Wait, Does Beer Have Caffeine? The Answer Depends

Beer, as with wine, is typically thought of as a "downer" — since all alcohol is a depressant and has a sedative effect on us. If you're watching your caffeine intake or simply don't want to risk a good night of sleep after a few brewskies, you might be curious about the caffeine content of your beer. 

In general, the vast majority of beers are caffeine free, or contain such a small amount of caffeine you almost certainly won't feel it. Whether light, hoppy, hazy, or brown, most beer is brewed with water, heaps of hops, grains, and yeast — and other ingredients and acids for flavor or to make beer bitter. Downing a beer that contains notes of coffee isn't the same as drinking a latte, as coffee-flavored beers are usually just aged with  coffee beans, versus mixed with actual coffee.

Of course, there are always outliers. While most beer's caffeine content is minuscule, some exceptions, like intentionally caffeinated beer or espresso stouts, can clock in with around 50-120 milligrams of caffeine. This puts those in roughly in the same caffeine category as a basic cup of coffee. These outliers certainly aren't your standard beers and typically will have the word coffee in their title, which should be a tell. But if you see or suspect a beer is made with tea, chocolate, or coffee, you can always ask your brewer or bartender for its exact caffeine content — especially if you have sensitivities or certain medical conditions. 

While many consumers seek out caffeine-free or low caffeine drinks for a host of reasons, in general, our country's caffeine dependency is alive and well. Sales of energy drinks (some containing astronomical caffeine levels) have only skyrocketed in recent years, with popular options like Celsius, Alani, or Monster taking center stage. So honestly, if we had a crystal ball, it's probably only a matter of time before the beer industry jumps on the energy drink craze. 

But until then, you can typically rest assured your brews won't be adding much if anything to your daily caffeine intake. Even dark beers like nitro stouts, which look similar to a coffee drink with their foamy texture and rich color, are just made with added nitrogen gas. This creates a bubbly mouthfeel — but unless brewed with added cups of joe, they'll provide nowhere near the same energy boost.

Unless you're reaching for one of the rare brews that does contain a bit of an upper with a purposely high amount of coffee or espresso, which typically make themselves easy to spot, for a true boost at the bar, you'll need to reach for other options. Perhaps the admittedly youthful but effective option of a vodka red bull, or the timeless espresso martini – which of course do contain actual energy drinks and espresso, respectively. Or, just take a good long nap before a night out.