Starbucks Blonde Espresso vs Regular Espresso: Which one is stronger?

After four decades of serving their regular Signature espresso, Starbucks introduced the blonde espresso. Just like the majority of Starbucks customers, I was confused and simultaneously curious about how these two espressos compared to each other. Being an avid regular espresso drinker, I wanted to find out how the blonde espresso tasted and the flavours and caffeine strength it offered. With the help of various Starbucks baristas, I got to study and compare these two espressos. To find out which espresso is stronger between the blonde and regular espresso and which one you should pick, keep reading.

What are the differences between Starbucks Blonde Espresso vs Regular Espresso?

Features.	Starbucks Blonde Espresso.	Starbucks Regular Espresso.
Ingredients.	Lightly roasted 100% Arabica coffee beans from Latin America and East Africa.	Dark roasted 100% Arabica coffee beans from Latin America and the Asia Pacific.
Taste profile.	Citrusy, sweet, smooth, slightly acidic and bright taste with mellow notes.	Bold, bitter, creamy and smoky cocoa taste with rich, nutty and earthy flavours and caramel notes.
Caffeine content/ Nutritional value.	A shot (1fl oz.) has 85mg. A short (8fl oz.) – 180mg, tall (12fl oz.) – 270mg, grande (16fl oz.) – 360mg and venti (20fl oz) – 475mg. The nutritional value of a grande blonde espresso is as follows; Calories – 5, calories from fat – 0, total fat – 0g, saturated fat – 0g, trans fat – 0g, cholesterol – 0mg, sodium – 10mg, total carbs – 0g, dietary fibre – 0g, sugar – 0g, and protein – 1g.	A shot (1fl oz.) has 75mg. A short (8fl oz.) – 155mg, tall (12fl oz.) – 235mg, grande (16fl oz.) – 310mg and venti (20fl oz.) – 410mg. The nutritional value of a grande regular espresso is as follows; Calories – 5, calories from fat – 0, total fat – 0g, saturated fat – 0g, trans fat – 0g, cholesterol – 0mg, sodium – 0g, total carbs – 0g, dietary fibre – 0g, sugar – 0g and protein – 1g.
Availability/ Accessibility.	Readily available in all Starbucks stores and on the Starbucks app.	Easily available and accessible in all Starbucks stores and on the Starbucks app.
Roast Level.	Light and short-lived roast.	Dark and longer roast.
Physical appearance.	A matte, light brown or beige colour.	An oily, medium to dark brown colour.
Major uses.	Commonly used in cold brews and beverages made with non-dairy milk and vanilla.	Commonly used in beverages rich in dairy milk and chocolate flavours.

Starbucks Blonde Espresso vs Regular Espresso – How they compare.

What it’s made of (Ingredients)

The Starbucks Blonde Espresso is brewed from lightly roasted 100% Arabica coffee beans from Latin America and East Africa. Upon the request of a customer, their preferred milk and sweetener can be incorporated into their blonde espresso.

The Starbucks Regular Espresso, on the other hand, is brewed from dark roasted 100% Arabica coffee beans from Latin America and the Asia Pacific. With the regular espresso, a customer is also allowed to customize, by say, adding milk and sweeteners.

Starbucks only uses 100% Arabica coffee beans in their espressos. This is because the Arabica coffee beans, according to the company’s Coffee Engagement Manager, are elegant and complex with an interesting body and acidity. These features make the beans easy to use, and create new beverages with and blend into exciting tastes.

In the ingredient category, it is a draw since both espressos use the same kind of coffee beans.

Taste Profile.

The Starbucks Blonde Espresso has a mild, sweet, fruity, smooth, bright and slightly acidic taste with citrusy notes of lemons and oranges.

The Starbucks Regular Espresso has a bold, pungent, robust, bitter and smoky cocoa taste with rich, nutty, earthy and decadent chocolate flavours and caramel notes.

When the temperatures reach between 302 and 392 degrees Fahrenheit during the bean roasting process, a reaction named the Maillard reaction starts taking place. This reaction is responsible for the coffee beans cracking and caramelization of the beans’ sugar occurring, among other amino acid reactions.

When the Maillard reaction lasts for a shorter period, the coffee beans retain most of their acidity and the original citrusy flavours, thus the citrusy, acidic taste of the blonde espresso. However, when the Maillard reaction lasts longer, the beans release more oils and bitterness thus the creamy, bitter taste of the regular espresso.

In this category, it is also a draw since taste is subjective.

Caffeine Content/ Nutritional value.

The Blonde Espresso has 85mg of caffeine in a shot (1fl oz.) and 360mg in a cup (16fl oz.).

The Regular Espresso has 75mg of caffeine in a shot and 310mg in a cup (16fl oz.).

Due to the bitter and pungent flavours of regular espresso, many usually assume that regular espresso is more caffeinated than blonde espresso, which is not the case. The slight difference in caffeine amounts is due to the different roasting times and different amounts used during brewing.

Concerning caffeine amounts, the blonde espresso wins as it contains more caffeine, the major element that most look for, in Starbucks espressos.

Availability/ Accessibility.

Both Blonde and Regular Espressos are easily available and accessible in all Starbucks stores and on the Starbucks app. Therefore, in this category, it is a tie.

Roast Level.

The Starbucks Blonde Espresso is lightly roasted while the Regular Espresso has a darker roast.

In this category, it is also a draw since different people prefer different roast levels for their espresso beans.

Physical Appearance.

The Blonde Espresso has a matte, light brown/beige appearance while the Regular Espresso has an oily, medium to dark brown appearance. The oily appearance is due to the oils that are released from coffee beans during the prolonged roasting time.

Since appearance is personal, it is also a tie in this category.

Major Uses.

The Blonde Espresso is mainly used in non-dairy beverages with vanilla flavours like cold brews. The light and bright flavours of blonde espresso work well in less-pressured beverages.

Regular Espresso is mainly used in beverages with dairy milk like macchiatos, mochas and lattes. The bold regular espresso shots easily cut through the dairy component of these beverages, creating a rich and balanced flavour.

In this category, it is also a draw since both espressos shine in their own way in the respective beverages they are used in.

Starbucks Blonde Espresso vs Regular Espresso: A comparison overview.

Starbucks Blonde Espresso – Overview.

Blonde Espresso is made from lightly roasted Arabica coffee beans and has a sweet, slightly acidic and fruity taste. This espresso is sold in four sizes; short, tall, grande and venti and is available in all Starbucks stores and on their app. Blonde Espresso pairs perfectly with non-dairy beverages and vanilla flavours. 1fl oz. of blonde espresso contains 85mg of caffeine.

What I liked;

• The light, palatable mellow taste.
• The high caffeine amounts.

What I didn’t like;

• The acidity of the espresso.

Who it’s best suited for;

• Best for beginner coffee drinkers and those that hate the bitter coffee taste.

Starbucks Regular Espresso – Overview.

Regular Espresso is brewed from dark roasted Arabica ground coffee beans from Latin America and the Asia Pacific. This espresso has a pungent, bold and bitter taste with chocolate and caramel flavours and notes. Regular espresso is available in all Starbucks stores and pairs greatly with beverages rich in dairy milk. A shot of regular espresso has 75mg of caffeine.

What I liked;

• The bold taste and decadent chocolate flavours.
• The significant caffeine amounts.

What I didn’t like;

• The bitter and burnt aftertaste.

Who it’s best suited for;

• Best for those that enjoy the bitter and pungent coffee taste.

Final Verdict: So, which is better? – Starbucks Blonde Espresso or Regular Espresso.

The better espresso is whichever one you enjoy the most. Both espressos are equally good since some people enjoy the bright, fruity, acidic and sweet taste of the blonde espresso while others love the robust and bittersweet taste of regular espresso. It would be great to try out both espressos and find out which one you enjoy the most.

FAQ SECTION.

Which one tastes better between a Starbucks regular espresso and a blonde espresso?

Taste is subjective. Some find the mellow and bright taste of blonde espresso delicious while others prefer the bitter and smoky flavours of regular espresso. Taste depends on the individual.

What is the main difference between Starbucks regular and blonde espresso?

The main difference between blonde and regular espresso is the roasting period. Blonde espresso beans are roasted for a shorter time while regular espresso beans are roasted for a longer period. Also, blonde espresso has a sweeter, fruity and more acidic taste while regular espresso has a bitter, smoky and less acidic taste. Lastly, in terms of appearance, blonde espresso has a matte light brown/beige colour while regular espresso has an oily, dark brown appearance.

Is blonde espresso sweeter than regular?

Blonde espresso has a sweeter, fruity taste compared to the bitter, burnt taste of regular espresso.

Is blonde espresso healthier than regular espresso?

Blonde espresso is healthier than regular espresso because you don’t have to add as many sweeteners and creams as you would to a regular espresso. However, in their natural state, the difference in calories and other nutritional values is negligible.

Is blonde espresso more bitter than Starbucks regular espresso?

Starbucks regular espresso is more bitter than the Starbucks blonde espresso. Blonde espresso has a fruitier and sweeter taste while regular espresso has a bitter and burnt taste.