You can't always get what you want, especially if what you want is Starbucks' Venti Nitro Cold Brew. Maybe you try ordering a 24-ounce glass of the chain's Nitro Cold Brew when you're groggy in the morning. Or maybe you, God forbid, are already considering embarking on a caffeine journey and have considered trying to order a Trenta Nitro Cold Brew, which contains a whopping 31 ounces of buzz bean juice. Unfortunately, you'll find that neither option is possible at Starbucks: You can't order any nitro cold brew larger than a Tall (12 ounces) or Large (16 ounces).
Is it because Starbucks likes to see us suffer? Are Starbucks mermaids sadists? Do we want to fill ourselves with so much cold beer? Maybe it's all three, but the reason Starbucks tells PEOPLE is... the drink isn't meant to be enjoyed in a cup that big.
According to a Starbucks blog post, Nitro Cold Brew is made by infusing nitrogen gas into the company's signature cold brew coffee. A Starbucks representative tells PEOPLE that when the nitro cold brew finally comes out of the tap, the result is a drink that's "smooth, naturally sweet, and slowly steeped for 20 hours." A Starbucks representative told PEOPLE that ordering a drink larger than a large defeats the purpose of the drink and loses the frothy, creamy texture that comes with a "nitro fall" or "cascade." "
Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Coffee launched in the summer of 2016 and quickly became a fan favorite. If you're wondering about the science behind the drink, Starbucks says the nitrogen is used to bring out the chocolatey flavor of the cold brew, making it taste naturally sweet. The bubbles created by the nitrogen also add foam to the drink. "Starbucks cold brew coffee is known for its smooth texture and natural sweetness, and is slowly steeped and served cold without a hint of bitterness," a Starbucks blog post reads. "Adding nitrogen makes it even better, producing cold, creamy iced coffee." In other words, you don't need to add any cream or sweetener. Just a straight up nitrogen cold brew will suffice.
If you're looking for these caffeine stats, Nitro Cold Brew is comparable to other Starbucks drinks. A cup of nitro cold brew contains 245 milligrams of caffeine. To be fair, that's less than the 260 milligrams of caffeine found in a standard Starbucks coffee, Pike Place. However, it might be worth sacrificing a little caffeine to get that sweet, fizzy nitro suds. Plus, just saying the words "cold brew" makes my body jittery with caffeine, even if it's psychosomatic.
Earlier this summer, Starbucks gave away free Nitro Cold Brew samples to celebrate the launch of Nitro Cold Brew in 80% of company-owned stores in the United States. Starbucks plans to expand to all company-owned stores in the United States by the end of 2019.
If drinking coffee from the tap isn't fancy enough for you, there are a few ways to upgrade your Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew. Starbucks baristas recommend trying a chai-infused nitro coffee topped with sweetened cold foam. You can also flip the order and put the sweet cream cold foam at the bottom of the cup and pour the nitro cold brew on top. You can even start simple and add a pump or two of vanilla or hazelnut to complement the flavor of your cold brew.
Why not go crazy and add some pumpkin spice? Or you can fully commit to the PSL lifestyle and opt for the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. No matter what, you can do your nitro cold brew however you want...as long as you do it in a 12 or 16 ounce cup.
