Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine? Yes, But How Much More?

Last updated on November 24th, 2023 at 13:31

This question, does cold brew have more caffeine?, is one that is asked often. In this article I answer this question accurately and honestly and indicate with a nice chart that will show you just how much more caffeine is in cold brew coffee when compared to other beverages.

Keep reading this article for the full details about cold brew coffee and its caffeine content compared to other popular coffee drinks.

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?

Yes,

it is absolutely clear that cold brew has more total caffeine content than hot brew beverages available.

The reason behind the greater amount of caffeine is not because it is brewed with cold water; it is due to the concentration of coffee due to the very focused coffee to water ratio used with a ratio of 1:8 commonly used for an undiluted, and 1:4 and 1:2 for a cold brew concentrate.

Notably, you can’t and certainly should not drink a concentrate directly. It is too strong in flavor and cannot be enjoyed. A cold brew coffee concentrate is typically diluted down to meet a 1: coffee to water ratio with a 1:4 concentrate having 2 parts of water added for every part of cold brew added.

For 1:2 concentrate, 4 parts of water is added for 1 part of cold brew concentrate to meet the 1:8 ratio.

Simply put, a cold brew coffee is brewed with more coffee and the result is a higher amount of caffeine.

Notably,

if it was brewed with hot water it would have even more caffeine than regular brewed coffee and more than regular cold brew coffee.

Hot water is better at extracting the soluble compounds, including caffeine, than cold water. A demonstrable example of this is the sheer caffeine concentration in a shot of espresso which has 75 mg per shot – that is an insane caffeine level that is 75 mg per fluid ounce or mind-boggling 250 mg of caffeine per 100 ml.

The reason why espresso is highly concentrated in caffeine is the concentration of coffee due to the 1:2 coffee to water ratio and the hot water extraction.

Read: How much more caffeine is in cold brew?

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Espresso? Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Espresso?

Despite the elevated caffeine content on a per fluid ounce or per 100 ml basis a shot, or even a double espresso shot (a doppio) does not have a greater amount of caffeine than a Tall 12 Oz (360 ml) cold brew.

It would be a draw as both a double shot and tall cold brew coffee has 150 ml of caffeine.

For there on in, as you go up the drink sizes a cold brew coffee increases in caffeine content, having 200, 300 and 330 mg of caffeine in the Grande, Venti and Trenta drink sizes.

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than A Latte?

Yes,

since a latte is a milk-based espresso drink and contains a shot or two of espresso, a latte, or flavored latte drinks do not have more caffeine than cold brew coffee.

This is also true for all espresso based drinks like a cappuccino, flat white, cortado, mocha, macchiato and so on.

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced Coffee? – Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Iced Coffee?

Yes,

this one is a closer battle. Iced coffee has a high caffeine content and is, technically speaking, a hot brew.

This cold coffee is brewed with hot water and is more concentrated to compensate for the fact that it is brewed over ice.

Iced coffee has only slightly less caffeine than a cold brew, but not by much.

The amount of caffeine in this beverage is:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 120 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (360 ml): 165 mg.
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 235 mg.
• Trenta 31 Oz (930 ml): 285 mg.

Iced coffee, which, despite its name, is a hot coffee as it is brewed with hot water which is then instantly flash chilled due to being brewed over ice.

Let’s now look at the caffeine content of cold brew coffee:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 150 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (360 ml): 200 mg.
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 300 mg.
• Trenta 31 Oz (930 ml): 330 mg.

Unlike Iced coffee, cold brew coffee is brewed with cold water. As you will have noticed from the amount of caffeine, it has more than iced coffee, but not a lot more. At Latte Love Brew we suggest keep within the 400 mg daily limit of caffeine per day as set out by the FDA to avoid sleepless nights, jitters and other side effects of excess caffeine. 

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Regular Coffee?

Regular coffee, drip coffee, and its other commonly known name, brewed coffee, does have a greater caffeine intake than a homemade cold brew or a Starbucks cold brew or one from any other coffee shop.

The reason for this is finely and easily explained with the very different amounts of coffee used. A regular coffee has a coffee to water ratio of 1:16, which uses half as much coffee to brew it than cold brew.

The result of which is the beverage has less caffeine.

How Much Caffeine In Cold Brew?

Since we have established that cold brewing results in a greater amount of caffeine due to the greater amount of coffee used, but how much caffeine is in cold brew?

Let’s get right to it:

• Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 150 mg.
• Grande 16 Oz (360 ml): 200 mg.
• Venti 24 Oz (720 ml): 300 mg.
• Trenta 31 Oz (930 ml): 330 mg

This brings us to the question, how much more caffeine is in cold brew coffee?

How Much More Caffeinated Is Cold Brew?

This question is best answered with a chart and a direct comparison of cold brew coffee and other popular coffee drinks.

Drink Size	Latte Caffeine Content	Cappuccino Caffeine Content	Mocha Caffeine Content	Drip Coffee Caffeine Content	Flat White Caffeine Content	Iced Coffee Caffeine Content	Cold Brew Caffeine Content
Tall 12 Oz (360 ml)	75 mg	75 mg	90 mg	110 mg	130 mg	120 mg	150 mg
Grande 16 Oz (480 ml)	75 mg	75 mg	95 mg	145 mg	130 mg	165 mg	200 mg
Venti 24 Oz (720 ml)	150 mg	150 mg	175 mg	180 mg	195 mg	235 mg	300 mg
Trenta 31 Oz (930 ml)	150 mg*	150 mg	185 mg	230 mg	195 mg	285 mg	330 mg

From the chart / table above it is easy to calculate how much more cold brew has in comparison to the other drink by a simple mathematical calculation of subtracting the amount of caffeine in a cold brew from the drinks listed for the same drink size.

Frequently Asked Questions About Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?

Is There A Lot Of Caffeine In Cold Brew?

Yes, there is a lot of caffeine in cold brew coffee. It is the most caffeinated coffee drink that is commonly served and has even more caffeinated than iced coffee, espresso and all other hot coffee beverages.

Is Cold Brew Too Strong?

Cold brew coffee is a strong coffee, and is one of the strongest coffees that you will find, but it is not too strong.

It is only too strong when you start to drink it in large quantities in excess of 31 Oz (930 ml) per day or have more than two Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) servings per day.

The maximum recommended daily amount of 400 milligrams of caffeine per day as recommended by the FDA.

Why Is Cold Brew Coffee So Popular?

Cold brew coffee is a very popular beverage due to it being a smooth, mellow, and flavorful brew. It is all well-rounded with only a hint of bitterness and is notably less acidic, which makes it a popular coffee to drink for people with dental and stomach issues.

It is also very popular as a refreshing summer drink when hot brewed coffee simply makes you uncomfortable.

Also,

I’ll add brewing it is incredibly easy and effortless when compared to some hot brew techniques like pour over coffee.

Is 200 mg Of Caffeine A Lot?

200 mg of caffeine is an ample amount and is half of the recommended daily amount by the FDA and is 100% of the daily limit set out for teenagers and pregnant ladies.

200 mg is, depending on the brewing method, the equivalent of 1 or 2 cups of regular coffee.

Is Cold Brew More Caffeinated Than Regular Coffee?

Yes, regular hot coffee is usually lower in caffeine than cold brew coffee because cold brew is made with a greater amount of coffee grounds. Brewed coffee has a coffee to water ratio of 1:16, while cold brew coffee is made with a 1:8 ratio. 

Hot coffee uses heat to extract the caffeine and the flavor compounds while cold brew coffee uses time. 

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine Than Iced?

Yes, generally speaking, cold brew has more caffeine than an iced coffee. A Grande 16 Oz (480 ml) iced coffee has 165 mg of caffeine which is 35 mg less than a cold brew coffee of the same size.

Does Cold Brew Give You More Energy?

Yes, due to cold brew coffee having slightly higher total caffeine content you will experience a greater energy boost and stimulation. 

Is Cold Brew Good For Waking Up?

Yes, cold brew coffee due to being a strong coffee drink that is extra caffeine when compared to other coffee drinks is good for waking you up.

Final Thoughts – Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?

If you scanned and skimmed down and are looking for the answer to “does cold brew have more caffeine?” the answer is yes, and it has significantly more than many other types of coffee drink.

Exactly how much more is outlined above.

Did you try cold brew? Was the caffeine jolt sufficient? or do you prefer a hot brew?

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