How Many Oz Of Double Espresso In A Single Serve?

Are you the type of person who's very particular of the food and beverage you ingest?

As far as the body is concerned, whatever food or beverage we decide to allow into our system could have a positive or perhaps a negative effect on us .

What if you are a coffeeholic, and you are so into espresso ? It helps you be active and awake throughout the day, but have you ever wondered how many ozs in a double shot espresso?

Single Vs. Double Espresso

In this article, we will help you find out how many ozs in a double espresso our body could consider as "safe." But before getting to that, let's talk about the difference between a single and a double shot of espresso— its composition, similarities, and differences to be able to find out "how much is too much?"

Most often, people have no clue about the differences between a single and a double shot. Even coffee shops don't do a great job at helping you figure it out either.

The flavor and intensity of the single or double espresso shot vary depending on which coffee beans are used – a coffee is known for its rich taste such as those from Kenya, Sumatra or Guatemala typically contains more dissolved solids and taste more "intense," thicker in texture and richer in flavor. As roasters like to call it fuller-bodied coffees, the "feel" and "taste" of the outcome is totally different.

Double Shots

Let us oversimplify what's suitable for most coffee lovers on a practical level.

Technically, a solo shot of espresso uses seven grams of espresso-fine grounds and produces about 30ml of espresso (about one liquid ounce). Weighing shots has been a relatively new practice thus, most baristas in the last 60 years just used eyesight to judge when the shot is finished. Isn't that amazing?

Starbucks popularized the double shot, or some liked to call doppio in America in the 1990s, though the concept was never theirs to start with. A double shot uses 14g of coffee beans and produces around 60ml of espresso (about two liquid ounces).

Double shots are currently a standard in the US and all around the globe. If you simply ask for a single shot, the barista will likely pull a double but use a split portafilter to half the shot for you.

When it comes to flavor, not really many changes, the introduction of double shots was really about increasing production and making it easier for busy baristas but there's usually not much difference when we come to terms of the flavor.

According to Coffee Chemistry, one liquid ounce of a single shot espresso can have anywhere between 30 and 50mg of caffeine. That means when we double the shot, we'll likely have anywhere between 60 and 100mg.

Well, that's about it for the noncomplex explanation. And honestly speaking, that's going to be enough for most people. But if you would want to know more and a bit extra caffeine sensitive or curious about how this could get more complicated, you might want to read on.

How Much Doubles Can I Consider Enough?

According to the European Food Safety Authority, five espresso shots is equal to 400 milligrams of caffeine, which is the maximum daily dose. The EFSA's report states that you can drink five single straight shots, equivalent to 2 and a half doubles before you eventually start putting yourself at risk for over-consumption of caffeine, and the health problems that might be related to it.

Health officials also stated that while you may not be drinking more than five espresso shots a day, there might have been other sources of caffeine that individuals may not even be aware that they're consuming.

The Case of Overdose

We hear so much news today about teens overdosing on energy drinks (mostly popular on college students), but coffee overdose also does happen.

In UK, a woman ended up in a hospital after overdosing on caffeine.

After a night with only 5 hours of sleep, she drank a double espresso. Then it was no-holds-barred as she foolishly downed about six double shots. The woman thought she was drinking single shots all along. She could have known better since she actually works in a cafe and was making the coffee for herself.

Coffee, of course, vary in caffeine content due to blend, grind, texture, roasting time, and extraction time. Still, for their caffeine database, they used an average from six different extractions according to a toxicology journal.

Therefore, they listed an average value of 77mg caffeine per 1.5 ounces espresso shot.

Seven double (14 single) shots of espresso at 154mg each.

So technically, Miss Wells downed around 1015 mg of caffeine – presumably in a short period. If she had not eaten much or would have had an empty stomach before her shots, this would further account for the overdose side effects she experienced. Learn more about espressos.

Conclusion: Go Easy On Your Coffee

Espresso is a very potent form of coffee and, therefore, also has caffeine, and can be consumed very rapidly as opposed to a 16 fl oz energy drink (containing typically 160 mg of caffeine).

That being said, espresso is presumably even more dangerous than energy drinks if ingested so much. However, its bitter taste isn't quite as appealing to teens and children who may not know better. So every time you enjoy your favorite cup of joe, be extra cautious and set some limits.

Related Articles