If you are wondering how much caffeine in a long black you can expect, the short version is roughly 120 to 160 mg. A long black is espresso poured over hot water, and it is usually built on a double shot, so the caffeine in a long black is basically the caffeine of those two espresso shots. Adding hot water changes the volume and the way the coffee tastes, not the amount of caffeine in the cup.
That number is an estimate, not a fixed rule. Beans, roast, grind and how the shot is pulled all nudge it up or down. Below we break down why the shots set the figure, how a long black stacks up against an espresso, an americano and a regular brewed coffee, and where it sits against general daily caffeine guidance.
How much caffeine in a long black? The short answer
Most cafes build a long black on a double shot of espresso. A single espresso carries somewhere around 60 to 80 mg of caffeine, so two shots land at roughly 120 to 160 mg. Pour that over hot water and you get a longer, more diluted drink, but the caffeine total stays put — you have not added or removed any coffee, only water.
If a cafe makes your long black with a single shot, expect closer to 60 to 80 mg. If they pull a generous or triple shot, it climbs higher. When in doubt, ask how many shots go into the cup; that single detail tells you more about the caffeine than the size of the glass does. For a fuller picture of what the drink actually is and how it is built, see our guide to the long black coffee.
Why the espresso shots set the number
Caffeine in a long black comes almost entirely from the espresso, so the shot count is the lever that matters. Hot water is caffeine-free, which means it dilutes the flavor, softens the intensity and stretches the volume — but it does not change how many milligrams are dissolved in the cup. Two shots pulled the same way carry the same caffeine whether you drink them neat or lengthened with water.
This is why a long black can taste noticeably milder than a straight double espresso while carrying the same caffeine load. Your palate reads the diluted, larger drink as gentler, but the dose is identical. It is a useful reminder that perceived strength and actual caffeine are two different things. For the ranges behind a single and double shot, see caffeine in espresso, which digs into how extraction and bean choice move the figure.
It also means the glass size on the menu is a poor guide to strength. A long black served in a small tulip glass and one served in a taller glass can hold exactly the same two shots and the same caffeine; the taller one is simply carrying more water. If you want a lighter-tasting cup without cutting caffeine, more water does the job — and if you want less caffeine, you have to drop a shot, not add water.
How a long black compares
Because the caffeine tracks the shots, a long black sits right alongside other double-shot espresso drinks and a bit above a standard mug of brewed coffee. These figures are typical ranges, not guarantees.
| Drink | Approx caffeine per serving |
|---|---|
| Single espresso (~30 ml) | ~60-80 mg |
| Double espresso | ~120-160 mg |
| Long black (double shot) | ~120-160 mg |
| Long black (single shot) | ~60-80 mg |
| Americano (double shot) | ~120-160 mg |
| Brewed / drip coffee (~240 ml) | ~95 mg |
The headline takeaway: a double-shot long black usually carries a little more caffeine than a typical cup of brewed coffee, which averages around 95 mg for an 8 oz (240 ml) serving. The gap is not huge, and a large drip coffee can easily overtake a single-shot long black.
It is also worth remembering that brewed coffee ranges widely. A small, weak cup might sit well under 95 mg, while a large, strong batch brew can climb past a double-shot long black. Serving size and strength swing brewed coffee far more than they swing an espresso-based drink, where the shot count keeps things fairly predictable.
Long black vs americano caffeine
On caffeine, a long black and an americano are effectively twins. Both are espresso plus hot water, and if they use the same number of shots, they carry the same caffeine — the long black vs americano caffeine question comes down to shot count, not the name. The difference is the order of assembly: a long black pours the espresso over the water, while an americano typically adds the water to the espresso. That order affects the crema and the first sip's aroma, not the dose.
So if your long black and your americano are both double shots, the long black caffeine content and the americano's are essentially the same, give or take the natural variation between any two pulls. For more detail on that drink specifically, see how much caffeine in an americano.
What changes the caffeine in a long black
Several things move the number within (and sometimes beyond) that 120 to 160 mg window:
- Number of shots: one, two or three shots is the biggest factor by far. A single-shot long black is roughly half a double.
- Bean type: robusta beans can carry close to double the caffeine of arabica, so a robusta-heavy blend pushes the total up.
- Roast level: the difference is smaller than many expect; by weight, light and dark roasts are broadly similar, and whether you dose by scoop or by weight matters more than the roast label.
- Dose and extraction: a heavier dose or a longer, fuller extraction pulls more caffeine than a short, restricted shot.
- Decaf: a decaf long black is not zero — it usually holds only a few milligrams per shot, but it is not truly caffeine-free.
The size of the glass and the amount of hot water, by contrast, do not change the caffeine at all. A bigger long black is simply more diluted, not more caffeinated.
How a long black fits your daily caffeine
General guidance for many healthy adults places a moderate ceiling around 400 mg of caffeine a day, which is roughly two to three double-shot long blacks. That is a broad figure, not a personal target — how caffeine affects you depends on body size, tolerance, sleep, other sources like tea, cola and chocolate, and individual sensitivity. For the wider context, see how much caffeine per day.
Some people feel jittery or struggle to sleep on far less, while others notice little at all. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, managing a heart condition, or simply caffeine-sensitive, the sensible ceiling can be much lower, and it is worth asking your own healthcare provider what is right for you. Responses vary, and this is general information, not medical advice.
The practical upshot: treat a long black as a double-espresso-strength drink for planning purposes. Count the shots, not the milliliters, and you will have a solid estimate of the caffeine in your cup.