How much caffeine is there in a cup of coffee? That depends...

Here at Coffee Detective we don’t get too excited about the exact amount of caffeine in coffee.

We just know that drinking two or three cups in the morning gives us a nice lift, sharpens the concentration and prepare us for the day.

However, for some people the minutiae of caffeine content is a subject of fascination.

So we did our usual sleuthing and found some information you might find interesting.

Here is the breakdown of caffeine in coffee, based on drinking a 7 oz cup of coffee, with variations depending on the method of preparation etc.

And here is the source of the data: Bunker and McWilliams in J.Am. Diet. 74:28-32, 1979

• Drip Coffee 115-175mg
• Espresso - 1 serving (1.5-2oz) 100mg
• Brewed 80-135mg
• Instant 65-100mg
• Decaf, brewed 3-4mg
• Decaf, instant 2-3mg

The amount of caffeine in coffee is also influenced by the bean itself...

The variation in caffeine content between different types of coffee beans is minor, but quite interesting nevertheless.

The figures represent the percentage of caffeine content in the bean.

Varietals/Straights

• Brazil Bourbons 1.20%
• Celebes Kalossi 1.22
• Colombia Excelso 1.37
• Colombia Supremo 1.37
• Costa Rica Tarrazu 1.35
• Ethiopian Harrar-Moka 1.13
• Guatemala Antigua 1.32
• Indian Mysore 1.37
• Jamaican Blue Mtn/Wallensford Estate 1.24
• Java Estate Kuyumas 1.20
• Kenya AA 1.36
• Kona Extra Prime 1.32
• Mexico Pluma Altura 1.17
• Mocha Mattari (Yemen) 1.01
• New Guinea 1.30
• Panama Organic 1.34
• Sumatra Mandheling-Lintong 1.30
• Tanzania Peaberry 1.42
• Zimbabwe 1.10

The darkness of the roast is also a factor in the amount of caffeine in your coffee.

• Colombia Supremo Dark 1.37%
• Espresso Roast 1.32
• French Roast 1.22
• Vienna Roast 1.27
• Mocha-Java 1.17

Source: Newsletter--Mountanos Bros. Coffee Co., San Francisco

So...if you really want to either maximize or minimize the amount of caffeine you ingest, you can do that both by how you brew your coffee, and through your choice of the coffee beans themselves.

Some brands offer a highly caffeinated option too.

We plan on putting together a page about coffees that are deliberately blended to deliver a high caffeine level.

First in line is Megaton Coffee, which delivers twice the usual level of caffeine.

You can read our review of Megaton Coffee here...