English breakfast tea has more caffeine than A&W Root Beer on both counts: 47mg per 8 oz cup against 0mg per 12 oz can, and about 6mg per fluid ounce against 0. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.
These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.
English breakfast tea vs A&W Root Beer: the numbers
| English breakfast tea | A&W Root Beer | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 47mg per 8 oz cup | 0mg per 12 oz can |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 5.9mg | 0.0mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 8.5 | n/a (caffeine-free) |
Sources: English breakfast tea's figure is verified in our English breakfast tea caffeine guide against Twinings published figure (source); A&W Root Beer's figure is verified in our A&W Root Beer guide against Caffeine Informer (source).
The concentration gap is the striking part: English breakfast tea packs roughly 588 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 8 oz cup finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.
Which one should you pick?
Pick A&W Root Beer when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and English breakfast tea when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
Related reading
- English breakfast tea: the full caffeine guide
- A&W Root Beer: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Does English breakfast tea or A&W Root Beer have more caffeine? English breakfast tea: 47mg per 8 oz cup versus 0mg per 12 oz can for A&W Root Beer.
Which is stronger per ounce? English breakfast tea, at about 5.9mg per fluid ounce versus 0.0mg for A&W Root Beer.
Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.
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