For some, caffeine can be the cause of thumping heartbeats and shaky legs; yet for others, it can be the magic potion that gives them the power to bear this insufferable world. When you think of the most caffeinated coffee, one name that pops up immediately is espresso. But it’s not everybody’s cup of tea (got the pun ;)? ).
Espresso is indeed the most caffeinated coffee beverage, but it has some strong competition, like Turkish coffee or cafe Cubano. Plus, there are a lot of variations of it that don’t taste that strong yet have the same caffeine strength.
The coffees I’m going to suggest here are simply not for the faint-hearted. If you are caffeine sensitive, stay away from these, but if you are a coffee fanatic like me, keep reading to find some of the most caffeinated coffee drinks and coffee beans.
What Coffee Beans To Pick If You Want Maximum Caffeine?
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If you are someone who loves making coffee as much as drinking it, then you must be buying coffee beans. If you don’t already know, the caffeine strength of every type of coffee is not the same. So the type of beans you buy will also influence the amount of caffeine you extract.
- The Bean Type
Every coffee lover knows about the supremacy of Arabica beans over Robusta, but not many of them know that Arabica beans have almost half the caffeine strength of Robusta.
A single Arabica bean contains 1.9 milligrams of caffeine, whereas a Robusta bean has around 2.9 milligrams. So, to the Arabica stans who always dissed Robusta for its inferior taste and now are looking for better caffeine strength; the joke is on you guys!
- The Roast Type
Coffee drinkers who are not very familiar with the know-how of coffee like to believe that the bitter and gustier the coffee tastes, the more caffeine it has. But that’s not true! Light, medium, or dark, every roast has approximately the same amount of caffeine.
But dark roast will give you a better caffeine punch. Now before you get mad at me and tell me that’s a paradox, let me explain!
When the coffee beans are roasted, they can lose their weight, anywhere between 15% to 18%. Therefore, every time you weigh the coffee beans to prepare the ground, you will need to put in some extra beans to make up for it. And extra beans mean extra caffeine!
Coffees That Will Most Definitely Wake You Up
Here are some coffee drinks you can try out if you are not a big fan of plain espresso or want to try out something new.
Go Easier On Your Taste Buds With Americano Or Long Black:
If the intensity of espresso is too much for your taste, dilute it with some hot water in a 1:1 ratio. You will have a drink that has caffeine strength similar to espresso but is lighter in flavor.
How you add the water will decide what we call it. If you are adding water over espresso shots, then it’s an Americano. But, if you are doing the opposite and pouring espresso shots in water, then we call it a Long Black.
Add A dash Of Milk And Enjoy A Cortado/ Macchiato:
If diluting the espresso shots with water seems like a sin to you, simply add steamed milk. The natural lactose sugar present in the milk will help cut the intensity of the espresso and give it a more rich and more elevated taste.
Here also you have two options. First is a Cortado, which is usually made with double shots of espresso and somewhat the same amount of steamed milk. And the second option is a macchiato.
If two shots at a time are too much for you, take a single shot and add a dash of steamed milk to it, and you have your macchiato.
Feeling Daring? Pair Espresso With Lime/ Lemon:
Call it a devil’s idea but don’t judge before you give it a try! There are two very famous variations that you can try, and those are Espresso Romano and Guillermo.
If you want just a hint of the lemon flavor, go for an Espresso Romano, but if you want to go all out, then try the Guillermo. The citrus notes of lemon and lime magically bring out the coffee’s aroma. Besides, the acidity helps cut the bitterness and make the drink smoother.
Try Mocha If You Are Craving Something Sweet:
Chocolate and coffee are a pair made in heaven. If you are craving something sweet and want to feel recharged again, have a cup of Mocha.
In this drink, espresso shots are topped with delicious chocolate syrup, steamed milk, and whipped cream. So if you are someone who simply can not stand the bitterness of espresso and loves having a desert-like drink, then this is for you.
In a Mocha, you get the caffeine strength of upto two espresso shots, and the cocoa powder you put in it acts as an extra source of caffeine. So don’t get fooled by the sweetness of this drink, as it may be one of the most caffeinated drinks on the list.
On that note, another praise-worthy sweet coffee delicacy would be the Affogato. If your partner is a coffee maniac, this is the best dessert you can order for them. It is so simple to make that you can easily prepare this at home as well.
If Espresso Isn’t Intense Enough, Go For Ristretto:
Now, there are people who love their morning cup of java to be so intense that it punches them in the face. For them, even espresso might fail to touch the bar. So for those. Ristretto would be ideal.
In a Ristretto, you use the same amount of coffee grounds as you would use for an espresso but only half the water. Therefore, the caffeine is around the same (63 mg/ fl oz) as you get in an espresso (65 mg/ fl oz), but the taste is super concentrated.
Surprisingly, if you compare the taste of espresso and Ristretto side by side, you’ll find that Ristretto is less acidic and has the more natural sweetness of the coffee. The reason is the shorter extraction time.
Some coffee aficionados even prefer Ristretto to espresso as they believe in quality over quantity.
Coffee Beans That Have Crazy Amount Of Caffeine In Them
As we are becoming more and more dependent on caffeine to function in daily life (and not turn into a zombie), the number of brands selling supercharged coffee beans is also increasing.
Coffee beans, after processing, can retain a certain level of caffeine in them, but the brands that I’ve mentioned here have managed to retain almost all of it and give us the highest amount of caffeine.
Disclaimer again, if you are caffeine sensitive, please stay away from these. I’ll start with the lowest one and save the beast for the grand finale.
Death Wish:
This is the OG of super caffeinated coffees. Back in 2013, this was the first coffee brand that served us with the highest amount of caffeine. The beans give almost 60.66 mg/ fl oz caffeine.
So if you make a standard 12-cup of coffee, you’ll be chugging around 728 mg of caffeine at once! The name and the packaging were the cherry on the cake and made this coffee brand famous overnight.
Bioharazd:
Whether you want to stay up late for exam preparations or need some energy on the slumpy afternoons, this coffee will do the trick.
Biohazard sells a dark roast variety of Robusta beans. A 12-ounce cup will give you 928 mg of caffeine.
Plus, they sell pre-grounded beans, so it saves you a lot of time and money. Since it is made with Robusta, the taste is on the bitter side, but you get a hint of nuts, chocolate, and popcorn in it.
Black Insomnia:
Now we are heading towards serious business!
As the name suggests, this coffee can make you an insomniac! If you don’t trust me, try for yourself. But be prepared since you will be intaking 1000+ mg of caffeine per serving.
What beans are used in it is still a secret, but you will be tracing some notes of macadamia, hazelnut, dark chocolate, and caramel in it. They also don’t talk much about the roast type, but whatever they are doing serves the purpose.
High Voltage:
This Australia-based coffee brand surely has the ability to give you an electrifying experience with its supercharged coffee.
It claims to serve 1150 mg of caffeine per 12-oz cup, which is insane. Despite having such high caffeine levels, it claims to have a very smooth and rich flavor so that you don’t compromise with your taste buds.
Very Strong:
When they named it very strong, I did not expect it to have 1350 mg of caffeine per serving! This UK-based brand uses 100% Robusta beans that are high in caffeine.
It definitely has the ability to give an adrenaline rush to some of the heaviest coffee drinkers. Won’t recommend it for daily intake as the website cautions buyers to “enjoy it responsibly.”
Devil Mountain Black Label:
Finally, here is the world’s most caffeinated coffee. Launched in 2021, Black Label by Devil Mountains created a buzz in the coffee industry when they said they are serving around 1555 mg of caffeine per 12 ounces!
That’s six times the caffeine you get from an average cup and more than three times what you should have in a day. So this coffee is not a joke!
However, the company claims that they use only organic coffee, and it will give you high energy levels without any jitters. Surprisingly, it tastes pretty normal and has a smooth and non-bitter flavor. But try this only if you have a high caffeine tolerance.
How To Get The Most Caffeine Out Of The Beans
If you don’t necessarily need warm coffee and want to get the most caffeine out of the beans, try switching to cold brews.
In cold brewing, the beans are exposed to water for a longer duration, with a slow but better extraction of caffeine. They even have a longer shelf-life. So you can make a big batch and store them in the refrigerator for almost two weeks.
If you’ve tried a cold brew and didn’t like the taste, you probably didn’t do it right. Here’s a video on how you can make a cold brew that tastes delicious.
Final Words
Hope I was able to serve your needs and help you find some of the most caffeinated coffees you can ever find. On that note, please remember caffeine is a substance you should always be careful about.
If the strongest coffee is failing to do anything, try a caffeine detox rather than finding a stronger option. Chances are your body has developed a high caffeine tolerance, and in that case, no coffee can do the trick for you.
Besides, constant consumption of high levels of caffeine can lead to serious health issues. So drink responsibly and stay healthy!
