The alarm clock goes off, you pull yourself out of bed, and head straight to the coffee maker. It’s going to be an extra tough day, and you need an extra-strong coffee.
According to the National Coffee Association of America, the coffee market’s retail value is estimated to be 48 billion dollars in the United States alone.
The International Coffee Organization reports that world coffee production amounted to 169.34 million bags in the past year, and projections suggest it will soon rise by 0.3%.
While there are many products on the market, only a few highly-caffeinated blends are truly worth the purchase.
However, before digging into the ten strongest coffee blends on the market, we must first learn about the four types of coffee available.
Types of Coffee Beans
In the world, there are four types of coffee beans in commercial circulation: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa.
Arabica
Arabica is the most commonly produced coffee bean globally, accounting for over 60% of the planet’s coffee production. The Arabica coffee bean originated in Ethiopia’s southwestern highlands and is known as the “coffee shrub of Arabia.”
Ancient Arab scholars noted that coffee produced from the Arabica bean helped workers prolong their working hours. From Yemen, brewed coffee spread to Egypt and Turkey, and onward into the rest of the world.
Its plant is also native to Kenya and South Sudan. It takes seven years to fully mature and produces fragrant white flowers that smell like jasmine. Typically, each tree grows a maximum of five kilograms of coffee beans.
The coffee produced from the Arabica bean is known for its heavy body, low acidity, and smooth flavor, which offers the ideal composition for cultivating blends with high acidity coffees made in Latin America and East Africa.
Robusta
The Robusta coffee bean is less acidic and more bitter than its counterpart and has twice the amount of caffeine content and antioxidants. It also possesses a strong earthy flavor.
Robusta coffee accounts for about 43% of the world’s coffee production.
The plant originated in central and western Sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia as well. However, it’s now primarily grown in Vietnam and Brazil.
The plant is relatively easy to care for due to its high tolerance to various climates; however, it thrives in a high-temperature environment with low rainfall.
However, its versatility does lead growers to cultivate the Robusta coffee bean in substandard conditions, which results in inadequate taste and quality.
The Robusta coffee bean is typically used in instant coffee and espresso and is sometimes used as a filler in ground coffee beans. Robusta coffee is also useful for various functions, including as a stimulant, diuretic, antioxidant and antipyretic. It’s also known to relieve spasmodic asthma.
Liberica
The Liberica coffee bean is rarer than the Arabica and Robusta beans and came to be following the coffee rust of 1890, which decimated international crops with an infectious fungus outbreak.
The fungus turns the leaves of coffee plants a yellow-orange hue and caused many coffee plants to shut down or convert to alternatives preceding 1890.
One of these alternatives was the Liberica plant. Originally native to Central and East Java, the plant arrived in Indonesia and the Philippines to replace the damaged Arabica trees. Its beans are almond-shaped and exude a floral and fruity scent.
Since Liberica coffee beans are rare and limited globally, they are on the higher end of the coffee market; premium Liberica blends are often more expensive than other combinations. Its full-bodied coffee also holds a smoky and woody taste.
Excelsa
Excelsa is technically a member of the Liberica family; however, the two varieties differ significantly.
While both beans possess an almond shape and grow at high altitudes, the Excelsa plant is used in combination with other types of beans to add thickness and flavor.
Its flavor is tarty and fruity and compatible with a variety of light and dark roast flavors.
Also read: How Long Do Coffee Beans Last After Roasting?
Strongest Coffees in the World Market
Now, let’s begin. Adroit Market Research reports that the specialty coffee market may hit $83.5 billion by 2025, with Europe accounting for 40% of the overall revenue. Among these specialty coffees are those of the highly caffeinated variety.
While experts advise against consuming more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, some of these coffees far surpass that mark; so, drink responsibly.
Read on for a comprehensive list of the strongest coffee in the world, from the most caffeinated to the least.
|
Coffee |
Caffeine (per serving) |
| Black Label Brewed Coffee | 1555 mg |
| Very Strong Coffee | 1350 mg |
| Taft Coffee | 1182 mg |
| High Voltage Coffee | 1150 mg |
| Black Insomnia Coffee | 1105 mg |
| Cannonball Coffee Maximum Charge | 1101 mg |
| Biohazard Coffee | 928 mg |
| Death Wish Coffee | 200 mg / 100 ml |
| Killer Coffee | 430 mg |
| Bizzy Cold Brew | 750 in 450 ML |
Black Label Brewed Coffee
Black Label Brewed Coffee contains 1555 mg of caffeine in 354 ml serving, which may be dangerous. This blend is produced by the Devil Mountain Coffee Company, a gourmet coffee brand specializing in high-quality, high-altitude coffee from Central and South America.
The Black Label blend is strong and smooth, with no bitterness. It’s roasted with non-GMO and gluten-free techniques, and it’s certified USDA organic. Additionally, it’s available in one, two, and five-pound bags.
Very Strong Coffee
With 1350 mg of caffeine per 12 fluid ounces, this coffee is the most caffeinated blend available in the United Kingdom. It consists entirely of Robusta coffee beans, which roast for long periods to cultivate much stronger and darker coffee.
Taft Coffee
With a tally of 1182 milligrams of caffeine, Turkish coffee is an excellent choice for those who want to make a quick start to their day. It boasts the highest caffeine ratio in the world, with 23.2 grams of caffeine per kilogram.
The Taft coffee beans undergo a chemical-free process and are additive-free. In order to achieve the high caffeine profile, the Indonesian-Honduras blend of over 25 coffee beans underwent an extensive vetting process before the final product went to the market.
High Voltage Coffee
High Voltage Coffee is a coffee product from Australia. It’s sugar-free and possesses 1150 milligrams of caffeine. The signature blend contains hard-roasted dark coffee beans and possesses a strong and smooth taste.
The brand also sells Nespresso compatible capsules that are entirely eco-friendly and biodegradable.
Black Insomnia Coffee
Black Insomnia Coffee is perfect for those all-nighters. The brand originated in South Africa, but it ships to the United States, Europe, and Australia. It also offers Nespresso cups and coffee pour over bags.
It has 1105 milligrams of caffeine, which is still considered dangerous; however, it’s a smooth blend of 80% Robusta coffee beans and 20% Arabica coffee beans that aims to maintain high-performance levels. It’s medium-roasted, too.
The brand self-describes the coffee as having a robust flavor with a velvety body, heady crema, and a dark chocolate aftertaste. Start your roast in the morning, and fill your house with a nutty aroma.
Cannonball Coffee Maximum Charge
This Robusta-based coffee comes from the Coko region of Rwanda, and it reports 1101 milligrams of caffeine.
Buyers can subscribe to a monthly shipment of fine-grind, medium-grind, and coarse-grind bags, as well as whole-bean bags. Fine grind is typically used to make espresso, while medium grind is best for filters, and coarsely ground beans are best for the French press.
The brand, Maximum Charge, also offers a variety of additional strong coffee blends, including the Cannonball, a Brazilian-Rwandan blend of Arabica and Robusta beans. There’s also the Smooth Bore, a nutty and sweet blend that’s perfect for espresso.
Biohazard Coffee
Biohazard Coffee is just as dangerous as it sounds. With 928 milligrams of caffeine, it is made purely from Robusta coffee beans. According to Caffeine Informer, it contains four to five times more caffeine than a traditional cup of coffee that’s made at home.
The lab-tested coffee ranks higher in caffeine than most energy drinks on the market. Each bag contains 16 cups of coffee and is recommended to brew with six ounces of water per every four tablespoons of coffee.
Death Wish Coffee
Made of dark roast Robusta coffee beans, the Death Wish Coffee tested its product at the ESML Food Chemistry Lab in 2015. As a result, the study recorded that 210 milligrams of caffeine were present in every 100 milliliters of coffee.
However, the amount of caffeine present in each cup largely depends on the brewing method.
After a year of tasting and testing, the creator of Death Wish Coffee finalized the brew. Its coffee beans originate from India and Peru; however, the company regularly swaps regions if climate conditions are not optimal for cultivating the strongest beans.
Additionally, the company uses organic and fair-trade coffee beans in each bag is USDA certified, and is committed to sustainable brewing practices.
Killer Coffee
Ranking at 430 milligrams of caffeine per serving, this Australian coffee is composed of three hand-picked Arabica whole beans that have equivalent caffeine content to Robusta coffee beans.
The company offers two blends, the Industrial Blend and the Darkside, with various grinds.
Bizzy Cold Brew
Bizzy Cold Brew underwent various tests, as well as a 100-person panel to perfect its cold brew recipe.
The coffee beans aren’t exposed to heat but rather brew for a long duration. It’s sweeter, smoother, and less acidic than heat-brewed coffee.
Bizzy Cold Brew contains 750 milligrams of caffeine per bottle and is brewed in Minnesota.
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