How much caffeine in a mug of chai?

Its a question we get asked all the time. And for those of us health conscious persons, it is a question that has many if’s and buts.

Short answer: 90 - 115mg

Long Answer: It depends.

While many of us associate caffeine with coffee; our our daily brews are giving us a dose of caffeine too due to the presence of black tea. While every varietal of black tea has differing caffeine levels; the steep time will also greatly affect the amount of kick you get from your cup. The longer you steep the more caffeine you extract.

So lets take a bit of a deep dive into the caffeine levels of our different brews, and brewing methods.

Scenario #1 : + 100mg

Taking our classic Masala Blend, and brewing according to our preferred recipe, you are looking at and caffeine level around 100mg/cup. This is taking into account a serving size of 20g wet chai, and a steep time of 2.5minutes.

Scenario #2 : + 45mg

By simply brewing for a little less time you can reduce the caffeine levels by just over 50%. Remember; more steeping time = more caffeine; less steep = less caffeine.

Scenario #3 : + 0mg

0mg of caffeine. Yes, this is correct. Should caffeine not fit in with you, our Turmeric Blend is caffeine free. This is because it has a rooibos tea base which is naturally free of caffeine. So not only is this brew got all the goodness from the turmeric and spices, we’ve got a chai perfectly suited to you nightly routine.

How does this compare to coffee?

To compare our scenario #1 to our regular cup of joe, we are seeing a reduction in caffeine levels per serve of around 45%; based off an average level of 180mg in a medium latte. If your looking for an alternative to coffee, but still want that buzz?… remember increase the steep time and you’ll get more caffeine.