Caffeine in Cold brew
A 300 ml cold brew holds about 180 mg of caffeine, the strongest ordinary coffee on this site.
| Caffeine per serving | 180 mg |
| Serving | 10.1 oz cup (300 ml) |
| Caffeine per 100 ml | 60 mg |
| Share of the 400 mg daily limit | 45% |
| Equal to filter coffee | 1.9 mugs |
| Equal to espresso | 2.8 shots |
| Time to fall below 40 mg | 12 and a half hours |
How long does it last?
How late can you have it?
For an average metabolism this drops below the 40 mg sleep threshold about 12 and a half hours after you drink it, so the latest you could have one and still be clear by an 11 pm bedtime is 10:26 am. A fast metaboliser gains roughly two hours, a slow one loses two.
What to know
Cold brew steeps coarse grounds in cold water for twelve to twenty-four hours at a high coffee-to-water ratio. Time replaces heat, and time extracts a lot of caffeine. Concentrate sold in bottles is stronger still before dilution.
One cold brew is nearly two mugs of filter coffee and 45 percent of the 400 mg daily limit. Two in a day, plus anything else, and you are at the line.
It also clears slowly simply because there is more of it. A 180 mg cold brew at noon is still above the sleep threshold at 8 pm for an average metabolism, and past 10 pm for a slow one.
Nitro cold brew is the same drink with nitrogen for texture. The gas changes the mouthfeel, not the dose.
Compared with the rest of the coffee
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Cold brew | 10.1 oz cup (300 ml) | 180 mg |
| Double espresso | 2 oz shot (60 ml) | 127 mg |
| Flat white | 5.4 oz cup (160 ml) | 125 mg |
| Moka pot | 3.4 oz cup (100 ml) | 100 mg |
| Filter coffee | 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 96 mg |
| Cortado | 4.1 oz cup (120 ml) | 96 mg |
| Instant coffee | 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 65 mg |
| Espresso | 1 oz shot (30 ml) | 64 mg |
| Cappuccino | 6.8 oz cup (200 ml) | 64 mg |
| Americano | 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 62 mg |
| Latte | 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 62 mg |
| Ristretto | 0.7 oz shot (20 ml) | 44 mg |
| Decaf coffee | 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 3 mg |
Common questions
How much caffeine is in cold brew?
Cold brew has about 180 mg of caffeine per 10.1 oz cup (300 ml). That is 45% of the 400 mg daily limit for a healthy adult, or about 1.9 mugs of filter coffee.
How long does the caffeine in cold brew last?
It peaks about 45 minutes after you drink it and halves every 5.7 hours. For an average adult one 10.1 oz cup takes about 12 and a half hours to fall below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on.
How late can I drink cold brew and still sleep?
For an 11 pm bedtime the latest is about 10:26 am. Move it by the same amount as your own bedtime. People who clear caffeine slowly should stop about two hours earlier.
How many servings of cold brew can I have in a day?
About 2, going by the 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults. That limit covers everything else with caffeine in it too, so the real number is lower on a day with other coffee, tea or cola.
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Where these numbers come from
Caffeine content is the typical value for the serving shown, the same figure the Cira app uses. Brands and brew methods vary, so treat it as a good estimate rather than a measurement of your cup. The 5.7 hour half-life is a typical value for healthy adults, the 40 mg sleep line is a working threshold of the model, and the 400 mg daily limit is the figure used by the European Food Safety Authority and the US FDA. How the numbers are worked out.
