There’s a new trend when it comes to brewed coffee and that trend is to make the most caffeinated cup imaginable!
This was all made popular a few years ago by a brand called Death Wish Coffee, who began sourcing better-tasting highly caffeinated robusta coffee beans and using them in their dark roast coffee.
The coffee that most are accustomed to is made from arabica beans which typically have better flavor but a lower caffeine concentration.
Today these highly caffeinated coffee brands are popping up everywhere and even competing for the title of “world’s strongest cup of coffee.”
Use our Coffee Dosage Calculator to determine how much of these coffees is safe for you.
12 Extremely Caffeinated Coffee Brands
Biohazard
Caffeine: 928 mg per 12 fluid ounces brewed
Bean type: Robusta
Biohazard coffee is available on Amazon. They recently had their coffee tested and sent us the lab report. Biohazard is the most dangerous coffee we’ve encountered.
Death Wish
Caffeine: 728 mg per 12 fluid ounces brewed
Bean type: Robusta
Death Wish sparked the “world’s strongest coffee” trend with their Super Bowl ad a few years ago but has since conjured up a lot of competition. We’ve learned recently that the caffeine amount reported to us by Death Wish in a 2015 lab analysis is currently being contested.
Black Insomnia
Caffeine: 702 mg per 12 fluid ounces brewed
Bean type: Robusta
Black Insomnia originated in South Africa but has since made its way around the world thanks to Amazon.com.
Killer Coffee
Caffeine: 645 mg per 12 fluid ounces brewed
Bean type: Arabica
Killer Coffee is Australia’s deadliest brew. It’s interesting that they get such high amounts from arabica coffee beans.
Banned Coffee uses a blend of beans in hopes of improving the flavor profile of their “world’s strongest coffee.”
Banned Coffee
Caffeine: 474 mg per 12 fluid ounces brewed
Bean type: Arabica and Robusta
Shock Coffee
Caffeine: No specific amount but claims to be 50% stronger than regular brewed coffee.
Bean type: Arabica and Robusta
Shock Coffee has been around for a long time and many would argue that it is the “original” strongest coffee brand. They used to make canned coffee beverages but has since discontinued those.
Preparation Method
With all of these coffees, the most caffeine is found with the brewed coffee method. This is a method in which water stays in contact with the ground coffee for an extended period of time.
Drip/filter, Keurig, and even espresso methods won’t produce the highest caffeine amounts. Only one brand above, Perk Up, made this clear in their advertising.
Is This Type of Coffee Really Deadly?
Just about all of these brands will deliver more caffeine in one serving than is recommended by Caffeine Informer and the leading health organizations as a daily safe dose. For the average adult, this is 400 mg.
This is based on body weight so use our coffee calculator to determine your safe daily dose.
This type of coffee usually appeals to those who have built up a high tolerance to caffeine (serious caffeine addicts) or those who have a naturally low sensitivity to the caffeine molecule.
Anyone else who consumes these ultra-caffeinated coffees could experience overdose symptoms and even severe reactions if they exceed more than one serving.
Caffeine is a drug and there are serious consequences that result from consuming too much. People have died from caffeine overdose and 1000’s more have sought help from emergency rooms after overdosing.
We recommend that these products be avoided unless you are 100% certain that your body can tolerate the extreme amount of caffeine that they are delivering.