Caffeine in drinks
How much caffeine is in Coffee liqueur?
Data checked against the source on 2026-10-03 by Oleksii Y.
One 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) of Coffee liqueur has 13.5 mg of caffeine, according to USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
How Coffee liqueur compares
- Strength: 31 mg per 100 ml.
- One 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) has as much caffeine as less than a sixth of a cup of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg per 8 fl oz cup.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) of Coffee liqueur
Left at 11:00 PM (8 h later), average metabolism
≈ 5 mg
Range 2–7 mg (fast to slow metabolism)
14 mg is already at or under the 50 mg this tool aims to have left at bedtime.
What sleep studies found near this dose
- Gardiner et al. 2025 (randomized trial): In 23 healthy young men, 100 mg taken 12, 8 or 4 hours before bed had no significant effect on measured or self-rated sleep.
- Gardiner et al. 2023 (meta-analysis): To avoid losing sleep time, the authors suggest a coffee (107 mg per 250 ml) at least 8.8 hours before bed.
Estimate from a simple model: half-life of 3, 5 or 8 hours, 50 mg bedtime target. How we calculate
Caffeine by size
| Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) | 13.5 mg |
| 1 shot (45 g) | 11.7 mg |
How long does Coffee liqueur stay in your system?
Our model halves caffeine every 5 hours for average metabolism, and every 3 or 8 hours for fast or slow metabolism. From one 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) of Coffee liqueur (14 mg), about 7 mg is still in your body 5 hours later and about 4 mg after 10 hours. If you clear caffeine slowly (an 8-hour half-life), about 6 mg is left after 10 hours.
Estimated caffeine left at 11:00 PM from one 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g) (14 mg), using a half-life of 5 hours for average metabolism and 3 to 8 hours for the range. How we calculate
| Had at | Left at bedtime (average) | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM (15 h before bed) | ≈ 2 mg | 0–4 mg |
| 12:00 PM (11 h before bed) | ≈ 3 mg | 1–5 mg |
| 3:00 PM (8 h before bed) | ≈ 5 mg | 2–7 mg |
| 6:00 PM (5 h before bed) | ≈ 7 mg | 4–9 mg |
How many fit in a day?
Reference amounts are for caffeine from all sources combined. Counted at the upper end of the stated amount, one serving at a time:
- Up to 400 mg a day for most healthy adults (FDA, EFSA): about 29 servings.
- Up to 200 mg at one time for healthy adults (EFSA): about 14 servings in one go.
- Up to 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA, NHS): about 14 servings.
These are reference amounts for groups of people, not a personal limit. Some people feel jittery or sleep worse on much less. See the cutoff calculator for timing.
Good to know
USDA's value for 53-proof coffee liqueur is estimated from the ingredient list, not measured in a lab.
How the serving amount was worked out: USDA lists 26 mg per 100 g in both records; 52 g × 0.26 = 13.5 mg (FDC 175097); 45 g × 0.26 = 11.7 mg (FDC 2710625).
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Coffee liqueur?
USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy) gives 13.5 mg of caffeine per 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g). Other sizes are in the table on this page.
How many Coffee liqueur servings can I have in a day?
The FDA and EFSA cite up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources combined, for most healthy adults. At 13.5 mg per 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g), that is about 29 servings if Coffee liqueur is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Coffee liqueur?
One serving has about 14 mg, which is at or under the 50 mg our calculator aims to have left at bedtime, so it sets no cutoff for a single serving. Several servings add up.
How long does Coffee liqueur stay in your system?
Of the 14 mg in one 1.5 fl oz serving (52 g), roughly 7 mg remains after 5 hours and 4 mg after 10 hours with our average 5-hour half-life. From fast to slow metabolism, 10 hours later it is between 1 and 6 mg.
Where the number comes from
- Alcoholic beverage, liqueur, coffee, 53 proof. USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy). FDC ID 175097, nutrient "Caffeine" (262): derivation FLA; portion "1 serving 1.5 fl oz" = 52 g. Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
- Liqueur, coffee flavored. USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (FNDDS). FDC ID 2710625, nutrient "Caffeine" (262): portion "1 shot" = 45 g. Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
Recipes and labels change. If a number here no longer matches the label, the label wins.
General information, not medical advice
If you feel unwell after caffeine — for example chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, fainting, confusion or trouble breathing — get urgent medical help. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, take medication, or have a heart, liver or anxiety condition, high blood pressure or a sleep disorder, ask a doctor or pharmacist what amount is right for you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2024). Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? FDA Consumer Updates. fda.gov ↗
- European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine | EFSA. EFSA topic page (summary of the 2015 Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine). efsa.europa.eu ↗
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. NHS. nhs.uk ↗
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