as the normal I get a Starbucks. Their coffee also tastes much sweeter although they swear they don’t at sugar… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-starbucks-spike-their-coffee/821647.md?page=2)