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Top Strongest Coffee Brands
Looking for more than the average coffee boost? Check out these brands!
Published January 17, 2022
Vasileia Fanarioti
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Sure, we love our coffee strong and aromatic. The coffee kick in the morning drives us out of bed and gets us ready for the day. But what is actually the strongest coffee in the world? The strength of the coffee depends on the dose of caffeine it contains.
A conventional cup of filter coffee contains around 90 milligrams of caffeine. In a cup of espresso, which many consider stronger, there is even less caffeine than in an ordinary cup of coffee. However, if you compare the amount of drinks, espresso contains more caffeine than normal filter coffee.
There are specialty coffee vendors that sell their coffee with more than twice the caffeine found in traditional roast beans. Thus, a cup of coffee from this strong coffee manufacturer has a significantly higher amount of caffeine and is therefore only something for real caffeine junkies.
What is the strongest coffee in the world?
Six coffee suppliers have set themselves the goal of producing the strongest coffee in the world. The Death Wish Coffee, the Black Insomnia Coffee, the Banned Coffee, the Biohazard Coffee, the Shock Coffee and the Killer Coffee provide the necessary extra kick and a turbo start to the day.
Death Wish Coffee
The Death Wish coffee comes from the USA and was developed by Mike Brown. The powerful effect of one of the strongest coffees in the world is already underlined by the product name and the somber black packaging with a white skull on it.
According to the manufacturer, 100 milliliters of Death Wish coffee contain 151 mg of caffeine, which is around 200% more caffeine than in normal filter coffee. A cup of this particularly strong coffee is therefore harmless. However, it should not be more than two cups in order not to exceed the recommended maximum daily dose of caffeine.
Banned Coffee
The first competitor to Death Wish coffee is Banned Coffee from the French manufacturer Terri Rossi. He and two colleagues let their guests taste the coffee. When one of the guests suggested that the coffee was so strong that it should be banned, the name of this contender for the world's strongest coffee was born. With 237 milligrams of caffeine per 100 milliliters, the caffeine content is significantly higher than Death Wish coffee.
Black Insomnia Coffee
According to the caffeine content, it is the strongest coffee in the world: Black Insomnia Coffee. With 702 milligrams of caffeine per cup, it is not entirely harmless. The Swiss laboratory tester and inventor Sean Kristafo created the coffee with beans and roasters from South Africa and declared Death Wish Coffee and Banned Coffee the fight for the title of the strongest coffee in the world. However, it has not yet been scientifically proven whether the high caffeine content is purely natural.
Shock Coffee
This coffee is considered by many coffee fans to be the brand that invented the strong coffee trend; the brand does not list caffeine on its packaging, although it claims that its coffee - a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans - is twice as strong as regular roasts.
Biohazard Coffee
Dramatic name, dramatic values: "Biohazard" is the name of this coffee blend from New York City, which, brewed with 250 milliliters of water, has 457.8 milligrams of caffeine!
Killer Coffee
This coffee made from Arabica beans - comes from Australia. The brand prides itself on having found the strongest Arabica beans, which traditionally have less caffeine than Robusta coffee beans. A 250 milliliter cup of "killer" coffee contains 430 milligrams of caffeine - a value that is already above the daily caffeine consumption guideline.
According to the amount of caffeine, Black Insomnia Coffee is probably the strongest coffee in the world. However, it remains to be seen whether the dose of caffeine in the coffee was also produced in a purely natural way.
What does caffeine do in our body?
It has now been proven that coffee promotes health instead of damaging it, as has long been assumed and even propagated. If you enjoy the coffee in moderation as described, the caffeine it contains also contributes significantly to health.
Often demonized in the past, it is now proven: caffeine increases performance, endurance and reaction time, improves short-term memory, stimulates the central nervous system, makes tired people lively, muscle activity is activated, which also has a positive effect on the heart.
Drinking coffee in a healthy way reduces the risk of developing heart disease and having a heart attack. The risk of developing gallstones is also reduced. Caffeine is said to clean out the arteries. Studies show these health-promoting effects, especially in the case of caffeinated coffee.
These effects could not be demonstrated with decaffeinated coffee. People who drink coffee regularly have up to a 50% lower risk of developing type II diabetes. Caffeine in particular is also said to have a positive effect on Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. I am convinced: Coffee contributes to a healthy lifestyle instead of harming it, especially caffeinated coffee.
Arabica vs. Robusta: Caffeine Difference
The difference in the caffeine content of the two types of beans is very important and perhaps distinctive when talking about the strongest coffee brands. The Arabica bean is gentler with their caffeine content of between 1.1 and 1.7%. The robusta bean is the better pick-me-up: 2 to 4.5% caffeine content is not to be scoffed at.
While the caffeine content can hardly be influenced by roasting, the chlorogenic acids (image) can be significantly reduced through a slow and gentle roasting process. The robusta bean also has the edge when it comes to the content of chlorogenic acids. These acids are diuretic and can cause discomfort and indigestion in people with sensitive stomachs.
In general, Arabica beans are rated higher in taste than Robustas. They tend to be softer, more flavorful, and less bitter. The Robustas however have a round body and give an extra boost. Many roasters want to combine the best of both worlds and therefore consist of a blend of both types.
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are a few brands that compete for the “strongest coffee in the world” title. I would go out of my way to suggest that their blends use Robusta coffee beans, which are naturally higher in caffeine than Arabica.
Whatever the case may be, if you are looking for a cup of coffee that will take your energy and alertness to the next level, these brands are for you! However, do be careful. You have to observe how your body reacts to different caffeine levels as a caffeine overdose can create negative side effects such as anxiety and insomnia.
About the author
Vasileia Fanarioti
My name is Vasileia and I’m here because i decided to combine my two favourite things: writing and coffee. I love travelling around the world and visiting coffee shops but my biggest goal is to visit a coffee farm, to see where it all starts! You can follow my coffee adventures via my blog: thewanderingbean.net
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