Do Starbucks Refreshers Have Caffeine?
One of the most noteworthy launches at Starbuckss has been the Refreshers line, made famous across social media platforms with bright colors.
You may be wondering whether this fruity, sweet drink line has any caffeine in it. After all, if you’re replacing your usual latte, you want to make sure you get your buzz.
The answer is a little complicated, so read on to learn If Starbucks Refreshers have caffeine!
Does Starbucks Refresher Have Caffeine?
Yes. A Starbucks refresher contains a small amount of caffeine due to using unroasted coffee extract.
The amount of caffeine is much less than a regular Starbucks coffee.
How Much Caffeine is in a Starbucks Refresher?
Although refreshers don’t taste at all like coffee the way you’d normally drink it, the drinks do have caffeine in them in the form of green coffee extract.
Green coffee extract comes from raw coffee beans, so the caffeine content is slightly different from roasted coffee beans.
Since green coffee contains caffeine, Starbucks Refreshers have caffeine, but how much? That depends on the size of drink you buy since the amount of extract you get varies.
Contrary to popular belief, the type of Starbucks Refresher you purchase doesn’t make a difference. Starbucks Refreshers have caffeine based on how much extract is in them.
For a Tall Starbucks Refresher of any type, the drink contains 35 mg of caffeine, while a Grande comes in at 45 mg of caffeine.
A Venti contains 70 mg, while the Trenta size gets you closer to a standard home cup of joe, at 90 mg.
For comparison, a Starbucks double shot of espresso contains 150 mg of caffeine, while a Grande hot chocolate has 25 mg.
The Refreshers line splits the difference. The green coffee extract also provides a more gentle buzz than the roasted stuff, making the experience a little more like tea.
Starbucks Refreshers Ingredients
One of the things that set the Refreshers line apart from other Starbucks drinks is the ingredients: the whole line is made with a base of fruit juice, green coffee extract and freeze-dried fruit inclusions.
The fruit juice base gives these drinks their distinctive flavor, while the fruit inclusions add an exotic, tasty texture and counterpoint.
Different variations on the Starbucks Refreshers add flavor and alter the color of the drinks. For example, any of the base line of drinks is easy to alter by adding coconut milk or by adding lemonade instead of the standard water.
This has given birth to a number of popular TikTok and Instagram-worthy drinks, like the Pink Drink, the Violet Drink, the Dragon Drink, and the Star Drink.
Popular Starbucks Refreshers
If you’re curious about the Starbucks Refreshers line of drinks and want to try one, you’ll probably want to start off with the most popular options.
That way, you can be fairly confident that the drink you get is one you’ll like, before you decide to customize or branch out to other flavors.
Going by sales numbers and customer surveys, here are the top 5 most popular Starbucks Refreshers:
- Strawberry-Açai Refresher
- Strawberry-Açai Starbucks Refreshers base, with filtered water, ice, and strawberry fruit inclusions
- The Pink Drink
- Strawberry-acai Refreshers base, with coconut milk, ice, and strawberry fruit inclusions
- The Dragon Drink
- Mango-dragonfruit Starbucks Refreshers base, coconut milk, ice, and dragonfruit inclusions
- The Star Drink
- Kiwi-starfruit Starbucks Refreshers base, coconut milk, ice, and kiwi fruit inclusions
One of the other popular options for some time was the Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade, made like the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher, but with lemonade in place of filtered water.
The base features fruit juice flavors of hibiscus and berries, paired with green coffee extract and freeze-dried blackberries. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued for the time being.
If you’re unsure, check out our view on the most popular range of Starbucks Refreshers, and decide which one sounds the best to try first. Whether it’s the Mango-Dragonfruit Refresher, the Star Drink, or any of the other options.
Related Read: Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
Does Starbucks Serve Any Caffeine-Free Drinks?
If you’re looking to avoid caffeine, the Starbucks Refreshers line may not be your best choice.
Fortunately, Starbucks offers several completely caffeine-free options, both cold drinks and hot ones. Here are some of your best caffeine-free choices:
- Blended Strawberry Lemonade
- Iced Passion Tango Tea
- Caramel Apple Spice
- Vanilla Crème
- Mint Majesty Herbal Tea
- Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea
And of course, you can also order plain steamed milk, steamed apple juice, cold milk, fruit juice, or lemonade.
Wrapping Up
While the caffeine in Starbucks Refreshers is lower than for brewed beans, it is true that Starbucks Refreshers have caffeine in them.
A Grande, the Starbucks medium size, contains only 45 mg of caffeine, whether you get a Star Drink or a Dragon Drink, or anything in between. For a truly no-caffeine experience, there are several different options as well.
Get out there and try a refreshing drink with just a little caffeine and exotic flavors from fruit juice!
