Does Blonde Espresso Have More Caffeine? [Everything To Know]

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Blonde espressos are roasted in a very unique way, which is why they get such a  magical aroma and vibrant taste. No wonder one feels so good right after indulging in a delicious cup. Their smooth and sweet taste is unlike any other, making you fall in love with it completely.

Are you more into the blonde espresso than the regular espresso and wondering if the blonde espresso has more caffeine? If so, keep reading to find out!

How is Blonde Espresso Made?

coffee in a cup

Well, they are basically made by roasting the green coffee beans at temperatures ranging between 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

However, at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the Maillard reaction gets triggered, which influences the overall taste development. Due to the evaporation of the water inside the coffee beans, right after 3-5 minutes of roasting, the coffee beans tend to create an audible and visual cracking. Afterward, the blonde roast is instantly removed from the heat. 

This roasting time and temperature are more than enough to create over 800 flavor compounds. 

However, they are not sufficient enough to lessen the coffee bean’s acidity or convert the bean’s sucralose to caramelized compounds. This is one of the very reasons why the blonde roast comes with a lighter body, fresh citrus, and floral notes but is slightly high in acidity levels.

The Art Of Roasting Blonde & Regular Espresso

Do you know that all the magical taste and flavor that you get from a coffee happens to come from how well the coffee beans are roasted?

The entire process of taking all those innocent green coffee beans and coaxing them into their full potential is what roasting means.

And the more you know about the art of roasting, the more powerful your beans will become. Everything literally depends on them!

Moving on to the blonde roast, these are light and golden-brown beans, containing a complete dance of delicate flavor along with hints of floral notes, acidity, and a little bit of sweetness to brighten your day. 

Their roasting time is relatively short as the ultimate goal is to preserve the brightness and caffeine level. It can be enjoyed as a refreshing shot or when combined with steamed milk, such as flat white, macchiatos, etc.

On the other hand, for the regular espresso, you need to take things a bit deeper. Compared to the blonde roast, they are roasted much longer until they develop a bold color and character. 

So, with each sip, you get to experience a perfect combination of deep and complex flavors needed to give you a strong punch. They come with a velvety smoothness and nutty flavor that always hits the spot, giving the ultimate relaxation you require after a long, tiring day or for those much-needed pick-me-up times. It’s a perfect base for milk-based espresso beverages, such as lattes and cappuccinos.

Caffeine Kick Of Each Roast

Do you have the habit of having a cup of coffee every morning to start your day? Well, in that case, make sure you know the caffeine kick of each roast. After all, each kind of roast comes with their own caffeine content to offer. 

So, if you’re wondering whether the light or dark roast has higher caffeine levels, then you’re in the right place. 

Many people have a popular misconception that the darker the color of the coffee beans, the maximum the caffeine will be. However, this is absolutely not true. In reality, the lighter-roasted ones are known to contain more caffeine content.

This is because the dark roasted beans, while heated, puff up with air and expand, which is why they are measured accurately in volume while pouring in a cup of coffee using teaspoons. 

For instance, it is found that a sample of light roast brewed coffee contains around 60 milligrams of caffeine, whereas, for the same quantity of dark roast coffee, the caffeine content is about 51 milligrams of caffeine. 

And when compared shot by shot, the blonde espresso is expected to have around 85 milligrams of caffeine per shot, which is about 65-75 milligrams of caffeine per shot.

What Can Affect The Strength Of Blonde Espresso?

From the size of the coffee grind to the time of roasting, volume, and even the brewing process, everything can play a significant role in affecting the strength of the blonde espresso.

Let’s talk about them in a bit more detail for your better understanding:

Using Volume Instead Of Weight

During the roasting method, when the water in the beans starts to evaporate, it ultimately leads to a decline in their weight. This is one of the reasons why the blonde roasted coffee beans weigh more in comparison to the dark roasted beans.

So, while pulling a blonde roast shot, you will automatically be using more caffeine. No wonder they taste so heavy and dense with each sip. 

On the other hand, for the dark roasted shots, to create the same amount of caffeine content, you will have to measure the dark roast coffee beans by weight.  

Kind Of Beans in Use

Moving on, the climate and environment also play a vital role in the caffeine content. This is because the soil with high nitrogen content can create coffee beans with a good amount of caffeine content. 

Besides, the kind of coffee beans also greatly affects the levels of caffeine. For instance, the brewed robusta roughly contains about 2.5 grams/L, whereas the arabica has around 1.9 grams/L approximately. 

Brewing Process

As there are various kinds of brewing methods available, it is quite normal that one will be able to extract more caffeine while the others will be able to extract less amounts of caffeine from the roasted coffee. 

French press tops the list with being able to extract 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine per 4-ounce cup. 

Next up, there is the pour-over or drip coffee method, which can extract around 60 to 100 milligrams of caffeine per cup of coffee. 

Lastly, the espresso machines have the power to pull coffee with about 30 to 50 milligrams of caffeine levels per cup.

Is Blonde Espresso Stronger Than Regular Espresso?

Yes, they are!

From the caffeine content to the flavor – they are pretty much stronger than the regular espresso. This is mainly because of the roasting process of the coffee beans. 

They offer a much smoother and milder taste, along with a strong caffeine punch that will recharge both your mind and body in an instant. Just like a turbocharger!

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean in any way that the regular one is any less appealing. They do offer a little less in caffeine levels by comparison, and in terms of flavor, they offer a much bolder taste. 

But really, at the end of the day, it is all about your preferences. As every person is different from each other, similarly, the choice of coffee also varies from one person to another. That is, for some people, blonde espresso seems stronger, while for others, regular espresso may do the trick.

Is Blonde Espresso Stronger Than Dark?

In terms of the caffeine content, the blonder espresso is definitely stronger than the dark espresso.

However, when discussing the taste and flavor, the dark roasted ones are pretty much the harsher ones, while the blonde roasts are the smoother ones. On the other hand, in terms of acidity, the dark roast ones are low, whereas the blonde roasted beans are more acidic. 

This is because the dark roast loses the acidity during the roasting method while remaining under the high heat for a long span of time. This is one of the reasons why the blonde roasted coffee beans come out much stronger in comparison to the dark roasted beans.

Health Risks of Having Blonde Espresso

As the famous proverb goes, “Too much of anything is not good.”

Similarly, having too much caffeine can play quite a negative role in our body and overall health. 

So, if you have the habit of consuming more caffeine, then it’s high time that you pull on the brakes a bit, otherwise, your healthy body will start feeling the consequences pretty soon.

Here is a list of the most common health risks that are associated with having more blonde espresso than required:

  • Too much blonde espresso can create a disturbance in your sleep, ultimately making you stay wide awake throughout the night.
  • Caffeine is known to cause your heart to beat much faster than the normal pace, along with increasing blood pressure levels. This can be quite problematic for people who are already suffering from heart-related issues.
  • Too much intake of caffeine can drastically increase your anxiety levels, making you feel all jittery for the time being.
  • As caffeine is a diuretic, it can eventually cause your body to lose more water through urine. Hence, if you don’t drink enough water, then chances are high it may cause dehydration.
  • Stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea are some of the common issues that you can face regularly upon consuming high doses of caffeine.
  • You can become a true addict if you have the habit of drinking blonde espresso regularly, once or twice a day. So, if you plan to stop them suddenly, then you might face severe headaches, fatigue, and irritability.

N.B: As every person’s tolerance level to caffeine content is different, what may affect one person might not necessarily affect the other person as well.

Some Hacks To Cut Down The Caffeine Of Blonde Espresso

In case you are looking for effective ways to cut down on the caffeine levels, here are some valuable tips to follow:

  • Nowadays, most of the coffee shops offer a decaf version of the espresso, removing most of the caffeine content. So, if you want to lessen your caffeine intake, make sure to ask the barista to specifically give you a decaf blonde espresso.
  • Heard of the Americano? Well, it’s one of the popular coffee drinks that is basically made by adding hot water to an espresso shot. That is, the more you will add hot water, the more you can dilute the caffeine levels of your blonde espresso.
  • If you have the habit of ordering a larger size latte or maybe cappuccino, consider going for the smaller sizes, or alternatively, you can order a single shot of blonde espresso as well. They are pretty good ways to reduce your regular caffeine content in the long run.
  • Instead of going for whole milk, try using the alternative form of milk in your coffee. For example, there is almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc. 

Based on your preference, just ask the barista to make the blonde espresso using these alternative dairy options. This will greatly decrease the amount of caffeine in your coffee.

  • Make sure to drink plenty of water alongside your beverages so that it can dilute the caffeine in your system. Eventually, it lessens the caffeine intake. As a standard rule, you can aim to drink at least one glass of water per cup of coffee. 

FAQs

How Many Calories In A Shot Of Espresso?

Well, you can expect to get around 2 calories from a shot of espresso. However, if additional milk and sugar are added, then the calorie count might become higher. So, make sure to keep this in mind just in case you want to keep your calorie intake in check.

Does Blonde Espresso Starbucks Have More Caffeine?

A blonde espresso at Starbucks has around 10 milligrams or more of caffeine content in comparison to the regular espresso. And in case you order a grande, it will be 20 milligrams more. 

What Is The Strongest Espresso At Starbucks?

Starbucks blonde espresso roast is considered to be the strongest espresso at Starbucks, containing the highest amount of caffeine. So, if you need a coffee that will instantly awaken all your senses, then this is the ultimate one to go for.

How Much Caffeine Is In 2 Shots Of Blonde Espresso?

A blonde espresso at Starbucks has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. So, if you do the math, you can expect to get around 170 milligrams of caffeine for a double shot of blonde espresso.

How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

The standard benchmark of safe caffeine intake for a healthy adult is about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. However, it may vary from person to person, depending on several factors. 

Final Words

If the question, “Does blonde espresso have more caffeine?”, ever cropped up in your mind, we hope we could give you a good answer.

They are certainly one of the most incredible members of the espresso family that will recharge you to the fullest within just a couple of minutes. 

However, they do also have some health concerns, as mentioned above, so make sure to keep them in mind and don’t overdo things. After all, a healthy body is the most important thing!

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Maria

Callie

Hello, I’m Callie, a professional coffee barista who loves coffee so much that I’ve decided to write about it in my free time. I love everything about coffee – the aroma, the flavor, and the endless varieties it comes in! But my favorite thing about coffee is how much there is to learn and know about it. Even with my years of experience, I keep finding out new details and nuances almost every day. On this website, my goal is to share everything I know about coffee and to learn more from passionate readers! I’m always on the hunt for the perfect bean, so feel free to tell me about your preferred varieties, and of course, I’ll be sharing my faves with you!

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