Cold brew coffee has become an increasingly popular menu item at coffee shops like Starbucks in recent years. Unlike traditional iced coffee which is brewed hot then cooled down, cold brew coffee is brewed by steeping ground coffee in room temperature or cold water for an extended period of time, usually 12-24 hours. This longer brewing time results in a smoother, less acidic flavor.
One of Starbucks’ most popular cold brew offerings is the Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew. This drink combines Starbucks’ smooth Cold Brew coffee with the nutty sweetness of almondmilk and honey. But how many calories are in a tall Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew? Let’s take a closer look.
Calories in Starbucks’ Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew
The number of calories in a Starbucks Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew depends on the size ordered. According to the Starbucks website, the calorie count for a tall (12 oz) Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew is:
| Size | Calories |
| Tall (12 oz) | 100 |
So a tall Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew from Starbucks contains approximately 100 calories. This calorie count is for the standard recipe without any customizations or additions.
Breakdown of Calories
Let’s break down where those 100 calories come from in a tall Starbucks Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew:
– Cold Brew Coffee: Starbucks’ Cold Brew is very low in calories on its own, with just 5 calories in 8 oz. So the cold brew coffee base contributes about 7.5 calories to the total.
– Almondmilk: The almondmilk contributes about 30-40 calories. An 8 oz serving of typical almondmilk has around 30-40 calories.
– Honey: Honey is the ingredient that adds the most calories. There are 64 calories in 1 tablespoon of honey. The honey syrup sweetener likely accounts for 50-60 calories.
– Ice: The ice itself is calorie-free.
So the combination of 7.5 calories from the cold brew, 30-40 calories from the almondmilk, and 50-60 calories from the honey syrup totals around 100 calories for a 12 oz tall size.
How the Ingredients Impact Calories
Now let’s take a closer look at how the amounts of each key ingredient – the cold brew, almondmilk, and honey – impact the overall calorie count in a Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew.
Amount of Cold Brew
The cold brew itself is very low calorie, so increasing the amount of cold brew coffee will only slightly increase the total calories. Doubling the amount of cold brew from 8 oz to 16 oz would only add about 5-10 additional calories. The cold brew contributes minimal calories compared to the almondmilk and honey.
Amount of Almondmilk
Starbucks provides several non-dairy milk alternatives beyond almondmilk, like soy milk, oat milk, and coconut milk. The calorie count of these milks can vary, but are generally in the same range as almondmilk at around 30-40 calories per 8 oz. So substituting a different non-dairy milk won’t significantly alter the calorie count. The amount of milk added has a greater impact. Adding extra almondmilk or requesting no almondmilk would change the calories from that ingredient up or down by 30-40 calories.
Amount of Honey
The honey is the ingredient that makes the biggest impact on the total calories. Requesting extra pumps of honey, or adding honey packets would substantially increase the calories from added sugars. On the flip side, asking for less honey or no honey would lower the calories. Removing the honey altogether could reduce the calories by 50-60 since honey contributes the bulk of calories.
So in summary, the amount of honey syrup has the greatest effect on the total calories, followed by the type and amount of milk, while the cold brew itself contributes minimal calories.
How Customizations Affect Calories
In addition to the ingredients that make up a standard Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew, other customizations and additions can further alter the calorie count.
Whipped Cream
Adding whipped cream on top will tack on additional calories and fat. A single Starbucks dollop of whipped cream contains about 50 calories. Requesting extra whipped cream could add 100+ additional calories.
Syrups
Flavored syrups like vanilla, caramel, or mocha will also increase the calorie count due to added sugar. Each pump of syrup adds around 20 calories. So adding 3-4 pumps of syrup would increase calories by 60-80.
Alternative Milks
As mentioned above, substituting almondmilk for a different non-dairy milk like soy, coconut, or oat milk won’t drastically change calories. They generally have similar calorie counts per 8 oz serving. However, substituting in a higher calorie dairy-based milk like 2% or whole milk would significantly increase calories and fat.
Alternative Sweeteners
Rather than honey, customers can request alternative sweeteners like raw sugar, stevia, or additional syrups. These may alter calories slightly up or down, but not as drastically as removing honey altogether.
So in summary, added toppings like whipped cream and extra pumps of flavored syrups increase calories, while alternative dairy milks and sweeteners cause minor differences compared to the standard recipe.
How Other Drink Sizes Affect Calories
So far, we’ve looked at the calories for a tall 12 oz Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew. How do Starbucks’ other cold brew sizes compare calorie-wise?
Short (8 oz)
A short 8 oz cold brew will contain around 70 calories. The drink contains slightly less cold brew, almondmilk, and honey than a tall, so calories are decreased proportionately.
Grande (16 oz)
Next up is the grande or medium size. At 16 oz, a grande cold brew has about 130 calories. It contains more cold brew, almondmilk, and honey syrup than a tall.
Venti (20 oz)
Finally, a venti or large cold brew comes in at approximately 160 calories. The venti has 20 oz of cold brew coffee, almondmilk and honey, making it the highest calorie option.
This demonstrates that as expected, larger cold brew sizes contain more calories than smaller sizes in direct proportion to the increase in ingredients.
| Size | Calories |
| Short (8 oz) | 70 |
| Tall (12 oz) | 100 |
| Grande (16 oz) | 130 |
| Venti (20 oz) | 160 |
Calorie Comparison to Other Starbucks Drinks
Now let’s compare a tall Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew to some other Starbucks beverages to see where it stands calorie-wise:
Caffè Latte
– Tall Caffè Latte with 2% milk: 150 calories
The latte prepared with 2% dairy milk contains around 50 more calories than the honey cold brew.
Cappuccino
– Tall Cappuccino with 2% milk: 120 calories
A taller cappuccino has slightly more calories than the cold brew.
Caramel Macchiato
– Tall Caramel Macchiato with 2% milk: 150 calories
The caramel macchiato also contains around 50 more calories than a honey cold brew of the same size.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
– Tall Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2% milk: 300 calories
The PSL prepared with 2% milk has about 200 more calories than a honey cold brew. This is likely due to the pumpkin sauce and whipped cream.
Iced Coffee
– Tall Iced Coffee with 2% milk: 90 calories
Iced coffee has around 10 fewer calories than a honey cold brew when prepared with dairy milk.
So compared to Starbucks’ hot and iced coffee-based drinks, the Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew tends to be on the lower calorie end, coming in below most lattes, macchiatos, and flavored/blended beverages.
Low Calorie Cold Brew Options
If you’re looking for lower calorie cold brew options from Starbucks, here are some tips:
– Order a smaller size – short or tall rather than grande or venti.
– Select non-dairy milk alternatives like almondmilk, soy milk, oat milk. Avoid heavy creams.
– Minimize or omit the honey syrup to reduce added sugars.
– Request less or no whipped cream on top.
– Avoid added syrups like mocha, caramel, or vanilla.
– Opt for simple cold brew or iced coffee rather than creamy blended options.
Making these modifications can help reduce the calorie count of your Starbucks cold brew by 50 calories or more compared to the standard recipe.
Conclusion
So in summary, a tall 12 oz Starbucks Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew contains approximately 100 calories. The almondmilk contributes around 30-40 calories, while the honey syrup adds 50-60 calories, and the cold brew just 7.5 calories. Adding whipped cream, syrups, and using dairy milk increases calories further. Compared to other Starbucks drinks, the honey cold brew tends to be moderately low in calories. To lighten it up further, size down, minimize honey and dairy, and avoid heavy toppings. Knowing the calorie content can help customers make informed choices to meet their dietary needs.
