How Much Caffeine In Double Shot Espresso At Starbucks

Knowing how much caffeine in double shot espresso will help you to keep within the healthy caffeine limit of 400 mg per day.

The amount of caffeine that is a double shot is 150 mg of caffeine, but how does that relate to other coffee beverages?

Keep reading to find out.

How Much Caffeine In Double Shot Espresso At Starbucks

Getting straight to the answer, the amount of caffeine in espresso varies depending on the coffee beans used, the coffee to water ratio and brewing temperature.

Caffeine is extracted in greater amounts at higher temperatures and with a more focused coffee to water ratio. Of course, some coffee beans have more caffeine than others.

Not all coffee shops stick to the Italian standard of an espresso of a coffee to water ratio of 1.5:1, many use a 2:1 ratio.

At Starbucks you have two choices of coffee beans to use: Pike Place and Blonde roast. The amount of caffeine per espresso shot is:

• 75 mg of caffeine Pike Place espresso shot.
• 85 mg of caffeine in a Blonde roast espresso shot.

And thus a double shot of espresso, also known as a Doppio has twice as much, 150 and 170 milligrams of caffeine respectively.

Read: Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Can Caffeine Content

How Much Caffeine In A Long Shot Of Espresso (Espresso Lungo)

The amount of coffee as a liquid, the volume also plays a role in how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee. Due to a Lungo – a long espresso, or long shot as it is also known is a slightly larger and more voluminous beverage and thus has slightly more caffeine than a standard espresso.

The amount of caffeine in a Pike Place Lungo is 90 milligrams, while the same beverage brewed with blonde roast has 100 mg of the stimulant.

How Much Caffeine In A Cup Of Coffee?

The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee varies depending on the size and brewing method. This is best demonstrated by checking out the table below.

Read: Is Starbucks Doubleshot Energy bad for you?

Coffee Beans And Caffeine Content

The term espresso beans is a misnomer as all coffee beans can be an espresso bean. The term refers to a specific roast level and coffee beans that have been roasted to a level that is ideal for making espresso coffee.

The actual roast used can be a French roast or Italian roast, with a French roast being far more commonly used as an espresso roast.

The most popular coffee bean sold globally is Arabica, which accounts for 60% of global sales. Robusta coffee beans are not even a close second, accounting for 30% of all coffee beans sold. The remaining 10% are Excelsa and Liberica beans, which are hard to find and very rare.

Even in Italy, the preferred beans vary, with robusta beans the preferred choice in the south due to producing a thick rich crema. In the north of Italy, arabica beans are preferred due to being more flavorful.

This makes a big difference to the amount of caffeine in your coffee and, of course, your shot of espresso as robusta coffee beans have 2.2 times as much caffeine on average than arabica beans.

It is common knowledge and fact that light roasts and therefore the lightest roasts, a blonde roast has more caffeine than darker roasts.

Given the established and scientifically proven fact that the type of coffee bean that has the highest amount of caffeine is a robusta bean, which means a coffee brewed with a robusta blonde roast has the greatest caffeine kick.

Note: A white coffee, not to be mistaken with coffee with milk, is a very rare and hard to find roast which is even lighter than a blonde roast and thus has slightly more caffeine.

How Much Caffeine In A Double Espresso?

A shot of espresso contains, as standard average has 65 milligrams of caffeine and between 75 mg and 85 mg from Starbucks, depending on what you ordered – a Pike Place or a Blonde espresso.

While the general assumption is that espresso has more caffeine than an average cup of coffee – this is a false assumption.

A shot of espresso does not have more caffeine than many other coffee beverages, which is clearly demonstrated in the table above. Those of you with a sharp eye and sharper mind will note that an espresso does have more caffeine per ounce or per 100 ml than other coffee drinks.

It’s a concentrated coffee drink with a very strong coffee to water ratio, that is what gives it the strength.

Read: Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Caffeine

Can I have Two Double Of Espresso Per Day?

Yes,

two double espressos, the equivalent of 4 single shots, is 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. Which is well below the 400 mg of caffeine maximum amount as set by the Food and Drug Administration.

In fact, you have room for a fifth.

How Much Caffeine Is In A Double Ristretto?

A single shot of Ristretto has 65 mg of caffeine, as Double Ristretto has 130 mg of caffeine. It has slightly less caffeine than a shot of espresso but a denser and stronger flavor due to a more focused coffee to water ratio of 1:1

Frequently Asked Questions About How Much Caffeine In Double Shot Espresso

How Strong Is 2 Shots Of Espresso?

Two shots of espresso have double the ground coffee as a single shot and thus double the caffeine content. At a regular coffee shop there is 65 mg of caffeine in a shot of espresso and 130 mg in a double shot of espresso.

At Starbucks, an espresso shot has 75 mg and a double 150 milligrams of caffeine.

Does Double Espresso Have Double Caffeine?

Yes, twice the coffee used equals twice the total caffeine content. Expect 130 mg of caffeine at a regular coffee shop and 150 mg at Starbucks.

Is 2 Espressos A Day OK?

Yes, two cups of espresso per day is less than half the 400 milligrams of caffeine per day recommended daily amount by the FDA and is well within the limit of 200 mg daily for pregnant ladies. Two shots of espresso is perfectly fine and should not give you the jitters.

Is 5 Espressos A Day Too Much?

5 espressos per day, assuming they are made with a stronger coffee like Starbucks Pike Place will yield 375 milligrams of caffeine and just below the 400 milligrams daily amount, but only just. A 6th will rock you over the limit.

No, 5 espresso a day is not too much.

Which Espresso Has The Most Caffeine?

A blonde espresso at Starbucks has 85 mg of caffeine, 10 mg more than Pike Place, the standard coffee used in their espresso shots.

A double shot of blonde espresso will have 170 mg of caffeine. 

Final Thoughts – How Much Caffeine In Double Shot Espresso?

Now you know how much caffeine in double shot espresso you can stay within the 400 mg limit set by the FDA and be aware of how many double shots of espresso you can have in a single 24-hour period.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location