Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <coffee><water><caffeine>
Title: How can I maximize the caffeine content of my coffee?
Question: Like many people, I rely on coffee in the morning to really get me going for the day. I always use more than the directions require to get more caffeine for that extra morning jolt.  How much ground coffee should I use to reach caffeine critical mass in my brew? Is there a formula for volume of grounds per unit of water that I can use so I can get the maximum caffeine experience without wasting coffee?

Answers:
sents: text: Use lighter roast coffee: caffeine burns off as the roast darkens.
text: All other things equal, though, the stronger the cup of coffee, the more caffeine will be in it.
text: You aren't going to reach caffeine saturation just by brewing (even very) strong coffee.
text: So brew coffee with lighter roasted beans to your maximum desired strength.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/220/kevins
score: 11
sents: text: Start with a bean with more naturally-occurring caffeine.
text: Colombia Excelso 1.37% Colombia Supremo 1.37% Indian Mysore
text: 1.37% Prepare the coffee in a manner that produces the most caffeine.
text: drip:
text: 1 cup (7 oz, 207 ml) =
text: 115–175
text: mg. brewed:
text: 1 cup (7 oz, 207 ml) =
text: 80–135 mg.
text: espresso:
text: 1 shot (1.5–2 oz, 45–60 ml) =
text: 100 mg Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1687/overslacked
score: 10
sents: text: If you want to take in twice the amount of caffeine, why can't you just drink twice the amount of coffee?
text: If you start messing with the ratio of bean to water, or trying other tricks, you're likely to just get bad tasting coffee.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2047/Bob
score: 9
sents: text: If all you are after is caffine
text: I'd just buy some caffine pills, you can get 16 packs here in the UK.
text: If it must be in coffee then dissolve a couple in a normal brew.
text: However I must say I wouldnt recommend it - overdosing on caffine is bad - especially on a regular basis.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2010/NBenatar
score: 6
sents: text: There is liquid caffeine you can add if you're just in it for the caffeine jolt.
text: A capful of 5150 juice is 83mg and is comparatively extremely cheap when weighed against pre-made energy drinks and 5 hour energy.
text: You can add it directly to the coffee, which will make the coffee much more bitter, or you can take a shot of it and then drink your coffee as normal.
text: I can say from experience that although I am finding myself more and more immune to coffee, soda, and 5-hour energy, 5150 still works (and works well, and fast).
text: Perhaps it's because so much of the caffeine is absorbed in the mouth.
text: Without wanting to preach, I wanted to say, as NBenatar mentioned: no matter what route you go, be careful.
text: I also know from experience that caffeine addiction is very bad, and actually makes you significantly more tired .
text: Over time you need the morning caffeine just to reach energy levels that normal people experience without any caffeine.
text: From the second article: The millions of people who depend on a shot of coffee to kickstart their day are no more alert than those who are not regular coffee drinkers, say researchers.
text: A cup of coffee, suggests a study, only counteracts the effects of caffeine withdrawal that has built up overnight.
text: I can say with all honesty, the first week of drastically cutting back my caffeine really sucked, but now I'm more alert in the morning than my colleagues who drink coffee like
text: it's their job...
text: though, we're programmers, so I guess it kind of is their job :)
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1236/stephennmcdonald
score: 5
sents: text: Buy cheap robusta coffee instead of expensive arabica coffee.
text: Robusta has about twice as much caffeine as arabica.
text: If you're only drinking coffee for the caffeine then buying arabica is a waste of money.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/3574/Borbus
score: 4
sents: text: Have you try Yerba Mate tea?
text: It has similar effect as coffee and it is way healthier for you.
text: You could drink more than a cup a day too!
text: It is believe to have cholesterol lowering properties (along with antiobesity properties) and contains minerals as well.
text: Having different flavors keeps it interesting too!
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/3554/konamiwa
score: 1
sents: text: You could brew the coffee the night before and let it sit on the warmer over night
text: Only brew about 4 cups should be down
text: around 2 cup ms by morning
text: this in theory should double the concentration of everything
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/41560/Nick C
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
Robusta is cheaper and higher in caffeine than Arabica, and lighter roasts will have more caffeine than dark roasts. While stronger coffee will generally have more caffeine, you can also buy caffeine pills or liquid caffeine to increase your intake.
Try another coffee bean that has more caffeine or try liquid caffeine or caffeine pills.