Caffeine in drinks
How much caffeine is in Cold brew coffee?
Data checked against the source on 2026-10-03 by Oleksii Y.
One 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted of Cold brew coffee has 234.6–291.5 mg of caffeine, according to Scientific Reports.
How Cold brew coffee compares
- Strength: 111 mg per 100 ml (middle of the range).
- One 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted has as much caffeine as about 3 cups of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg per 8 fl oz cup.
- Of the 13 other coffee drinks in our coffee chart, 0 have more caffeine per serving and 13 have less.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted of Cold brew coffee (middle of the range)
Left at 11:00 PM (8 h later), average metabolism
≈ 87 mg
Range 41–132 mg (fast to slow metabolism)
To be at 50 mg or less by bedtime, have 263 mg by 10:16 AM (average) or 3:05 AM (slow metabolism).
What sleep studies found near this dose
- 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.
- Gardiner et al. 2023 (meta-analysis): For a pre-workout serving (217.5 mg), the authors suggest at least 13.2 hours before bed.
Estimate from a simple model: half-life of 3, 5 or 8 hours, 50 mg bedtime target. How we calculate
How long does Cold brew coffee 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 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted of Cold brew coffee (263 mg), about 132 mg is still in your body 5 hours later and about 66 mg after 10 hours. If you clear caffeine slowly (an 8-hour half-life), about 111 mg is left after 10 hours.
Estimated caffeine left at 11:00 PM from one 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted (263 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) | ≈ 33 mg | 8–72 mg |
| 12:00 PM (11 h before bed) | ≈ 57 mg | 21–101 mg |
| 3:00 PM (8 h before bed) | ≈ 87 mg | 41–132 mg |
| 6:00 PM (5 h before bed) | ≈ 132 mg | 83–171 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 1 serving.
- Up to 200 mg at one time for healthy adults (EFSA): about 0 servings in one go.
- Up to 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA, NHS): about 0 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
In the same study, hot brew made at the same 1:10 ratio measured 840 to 1,060 mg per liter, against 990 to 1,230 mg per liter for the cold brew samples.
How the serving amount was worked out: Fuller & Rao (2017) measured 990 to 1230 mg per liter in cold brew steeped 24 hours at 35 g coffee to 350 ml water (1:10); 0.237 L × 990 = 234.6 mg; 0.237 L × 1230 = 291.5 mg. Valid only for an undiluted 1:10 brew.
Cold brew coffee vs other coffee drinks
- Brewed coffee: Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than brewed coffee per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted: 234.6–291.5 mg vs 94.8 mg.
- Instant coffee: Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than instant coffee per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted: 234.6–291.5 mg vs 62.4 mg.
- Iced coffee: Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than iced coffee per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted: 234.6–291.5 mg vs 74.4 mg.
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Cold brew coffee?
Scientific Reports gives 234.6–291.5 mg of caffeine per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted.
How many Cold brew coffee 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 234.6–291.5 mg per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted, that is about 1 serving if Cold brew coffee is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Cold brew coffee?
With an 11:00 PM bedtime, our model suggests having one serving by about 10:16 AM for average metabolism, or 3:05 AM if you clear caffeine slowly. This is an estimate, not a rule.
Does Cold brew coffee have more caffeine than Brewed coffee?
Cold brew coffee has more caffeine than brewed coffee per 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted: 234.6–291.5 mg vs 94.8 mg.
How long does Cold brew coffee stay in your system?
Of the 263 mg in one 8 fl oz (237 ml), home brew at 1:10, undiluted, roughly 132 mg remains after 5 hours and 66 mg after 10 hours with our average 5-hour half-life. From fast to slow metabolism, 10 hours later it is between 26 and 111 mg.
Where the number comes from
- The effect of time, roasting temperature, and grind size on caffeine and chlorogenic acid concentrations in cold brew coffee. Scientific Reports. PMC5740146 (doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18247-4), Table 3 equilibrium (24 h) caffeine; Methods: 35.0 g coffee in 350 mL water. 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 ↗
An app for better sleep is on the way
We’re working on a mobile app to help you sleep better. It isn’t out yet. Leave your email and we’ll let you know when it launches.