CoffeeForums Coffee Facts

Q: Which has more caffiene? I always thought that a shot of Espresso was probably the equivalent to 2-3 cups of regular drip coffee. I think this is a pretty common believe amongst coffee drinkers, and so I figure it must have some basis in reality. However, my sister who is a barista says that it's actually the opposite. A cup of regular drip coffee has the same amount of caffeine in it as 3 shots of Espresso. Which one is correct?

A: Myth #1: Espresso carries more of a caffeine jolt than regular brewed coffee. FALSE: The 'Illy' caffe blend is obtained by carefully selecting from different sources the best Arabica beans, which have a richer taste and a lower caffeine content than the lesser prized (and less expensive) Robusta beans. A cup of Espresso takes no more than 30 seconds to brew. This means less caffeine is extracted than in drip coffee—which takes anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes. Your sister is correct. My cousin is a french-trained culinary chef. Expertly, he told me the same thing your sister says. When I took a trip once to Jamaica, I had some Blue Mountain coffee at a plantation. When I drank it, it was much more potent than Espresso. I asked why? The best answer yet.... "Coffee is roasted less than Espresso. Espresso is stronger tasting because it's roasted longer. The longer you roast coffee, the more the oil destroys the caffiene so Blue Mountain may not be as strong, but 1 cup is more caffiene than Espresso." When I got back to New York, I checked with my cousin. His response was: "Didn't I tell you this already?".