Coffee is the best beverage to ever have in the morning. The three most looked-up to about coffee are the aromas, the flavor, and the caffeine content. Strong coffee tends to give a richer aroma, while weak coffee is not really desirable. The weakest coffee is determined by caffeine capacity in a cup of brewed coffee.
But there are distinctive definitions of weak coffee. There are people who love weak coffee because it has less caffeine content which is better for them.
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What is the Weakest Coffee?
There are definitions you could give to weak coffee. Yet, it is better to look at who you ask this question too. That is because coffee drinkers have different preferences. The weakest coffee in most coffee shops is a latte.
A latte is considered the weakest coffee because it contains a higher percentage of steamed milk than other recipes. While some people talk about espresso as the weakest drink based on its caffeine content.
A single shot of espresso contains only 60 to 100 mg of caffeine but other drinks start at least from 80 to 100 mg of caffeine. An espresso shot has the most caffeine per volume but is still the weakest per drink.
Those who think that an espresso shot is a strong coffee, probably do not drink much coffee or espresso. So, that is why the definition of a weak coffee partly depends on drinkers’ preferences.
Sometimes, weak coffee also refers to poorly brewed coffee. A coffee that has poor quality, extracted badly and unflavorful, tastes watery is also considered a weak coffee.
Weakest Coffee by Caffeine Content
As mentioned, a weak coffee differs from contexts, the beans quality, brewing methods, roasting levels, however in this portion the weakest coffee is determined by caffeine capacity in a cup of brewed coffee. Below is the caffeinated content list of different caffeine levels of drinks.
This caffeine standpoint shows that espresso is the weakest coffee counted on caffeine (mg). A single shot of espresso is only 2 ounces and its caffeinated content is only 75 mg.
Thinking of a shot of espresso alone would make you categorize it into a strong coffee. A shot of espresso contains a strong amount of caffeine starting from 60mg to 100mg. But compared to other types of coffee drinks such as cold brew, iced/hot latte, mocha, espresso is the weakest.
To most coffee drinkers, cold brew and mocha are not considered strong drinks, but in fact, there is more caffeine in those drinks compared to espresso. So, if you are looking for the weakest caffeinated coffee, you should go with espresso, only 75mg caffeine per shot.
Is Decaf a Weak Coffee?
Decaf coffee has 97% of its caffeine removed. Yet, decaf is not a regular coffee. Moreover, decaf is mostly referred to when some people want to avoid a high amount of caffeine. But do bear in mind that decaf is not a caffeine-free drink. Just that decaf has a lot less caffeine compared to regular coffee drinks.
If decaf is a weak coffee, then why isn’t it listed in the table above? Well, for coffee lovers, it is hard to consider decaf coffee as a mainstream coffee, that is why it is not listed in the table above. But if you are looking for a cheap and less caffeinated coffee, decaf should be a fit.
Starbucks’ Weakest Coffee
If you are a big fan of Starbucks and looking for the weakest coffee in there, you should try Decaf Pike’s Place Roast. The small serving of this drink contains only 15 mg of caffeine and the tall cup comes with 20 mg.
And the other weakest is the espresso shot, it comes with 75 mg caffeinated content for shot serving per volume. Starbucks serves a variety of types of coffee, cappuccino, hot/cold chocolate, americano, etc.
Wanting a caffeine-deficient cup of drink at Starbucks, you can consider Decaf pike’s Place roast. However, if you want a little more of a real drink but low caffeine, you can get an espresso shot.
Elements of a Weak Coffee
Though, there is no factor found that leads to a weak coffee. But there are several points in caffeine content that weak coffee can be made through several steps.
Coffee Content
A less caffeine coffee happens when the coffee doesn’t meet the water ratio and that leads to a weak coffee. The weak coffee here doesn’t refer to poorly extracted beans, but a cup of coffee that has a low caffeinated content. So, if you want to avoid weak coffee, you should sustain a good sufficient water ratio.
Brewing Methods
The brewing method somehow is one of the steps that decides the fate of your coffee. Different methods brewed determine the level of caffeine in your coffee. Like an espresso shot has the lowest caffeine content per volume while cold brew coffee has a tendency of higher caffeine per drink. The strength of cold brew seems so enervating as compared with an espresso shot, in actual fact, it has a greater impact on drinkers.
Types of Beans and Roasts
The caffeine count also comes from types of coffee beans and roasted levels. So, lightly roasted beans and dark roasted beans cultivate different levels of caffeine.
Light Roasted Beans & Dark Roasted Beans
Lightly roasted beans offer the highest level of caffeinated content compared to dark roast. A cup of drip coffee using lightly roasted coffee beans has more acidity and tastes much bolder and stronger than other roast brewed. When the coffee has a strong taste, it tends to have more caffeine content.
Dark roast coffee beans contain a lesser amount of caffeine during the roasting process. But that doesn’t make a bad point for dark coffee, it just has lesser caffeine content.
Besides, the roasting process that partly decides on the intensity of your coffee, choosing the right type of bean is also important. And there are two most preferred beans, the Arabica bean, and the Robusta bean.
Arabica bean is the most preferred one for most coffee drinkers. Arabica beans have a complex flavor profile of chocolate, caramel, flora, bright/dry/low acidity, fruity, etc. the natural arabica beans really have a nice aroma and amazing brewed taste.
Robusta bean is a bit cheaper than arabica bean but that is not the point since the quality of the bean doesn’t lay on its price tag. The Robusta beans are more preferred when the drinkers want a bolder and strong taste coffee. Robusta coffee has higher caffeine content.
So, the roasting and types of beans are crucial and could tell the strength and the difference of cups of coffee.
Conclusion
To sum up, after acknowledging the true definition of weak coffee, bear in mind that the weak coffee here isn’t about its quality. Howbeit, if you want to try an actual weak coffee, you better get an espresso. Decaf is also good, just espresso sounds more of an actual coffee.
Reference:
- What’s The Weakest Coffee? – A Shocking Suprise Inside! | The Old Coffee Pot
- How Much Caffeine In Coffee: Which Coffee Has The Most Caffeine? | Home Grounds
Here’s What You Should Know About The Coffee Types Explained By TRT World
