How much caffeine does your coffee contain?Updated 4 months ago

Arabica coffee typically contains about 8 to 15 milligrams of caffeine per gram of coffee grounds. The difference in caffeine content between light, medium, and dark roasts is generally negligible when measured by weight, as roasting does not significantly alter the total caffeine content. While the roast level influences bean density, color, flavor, and aroma, it does not meaningfully change how much caffeine you’ll get from one gram of ground coffee.

Additionally, not all of the caffeine in the grounds is extracted into the final cup. However, a large portion—often between 70% and 90%—is typically pulled into the brew, with the exact percentage depending on factors such as grind size, water temperature, brewing time, and method.

Several variables affect how much caffeine ends up in your cup:

• Brewing Method: Immersion methods (like a French press) allow more contact time, leading to relatively higher extraction of caffeine. Espresso’s short contact time but higher pressure can still achieve a high extraction percentage due to the fine grind and intense conditions. Drip or pour-over methods are balanced, often extracting a high but not total percentage of available caffeine.
• Grind Size: Finer grinds present more surface area and can facilitate greater extraction of caffeine. Coarser grinds release caffeine more slowly and less completely within a given brew time.
• Water Temperature and Brew Time: Hotter water and longer steeping times generally increase extraction, allowing more caffeine to migrate into the beverage.
• Coffee-to-Water Ratio: A higher ratio of coffee grounds to water can saturate the solution faster, possibly limiting the final percentage of caffeine extracted if not enough fresh water passes through.