What coffee bean has the most caffeine

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At a Quick Glance (updated in 2022):
Top 10 Most Caffeinated Coffee Brands:
What’s the Strongest Coffee In the World?
What Does Strong Mean?
Establishing a Baseline
Strongest Coffee: Caffeine Per Ounce
Strongest Drip Coffee

Which coffee has more caffeine? Here’s the abbreviated answer: It depends.

Let’s dispel the most common myth right off the bat: A dark-roasted bean contains more caffeine than a light-roasted bean due to its stronger flavor. Not true. Actually, the caffeine content in both is virtually the same. An opposing view held by many is that the darker the roast level, the lower a bean’s caffeine since much of it is lost or "burned off" during roasting. Yet caffeine changes very little during a roast. Any significant variation would require a roasting temperature above 600° F. Since temperatures rarely exceed 470° F, a bean’s caffeine content remains relatively static across all roast levels.

COMPARING CAFFEINE BY VOLUME AND WEIGHT

But wait. Even though a bean’s caffeine content changes little during roasting, a bean’s caffeine

per volume and per weight

is altered considerably—not because the caffeine changes but because the size and weight of the beans change. The longer a bean is held in the roaster, the darker in color, lighter in weight, and larger in size it becomes.

So when do differences in caffeine content come into play? This happens when roasted coffee is measured for brewing or packaging. Since a bean loses weight (mainly water) during roasting, its caffeine content by weight increases while its caffeine content by volume decreases

. Confused yet? Let’s put this principle into practice by measuring some coffee.

Dark-roast coffees measured by volume with a scoop actually contain fewer coffee beans due to their larger size, resulting in a weaker brew and less caffeine per cup than a light-roast coffee measured in the same manner. Bottom line, you're not getting the most from a dark-roast coffee if you measure it by volume.

On the other hand, dark-roasted coffees measured by weight require more coffee beans for brewing since each bean weighs less than a coffee bean that has been roasted lighter, resulting in a full-flavored brew and more caffeine per cup than a light roast. Measuring coffee by weight is the method adopted by many folks devoted to their joe and strictly adhered to by any reputable coffeehouse. Not convinced? Prove this to yourself by weighing 50 grams each of a dark roast and a light roast. You'll find that the pile of dark roast will be larger since it has lost more water during roasting than the light roast--but the dark roast has not lost its caffeine. So, it takes a higher bean count (volume) of dark roast to equal the same weight as a light roast when you’re dosing to brew coffee.

COMPARING CAFFEINE BY COFFEE VARIETAL

One more caffeine comparison ought to be mentioned: Robusta coffee versus Arabica coffee. Robusta—a harsh-tasting, inexpensive coffee variety (or varietal)—contains nearly twice the caffeine of Arabica. A less expensive, supermarket-type brand offering a blend of both represents more caffeine per cup than a 100% Arabica coffee when both are identically prepared and brewed. What's more, if that supermarket blend happens to be roasted dark and its coffee grounds are measured by weight prior to brewing, a brewed cup will deliver the biggest caffeine dose of all.

So, does a dark-roast or a light-roast coffee have more caffeine? A 12 oz. brewed cup of dark-roasted Arabica coffee will contain more caffeine if it has been weighed prior to brewing as opposed to a lighter roasted Arabica coffee taken to the same weight. Yet, it all depends on how you compare coffees—by bean, volume, weight, or coffee varietal.

Note: This blog post, "Which Has More Caffeine: Light or Dark Roast?" was written and posted by Scribblers Coffee on April 6, 2011. We reposted this blog on our new website in 2017.

Do you rely on your daily cup of coffee to start your mornings? If so, you’re definitely not alone. While some coffee drinkers partake purely because they enjoy it, many folks depend on the caffeine kick in coffee to get them through each day. Caffeine helps parents keep their sanity, workers do their jobs, students stay up to study, and night owls function in the morning.

While virtually all coffee contains caffeine in varying amounts, an increasing number of brands are offering options loaded with many times the amount of caffeine in the average cup of joe. Here, you’ll find 10 brands of the highest caffeinated coffees on the market that’ll make your daily coffee seem weak by comparison.

If you’re extra-sensitive to caffeine, beware, but if you’re a caffeine fanatic who’s always searching for a buzz, give these high-caffeine brands a try, if you dare! So what is the strongest coffee in the world? Keep reading to find out.

How much caffeine is in coffee?

At a Quick Glance (updated in 2022):

	Image	Product	Details
		Devil Mountain Black Label	1,555 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup Non-GMO, Organic, and Fair Trade Smooth, non-bitter flavor
		Very Strong Coffee	1,350 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup 100% high-caffeine Robusta beans Rich, intense flavor
		High Voltage	1,150 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup Shockingly strong Sustainably grown and dark-roasted
		Black Insomnia	1,105 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup Macadamia, caramel, and hazelnut flavors Rare blend of beans
		Biohazard Coffee	928 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup Dark-roasted and organic Conveniently pre-ground

Top 10 Most Caffeinated Coffee Brands:

Caffeine content: 1,555 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup

The world’s highest caffeine coffee is Black Label by Devil Mountain. At over 1,500 milligrams of caffeine per serving, this coffee is not for the faint of heart. It is non-GMO, USDA-certified organic, and fair trade. Black Label claims it will give you even energy levels without the jitters, which is rather impressive considering it has the most caffeine out of all the coffees on this list. Despite the shocking caffeine levels, it still claims a drinkable, smooth, bitter-free flavor.

SEE ALSO: A roundup of our favorite black coffee brands (no cream or sugar needed!).

Caffeine content: 1,350 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

With a name that’s straight to the point, Very Strong Coffee is made in the UK with 100% Robusta coffee beans, which have naturally higher caffeine levels. Caffeine Informer calls its caffeine levels “dangerous,” so definitely make sure you’ve got a hefty caffeine tolerance if you try this one. It offers up a rich and intense flavor, and the website cautions drinkers to “enjoy it responsibly.”

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Caffeine content: 1,150 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

“Coffee so strong, it will shock you,” High-Voltage Coffee is based in Australia and made with sustainably sourced beans that are dark roasted to perfection. According to its website, it’s lab-tested to ensure high caffeine levels. It claims to be smooth, full-bodied, and rich in flavor, perfect for caffeine addicts and coffee snobs alike.

Caffeine content: 1,105 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

We’re getting to almost scary levels of caffeine here, but if you’re a night owl in need of a coffee fix, Black Insomnia might be for you. Clocking in at over 1,000 milligrams of caffeine per serving, you’re guaranteed to feel a kick.

It offers aromas of macadamia, caramel, and hazelnut and notes of dark chocolate. Black Insomnia says its secret to its crazy caffeine content is a combination of its rare blend of beans and finely tuned roasting process.

Caffeine content: 928 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

Another caffeine-loaded brew with a fear-inducing name and logo, Biohazard is a dark-roasted organic coffee made with Robusta beans. It is sold pre-ground in one-pound and five-pound bags. Reviewers say it has a mildly bitter yet still friendly flavor, with notes of popcorn, nuts, chocolate, and tobacco.

Whether you need to stay up late to study for exams or banish the mid-afternoon energy slump, Biohazard is sure to keep you going.

Caffeine content: 728 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

With a skull and crossbones on the label and a name that may strike fear into your heart, Death Wish Coffee claims to “awaken your inner rebel” with an impressive 700-plus milligrams of caffeine per cup. Despite its apparent rebellious branding, it is fair trade and organic, so you can feel good about purchasing it.

It boasts a smooth, never-bitter taste with notes of chocolate and cherry, and it comes with a risk-free guarantee: if you try it and don’t like it, Death Wish will refund your money.

SEE ALSO: Our Complete Review of Death Wish Coffee

Caffeine content: up to 702 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup

Red Goat Coffee contains up to six times the amount of caffeine you’ll get in a normal cup. The website promises its coffee is smooth, not bitter, and reviewers seem to agree. It’s available whole bean or ground, and in Nespresso and Keurig-compatible pods.

Caffeine content: 645 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

With an artfully designed skull on the front of the bag, Killer Coffee is made in Australia and claims it’s “strong enough to wake the dead.” It’s made with 100% dark-roasted Arabica beans. As a rich, smooth, bitterness-free brew with notes of caramel, this coffee claims to be versatile and taste great however you prepare it.

Caffeine content: 474 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup

Offering “an ungodly jolt of energy” according to its website, Banned Coffee claims to be “the world’s most delicious and strongest coffee,” and it boasts over three times the amount of caffeine found in popular energy drinks. A medium to dark roast, it offers a smooth, rich taste with notes of chocolate and berries. Banned vows to never over-roast its beans, to ensure optimal caffeine levels and taste.

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Caffeine content: up to 408 mg caffeine per 12-ounce cup

Perk Up High Caffeine Coffee is a medium roast that promises to pack a punch without compromising on flavor. It is fair trade and certified organic. The website claims these beans are flash-roasted with a natural extract added to boost the caffeine content. According to the site, 12 ounces of the drip coffee will yield 262 milligrams of caffeine, while other brewing methods can produce up to 408 milligrams.

What’s the Strongest Coffee In the World?

Coffee is great. Just the smell of your favorite coffee brewing is probably enough to get you out of bed in the morning, and once you have that first, glorious sip, you’re ready for anything. Most coffee drinkers will tell you that they love the way coffee tastes but, if they’re honest, they’ll also tell you they started drinking coffee for the energy boost they got from caffeine.

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance, and coffee is the most popular caffeine delivery system. If you like strong coffee and the feeling you get from caffeine, you’ve probably wondered what the strongest type of coffee is. That is a loaded question, as you’ll see, but we’ll do our best to try to answer it. Grab a cup of strong coffee, and let’s talk about caffeine.

What Does Strong Mean?

Saying “strong coffee” could mean different things to different people. Before we start, we should get our definitions right. Many people use the word strong to indicate a low water-to-coffee ratio, and while that is an entirely acceptable use of the word, it’s not how we’ll use it in this article.

When we say strong, we mean high caffeine content. If we’re seeking out the strongest coffee, it doesn’t make sense to talk about water-to-coffee ratios since that isn’t an intrinsic property of the coffee since the coffee drinker determines it at brew time.

Image Credit: schuetz-mediendesign, Pixabay

Establishing a Baseline

If you search the internet looking for how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee, you’ll find the answer is usually around 100 mg per cup, depending on where you look. We’ll use this as a baseline value to compare the coffees we find later with.

It is worth mentioning that a dangerous amount of caffeine for humans resulting in heart problems or death is around 10 grams or 10,000 mg. It is therefore impossible to overdose on caffeine by drinking coffee. Most doctors recommend consuming no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. It is interesting to have these numbers in our back pocket as we look at the caffeine content in the world’s strongest coffees.

Strongest Coffee: Caffeine Per Ounce

For practical purposes, the relevant metric for determining how strong a particular coffee is caffeine per ounce. Of course, drinking a larger coffee will have more caffeine, so we have to look at caffeine per ounce if we want a meaningful comparison. It would be silly to conclude that the strongest coffee is simply a bigger cup of coffee.

Espresso is the clear winner when we look at caffeine per ounce. Thanks to the superfine grind size and high pressures used in brewing espresso, the resulting coffee is much more concentrated and has much more caffeine per ounce than any other brewing style.

One ounce of espresso typically contains about 40 mg of caffeine. If we scale that up to eight ounces, we get 320 mg of caffeine in eight ounces of espresso. Compared to the baseline number of around 100 mg, that’s nearly triple the amount of caffeine in a regular cup of coffee!

Death Wish is some of the strongest coffee in the world — just read the label!

Strongest Drip Coffee

The strongest coffee in terms of caffeine per ounce is espresso, but what if we restrict our comparison rules so that all coffee is brewed in a drip machine? This removes the brewing method as a factor and instead allows us to focus on which coffee beans are strongest.

Several companies produce coffee specifically designed to have higher-than-normal caffeine content. That’s where the above list comes in! Whether you choose Devil Mountain’s insanely caffeinated Black Label Coffee or one of the other incredibly strong coffee brands on the list, you know you’ll be drinking a lot of caffeine.

Conclusion

If your morning coffee isn’t cutting it, or perhaps you have to drink multiple cups per day because the energy-enhancing effects are wearing off too quickly, give one of these coffees a try. Even veteran coffee drinkers and self-proclaimed caffeine addicts may want to proceed with caution with the above-listed options; after all, they are the 10 most caffeine-packed coffees in the world! We hope you enjoyed learning about the strongest coffee beans on the market. After trying these insane coffee beans, you may want to check out this article about recovering from coffee-related upset stomachs.

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