Coffee drinking has become increasingly more popular in recent years, practically turning into a cult. The chemical composition of roasted coffee beans is marked by the presence of a lot of different chemical compounds, however, the main active ingredient in the finished beverage is caffeine. Caffeine has no color, smell, and when it is dissolved in water it produces a bitter taste. Since all coffees are made from different types of coffee beans, each coffee drink has a unique caffeine content which varies based on the bean and preparation methods.

The level of caffeine content in coffee beans is calculated as a percentage in terms of the total amount of dry coffee. It’s important to note that there are three main types of coffee: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberia. Arabica contains 0.6% to 1.2% caffeine, Robusta has about 1.8% to 3%, and Liberte 1.2% to 1.5%. Let’s take a look at some popular coffee varieties and their caffeine content.

Espresso

An espresso is the most common coffee that is brewed across large parts of Europe. Many consider it to be the king of hot beverages. It has a balanced acidic and bitter taste. Properly prepared espressos have a golden-hazel shine to them. Espressos generally have a caffeine content ranging from 90 to 200 mg. A doppio is a double espresso, the caffeine content of a double espresso ranges from 250 to 300 mg.

American Coffee

American coffee is typically ordinary coffee that is ground and brewed in a standard coffee drip machine. American coffee has a caffeine content ranging from 150 to 300 mg per serving.

Ristretto

Is a coffee that is similar to a normal espresso, but a little bit more bitter, usually prepared in an even smaller amount than espresso. The Ristretto has a slightly lower caffeine content than espressos.

Lungo

Has a lower caffeine content when compared to a standard espresso. This is due to the fact that a lungo is the same thing as an espresso but with more added water.

Oriental Coffee

Oriental coffee is made in a special container with boiling water. This hot drink contains over 135 mg of caffeine.

Coffee with Milk

In a regular coffee shop, you will find a lot of hot drinks that are based on espressos but simply have added milk. Which is used to neutralize some of the caffeine content. Cappuccinos and coffee lattes are the most common type of coffee purchased at a coffee shop. They contain about 85 mg to 150g of caffeine respectively.

Ready to Drink Instant Coffee

There is a variety of ready to drink instant mix coffees that only require you to add some coffee or milk. Generally, the caffeine content of such coffee is around 40 to 100 mg per standard cup.

Decaf

Decaf is an excellent coffee variety for those who enjoy the drink but would like to avoid the heavy caffeine content. Decaf coffee usually contains about 2 to 3 mg of caffeine per serving.

All types of coffee contain some caffeine content. Even decaffeinated varieties will have a certain amount of stimulants, especially ground coffee. Decaf is excellent for those people who are very sensitive to caffeine.

The Bottom Line

There is a popular myth that instant coffee has much less caffeine than natural coffees. However, there is no direct answer to this question due to the fact that instant coffee essentially contains synthetic caffeine. Therefore, only the manufacturer can decide how much caffeine will be added to the finished product.

As was mentioned previously, the caffeine content in a finished beverage depends on the type of coffee used to create the drink. The caffeine content is determined by the degree of the roast, grind, and brewing time. It’s important to note that under excessive roasting, a coffee drink may be deprived of its caffeine content. The smaller the grind of coffee, the greater the caffeine concentration in that coffee. This is because caffeine particles will become diluted by water when the drink is brewed.

It has also been noted that the longer the procedure to prepare a coffee drink takes, the greater the caffeine content will be. Out of the types of coffee compared to this post, the double espresso has the most caffeine content, while decaf has the least amount of caffeine.