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Caffeine Content of Gourmet Coffee Roasts

Many coffee lovers don't know that there is a difference in gourmet coffee roasts beyond the color and flavor. The little known fact about coffee is light roasts contain a bit more caffeine than dark roasts. In addition to roast, the type of coffee bean also affects the caffeine content. This is helpful to know when choosing which blend of gourmet coffee to brew in the office, especially if you're in need of a bigger boost.

Light Roast vs. Dark Roast Gourmet Coffee
It may be surprising to learn that the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary. The truth is the amount of caffeine will vary with the type of roast. For all types of gourmet coffee including Caribou coffee, Starbucks coffee or any other brand, the amount of caffeine is slightly higher in light roasts.

The reason behind this phenomenon goes all the way back to the roasting process. Dark coffee is roasted for a longer period of time, compared to light roasts. The darker coffee goes through a longer roasting process in order to develop a fuller and smokier flavor. Lighter coffee goes through a shorter roasting process to produce a sharp, acidic flavor. When the beans are subject to a longer roasting process, the caffeine contained in the bean is slightly "roasted off" resulting in lower caffeine content than beans with a shorter roast time.

Robusta Vs. Arabica
Another factor affecting the amount of caffeine in your cup of gourmet coffee is the type of bean used. Typically, there are two types of coffee beans: Robusta and Arabica. These two beans differ in regards to where they are located, their flavor, and their production requirements. In addition to these differences, the amount of caffeine contained in the beans is different.

Robusta beans are more abundant around the world and can be grown at lower elevations. The plants do not require an exceptional amount of attention and ultimately produce higher caffeine content beans than Arabica plants. It is believed that Robusta beans actually contain up to two times more caffeine than Arabica beans. Robusta beans can normally be found in Central and Western Africa as well as Southeast Asia.

Arabica beans, on the other hand, are more fragile than Robusta beans. They need more protection from insects and other pests and also require cool climates, higher elevation and a lot of moisture. Arabica beans tend to yield lower caffeine content than Robusta beans and are typically found in Latin America, Eastern Africa, Arabia and parts of Asia.