Many of us are drawn to coffee not only for its flavor but also for the positive effects of caffeine—a real motivator to get us out of bed in the morning. Most of us seek a proper balance: just enough to keep us focused during the day, but not so much that we can't sleep at night.

Because of these effects, knowing how much caffeine is in a cup can be incredibly useful. This content is calculated based on dry weight.

What is dry weight?

Dry weight refers to the weight of the coffee beans.

Caffeine content in coffee:

The caffeine content in coffee beans can vary depending on the variety and brewing method. On average, roasted coffee beans contain between 1.1% and 2.2% caffeine by dry weight. This is less than in tea leaves, but the coffee brewing process typically extracts much more caffeine.

Coffee is typically prepared with hotter water and a higher coffee-to-water ratio than tea, resulting in a higher concentration of caffeine in the final cup. Loose-leaf tea can be prepared with about 3 grams of tea; however, coffee can be prepared with between 15 and 20 grams of coffee, resulting in more caffeine per cup.

Recommendations:

Check your varieties

If you happen to still be drinking robusta (no judgment), you can instantly reduce its caffeine content by switching to arabica coffees, which contain approximately 50% caffeine and much more flavor.

In recent years, we've also seen the rise of specialty decaf coffees with lower caffeine content, almost 0.0%. At Familia Osorio, we offer a selection of specialty decaf coffees. We rotate our selection throughout the year so you can continue to enjoy each origin.

Think about it, how much coffee do you actually drink?

If you brew a lot of filter coffee and sip it throughout the day, it's easy to consume a lot of caffeine without realizing it (and yes, that happens to us at the Familia Osorio roastery). Instead, try brewing a single-serve coffee to know exactly how much coffee is in your cup.

If you usually drink espresso, specialty coffee shops serve a double espresso as standard, making it easy to halve the caffeine content by switching to a single-serve coffee.

In summary

Calculating caffeine from dry weight gives you a basic idea of ​​the caffeine content. However, the actual amount of caffeine in your beverage will depend on several factors related to the brewing process.

The simplest way to reduce your caffeine intake is to drink less coffee. However, if you still want to enjoy coffee throughout the day, start experimenting with single-cup brewing methods and recipes, and/or explore the world of lower-caffeine varieties.