How much caffeine is there in a cup of coffee?
The amount varies widely according to brewing method and bean type, but as a general guide a 200ml/7oz cup contains the following caffeine amounts:
Drip 115 - 175mg
Espresso approx 100mg
Brewed 80 - 135mg

How much caffeine is there in a cup of tea?
Tea contains two other alkaloids, theobromine and theophylline in addition to caffeine. These first two relax the smooth muscles where caffeine stimulates the heart and nervous and respiratory systems. A 200ml/7oz cup of tea contains 30 - 70mgs of caffeine, far less than a cup of coffee.

How much caffeine is there in a headache tablet?
In the past aspirin was combined with phenacetin and caffeine as a painkiller, but these days most headache preparations don't contain caffeine at all. In the US a preparation named Vivarin has 200mg of caffeine per tablet, and in Australia 'stay awake' tablets, No Doze and Dynamo each have 100mg of caffeine per tablet.

How much caffeine is there in coffee beans?
Caffeine is present in coffee beans to a maximum of 4 per cent. Most varieties have less than this, and the degree of roasting will slightly alter the content. A couple of examples: Colombia Excelso is 1.37% caffeine, Mocha from Yemen contains 1.01%. Most other varieties of Arabica fall between these two with the average being about 1.2%. Robusta beans usually have a higher caffeine content than Arabica.

What does caffeine taste like?
It's very bitter, and is sometimes used as a flavouring agent in drinks for this reason.

Is there a lethal dose of caffeine?
Yes, but someone weighing around 50 kilos would have to take about 7.5grams of it, and someone of 80 kilos weight would have a lethal dosage level of about 12 grams of caffeine. These amounts respectively represent 75 and 120 cups of espresso coffee. The minimum lethal injected dose of caffeine ever reported was 3.2grams.

How much caffeine is in Cola soft drinks?
A 375ml or 12oz can of Coke contains about 46mg, Pepsi & RC Cola have around 37mg, and Dr Pepper contains about 40mg of caffeine.

What's the difference between Arabica and Robusta beans?
Most coffee on sale is a blend of both, but specialist coffee shops often sell what they say is 100 per cent Arabica and label it by country of origin. Robusta is the cheaper bean with less aroma and flavour but more body and caffeine. Gourmet opinions vary as to whether the best coffee is pure Arabica or a combination blend with a small quantity of Robusta. For espresso use, Arabica (or several types of Arabica) usually has a small quantity of Robusta added for extra body, and to help produce more crema (the froth on top of a cup of espresso.)

How do I produce the best quality cup of coffee?
There are five major factors:

1. Quality of bean
2. Time since roasting
3. Time since grinding
4. Cleanliness of brewing equipment
5. Water quality

How should I store coffee?
In an air tight container. If you're re-using the container then glass is good because it doesn't retain odours or oils from previous usage. Otherwise a plastic snap-lock bag with the air squeezed out is ideal. Deep freeze your coffee to retain the best flavours for longest.

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