My whole summer tends to revolve around iced coffee and cold brew — never underestimate the power of chilled caffeine, people — which is why when I heard Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew was due to hit 500 stores nationwide this summer, I was pretty pumped. But does the Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew contain caffeine, and if so, how much? I have good news for you, happy humans — this drink is the perfect pick-me-up.
While a 12 oz. iced coffee from Starbucks will give you a decent 120mg of caffeine, the new Nitro Cold Brew, which is making its way to stores in Seattle, Portland, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston this summer, contains 245mg in a tall, which makes it an ideal option whether you're looking for a morning wake-up call, or a way to perk up in the afternoon. For the sake of comparison, a 12 oz. Pike Place contains 260mg of caffeine, and a 12 oz. Starbucks Doubleshot On Ice has 150mg of caffeine. So basically, the Nitro Cold Brew isn't quite as strong as hot coffee, but it's still one of the more caffeinated iced beverages on Starbucks' menu. In case you were looking for a way to cool down and fuel up at the same time, this might be it.
Also, it looks super pretty:
But now that we've taken care of the important matters, there might be a few other questions still lingering in your mind, like for instance, what the heck is Nitro Cold Brew, anyway? The answer is pretty simple — it's Starbucks Cold Brew infused with nitrogen, which gives it a much more creamy, velvety texture than what you are used to sipping on. You see those tiny bubbles gracefully cascading to the top of the drink? Those are what gives this beverage such a full-bodied flavor profile. Baristas advise drinking the Nitro Cold Brew sans milk, cream, or even ice — the drink is dispensed in all its cool richness without the help of any other bells and whistles. Science, am I right?
The drink costs around $3.95 for a tall, depending on where you live, and although it's only currently available in Seattle right now, it's expected to hit more stores in cities everywhere this summer, meaning you will certainly have a chance to get your hands on this soon. In the meantime, Starbucks also just added a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew to its menu, which is available everywhere right now. So, if you're looking for a little boost, this should do the trick. Behold:
I think that GIF right there just proves what we already know: Cold brew season is definitely the best season.
Images: Kathryn Kattalia/Bustle; Starbucks
