Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) vs espresso: which has more caffeine?

Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) carries more total caffeine per serving (279mg per 10.5 oz bottle vs 63mg per 1 oz shot), but ounce for ounce espresso is actually the stronger drink at about 63mg per fluid ounce against 27. Which one "has more caffeine" depends on whether you measure the container or the concentration.

Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) vs espresso: the numbers

Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) espresso
Caffeine per serving 279mg per 10.5 oz bottle 63mg per 1 oz shot
Caffeine per fl oz 26.6mg 63.0mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 1.4 6.3

Sources: Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie)'s figure is verified in our Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); espresso's figure is verified in our espresso guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick espresso when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) 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 Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie) or espresso have more caffeine? Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie): 279mg per 10.5 oz bottle versus 63mg per 1 oz shot for espresso.

Which is stronger per ounce? espresso, at about 63.0mg per fluid ounce versus 26.6mg for Stumptown Cold Brew (stubbie).

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.

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