Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

brewed oolong tea vs Celsius: which has more caffeine?

Celsius has more caffeine than brewed oolong tea on both counts: 200mg per 12 oz can against 37mg per 8 oz cup, and about 17mg per fluid ounce against 5. 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.

brewed oolong tea vs Celsius: the numbers

brewed oolong tea Celsius
Caffeine per serving 37mg per 8 oz cup 200mg per 12 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 4.6mg 16.7mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 10.8 2.0

Sources: brewed oolong tea's figure is verified in our brewed oolong tea caffeine guide against USDA FoodData Central (source); Celsius's figure is verified in our Celsius guide against Celsius essential facts (source).

The concentration gap is the striking part: Celsius packs roughly 4 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 12 oz can finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.

Which one should you pick?

Pick brewed oolong tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Celsius 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

FAQ

Does brewed oolong tea or Celsius have more caffeine? Celsius: 200mg per 12 oz can versus 37mg per 8 oz cup for brewed oolong tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? Celsius, at about 16.7mg per fluid ounce versus 4.6mg for brewed oolong tea.

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.

Free download: the espresso dial-in cheat sheet baristas tape to the machine.

Get the PDF