Jarrod Johnson orders most expensive Starbucks drink ever

Starbucks has officially served up its most expensive drink ever, a $71.35 mocha chip frappuccino measuring in at more than five gallons.

The best part? It was completely free due to Starbucks’ free birthday beverage promotion.

Jarrod Johnson, 30, ordered the drink on his birthday, July 2, in Barboursville, West Virginia. He is now the latest winner of a nationwide Internet challenge to order the coffee chain’s most expensive drink.

While the challenge -- not endorsed by Starbucks corporate -- has been around for years, it has grown in prominence this summer with new broken records.

“It started out as a joke at first,” Johnson, an employee at a clothing store, told Newsday. But after chatting with baristas at his local Starbucks, Johnson decided to attempt the feat.

“I knew I had a willing store on my side and encouragement from friends and coworkers at Express. Game on!”

After spending a few days searching for a large enough container, he rolled up on his birthday with a clean 10-gallon cooler.

“We settled with the mocha chip frap since it was the most expensive, with soy, protein powder, all the drizzles,” he said, adding 77 shots of espresso to create a swirly, brown, dangerously caffeinated beverage.

THIS! @Starbucks @Time most expensive drink! #expensive pic.twitter.com/JInoQ14o0B

— J (@jbj692) July 4, 2014

Coworker just ordered the most expensive drink from @starbucks $77 and 77 shots of espresso. Free birthday drink! pic.twitter.com/QRJTDemwVT

— JALLEY (@thejohnalley) July 4, 2014

“I admit it looks gross,” Johnson said. “It was delicious.” He still has some in his freezer now.

According to the website Caffeine Informer, the second-most expensive Starbucks drink is a $59.75 beverage with 80 shots of espresso ordered in Terre Haute, Indiana. In third place is Sameera Raziuddin, who ordered a 192-ounce caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino.

Meanwhile, Starbucks reportedly warned its baristas earlier this month to stop making these giant, record-breaking drinks, telling Consumerist that “beverages larger than Trenta size (31 oz.) cannot be made or served.”

Check out Raziuddin’s drink and other record-breakers pulled from social media:

@Starbucks @starbucksgold Most expensive Starbucks drink ever. $54.75. it has 60 shots, 128oz glass. #NewRecord pic.twitter.com/GBMpg01eyi

— Andrew Chifari (@ACIFH) May 25, 2014