The Best Coffee For Energy: Top 10 Choices

If you are looking for the best coffee for an energy-boosting lift, then you are in the right place, as this article lists 10 of the best choices on the market.

Coffee is renowned for its ability to give you the pick-me-up you need in the mornings. Much of this is due to its caffeine content.

However, not all coffees are created equal in this regard, with some having far more caffeine than others. And some others have ingredients that act alongside the caffeine to give you an energy boost.

Choosing the best coffee for energy is not an easy task for your average coffee drinker, but thankfully we have the answer right here in this article. Read on to find out more…

Energy Is More Than Just Caffeine

When shopping for the best coffee to boost your energy, you already know that caffeine content isn’t the only factor in keeping awake and alert. It plays its part, but it isn’t the only factor to look out for.

Many coffee beans on the market aimed at increasing energy levels have much higher caffeine than average. However, they also have other components that work with caffeine to increase energy in a few different ways.

There are several different additives that roasters and blenders can add to coffee to help you feel more energetic, including various supplements, nutrients, and other ingredients that either synergize with the caffeine or have their own impact. But these can also alter the taste, so it’s important to know what to watch out for to avoid a bitter cup.

What To Look For In High-Octane Coffee

When it comes to finding coffee with a little extra oomph, the ingredients added to the coffee matter. One common energy-boosting ingredient in coffee beans is B vitamins; these are found in various food sources and are water-soluble, making them ideal for coffee. Vitamins play a significant role in metabolism and a lot of bodily functions, so boosting your levels can indeed increase your energy.

Other supplements may also come into play, such as ginseng, taurine, and even various mushrooms and other plants that can increase energy levels on their own. But keep in mind that these additives can change the flavor of the coffee, so you’ll want a coffee bean that can stand up to them and work with the flavors involved.

Obviously, caffeine is a huge player too, and if you’re going for coffee instead of another energy-boosting drink, then it’s the one you’re probably most interested in. Be careful ordering the drink with the most caffeine in it, though, as withdrawals or side effects might follow the initial lift if you aren’t used to consuming those levels of the stimulant.

How Much Caffeine Can You Have In A Day?

Of course, if you’re looking for high-energy coffee, then you should definitely consider your tolerance to caffeine. Like any other stimulant, it quite simply doesn’t suit some people, with issues around restlessness, anxiety, and other side effects if you abuse it.

Even if you drink coffee regularly, it is still recommended that you have no more than about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. That’s about four cups of coffee if you’re drinking the regular stuff, but as you will see from our list below, there are options that give you more than that in a single serving.

Best Starbucks Drink For Energy

Before we get into the best beans you can brew at home, or purchase off Amazon, let’s look into what is the strongest coffee you can order when down at your local Starbucks. The highest concentration of caffeine is the shot of espresso, as it contains about 75 milligrams of the stuff.

However, if you’re looking to sit down and relax for a while, then a Venti Blonde Roast Americano should be able to give you a lift. It contains about 475 milligrams of caffeine and should be able to give you the energy boost you need.

The Best Coffee For Energy: My Picks

The best coffee choices for more energy are a diverse group. Some of my favorite coffees to get a little extra oomph simply have more caffeine than standard coffees. In contrast, others have additives blended into the beans to boost the effects of the caffeine and help with focus, more energy, and better metabolic function.

1. Kimera Coffee Amber Roast

This light roast coffee has a few energy-boosting qualities: it’s got a little more caffeine than standard, thanks to the roasting process. But it also includes a proprietary blend of Alpha GPC, Taurine, L-Theanine, and DMAE. These supplements show some evidence of increasing energy, focus, and stamina.

You might recognize taurine – it’s a common additive in energy drinks. While there’s no FDA-level proof of the benefits, the coffee has a delicious, mild flavor despite the added supplements, and for me, it definitely worked to give me more energy and greater focus.

2. Death Wish Medium Roast

While there aren’t any additives or supplements in this coffee, Death Wish Coffee’s dark roast does have twice the caffeine of standard coffees. The bold flavor of the dark fruits and chocolate notes in the coffee are great on their own, but the extra caffeine also helps to boost energy and focus.

The beans are also Fair Trade and organic, and some of the highest quality beans in the specialty market. So if you need a little extra caffeine in your brew, it’s one of the top choices, with a lot of satisfied customers – Death Wish even has a money-back guarantee.

3. Rapidfire Turbo Brew

Rapidfire boasts that its Turbo Brew contains three times the amount of caffeine as a standard cup of coffee. If that doesn’t put a pep in your step, nothing will. 

This java is medium roasted and made from Robusta beans from Indonesia and Arabica beans from Peru. The blend carefully balances strength and flavor and goes down surprisingly smooth.

4. Kicking Horse Coffee

This dark roast will give you the morning ‘kick’ you need. It’s plenty of caffeine, but that’s not its greatest selling point.

What separates this coffee from others is its rich and complex taste, which mixes flavors of chocolate, hazelnuts, and cacao to create something wonderfully enticing. When looking for an energy-boosting type of coffee, it’s great to find an option that also has a taste that leaves you wanting more. It is incredibly versatile too, as it goes perfectly as a drip coffee, espresso, French Press, Aeropress, Chemex, and any other type of coffee-making technique you want to try.

It’s also a tasty option for iced coffees.

5. Peet’s Coffee Luminosa

Peet’s Coffee knows what they are doing. They have been around for over 50 years and during that time, they have developed all sorts of brews. However, for an energy boost, it doesn’t get much better than their Luminosa is the one that I keep on going back to.

Roasted in small batches, when you order this coffee you are getting something a little special. If you are looking for a coffee to enjoy in a latte or cappuccino, then this might not be the one for you though, as this is best enjoyed as a black coffee accompanied by a small glass of water.

6. Shock Coffee

There are no additives to shock coffee, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t brighten your eyes and help you get on with your day.

There is plenty of caffeine within these beans, but there are also the makings of a well-balanced rich cup of coffee. The lovely combination of strength and flavor lends itself to a bean that actually mixes perfectly with almond milk for a tasty (but strong) almond milk latte.

7. Napalm Extra Dark Roast Coffee

You might be expecting to see mostly robusta beans on our list and it’s true, most of the coffees here are just that. But Napalm bucks the trend, being made with 100% Arabica beans. They are roasted in such a way that you are getting a genuinely hefty caffeinated drink.

However, you are also getting a well-rounded cup of joe that tastes absolutely delightful. There is real care gone into this product, with all the coffee roasted in small batches and all the beans handpicked. When you get a cup of Napalm, you are getting a cup of care.

8. Very Strong Coffee

With 1,350mg of caffeine per 12-ounce cup, Very Strong Coffee does exactly what it says on the tin. This is the type of drink that your local barista would warn you about and after having it, even black tea might be out of the question for the rest of the day.

It’s not the tastiest cup on our list, but it is definitely an eye-opener. However, we would recommend that you don’t go near it if you’re not well in tune with your body’s caffeine limitations. Even if you are a regular drinker, taking a caffè americano with these beans should be done responsibly and with caution.

So… maybe choose the single espresso, rather than the double shot.

9. Black Insomnia Coffee

Black Insomnia’s caffeine levels aren’t much below that of Very Strong Coffee, so this is another one that should be used with extreme levels of caution. If you do suffer from insomnia, just put this one back in the cart and move away.

However, if you are looking for a coffee with an extreme caffeine content that also tastes quite nice, then this one could work for you. A brewed cup gives off hints of caramel and hazelnut and it goes particularly well in cold-brew coffee.

10. Red Goat Coffee

Red Goat Coffee is another extremely caffeinated coffee, with energizing values that can quite simply knock your socks off. This ground coffee is no green tea, so don’t order a cup unless you expect to be awake for many hours after you drink it.

It provides almost six times the mg of caffeine you would get from a traditional serving size of regular coffee. Red Goat Coffee is one of those coffee brands that has become famous for their strong beans, so they know what they’re doing. This is a surprisingly well-balanced cup, but one that has much stronger effects than your usual instant coffee.