How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
Filter coffee: 80–120 mg per cup (200 ml). Espresso: 50–70 mg per shot (30 ml). French press: 80–100 mg. Cold brew concentrate: up to 200 mg. Depends heavily on the bean, grind size, and brewing parameters.
Why that is
The caffeine content of a cup of coffee isn't a fixed number—it varies significantly depending on the brewing method, bean type, grind size, and water volume. Standard figures are averages that can fluctuate by 30–50% in practice.
Caffeine content by brewing method:
| Method | Volume | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Filter coffee | 200 ml | 80–120 mg |
| Espresso (single) | 25–30 ml | 50–70 mg |
| Espresso (double) | 50–60 ml | 100–140 mg |
| French press | 200 ml | 80–100 mg |
| Cold brew (diluted) | 250 ml | 100–150 mg |
| Cold brew (concentrate) | 100 ml | 150–200 mg |
| Turkish coffee | 60 ml | 50–65 mg |
| Instant coffee | 200 ml | 40–80 mg |
What influences caffeine content:
- Bean type: Robusta contains about twice as much caffeine as Arabica (2.2% vs. 1.2% caffeine in the green bean). An espresso blend with Robusta has significantly more caffeine than pure Arabica.
- Grind size: Finer grind = more surface area = more caffeine extraction.
- Brew time: Longer contact time extracts more caffeine. That's why filter coffee has more caffeine per cup than espresso—despite the lower concentration.
- Water volume: More water extracts more caffeine from the coffee grounds.
- Dose: Using more coffee per cup means more caffeine.
Common misconception: Many people believe espresso has the most caffeine. Per milliliter, that's true—espresso is highly concentrated. But per serving (one cup), filter coffee has more because the volume is so much larger.
In practice at Green Wall Coffee
At Sophienstraße 27, we use 100% Arabica, including the house blend and the decaf—so there is no higher-caffeine Robusta in our espresso. If you want less caffeine, an espresso is a better choice than a large cup of filter coffee—it has less caffeine than most people think.
Feel free to drop by for a coffee — Green Wall Coffee, Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm and Sat 10am–5pm.
Further reading
Related questions:
- Does espresso or filter coffee have more caffeine?
- Which coffee is low in acid?
- How is coffee decaffeinated?
Also relevant:
- Does cold brew have more or less caffeine than regular coffee? — Cold Brew & Iced Coffee
- Does decaf coffee really have no caffeine? — Decaffeinated Coffee
All questions in this topic: Health & Caffeine