How much caffeine is in coffee liqueur?

One shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur has 12 mg of caffeine.

That's a small fraction of a cup of brewed coffee, and 3% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.

Source: USDA FoodData Central · checked 10 Nov 2026

When did you have it?

Had at 3 pm, about 4.1 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That should not affect most people’s sleep.

Bedtime

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Latest time to drink it

For an 11 pm bedtime, one shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur stays under the 50 mg most people sleep fine with, even late in the evening. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.

Bedtime	Very sensitive under 25 mg	Average under 50 mg	Not very sensitive under 100 mg
9 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
10 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
11 pm	Any time	Any time	Any time
Midnight	Any time	Any time	Any time
1 am	Any time	Any time	Any time

For one shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.

How long it lasts

The caffeine from one shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur peaks in your blood about 75 minutes after you start it, at roughly 10 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.

Time after	3 hours	6 hours	9 hours	12 hours
Still in you	8.2 mg	5.4 mg	3.6 mg	2.4 mg

So one had at 3 pm leaves about 4.1 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.

How it compares

Coffee liqueur is stronger than 0% of the 10 gums, gels and other products we track, by caffeine per serving.

To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 34 of these.

More caffeine

GU Energy Gel 20 mg, 1 packet, caffeinated flavors
Jägerbomb 40 mg, 1 drink
Neuro Gum 40 mg, 1 piece

FAQ

Is coffee liqueur high in caffeine?

No, it is low. One shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur has 12 mg, which is 12% of the 95 mg in an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee.

Can I drink coffee liqueur at night?

For most people, yes: even late in the evening one shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur stays under 50 mg at an 11 pm bedtime.

How long does the caffeine in coffee liqueur last?

It peaks about 75 minutes after you start it. Of the 12 mg, about 5.4 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 2.4 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.

Does coffee liqueur have more caffeine than a cup of coffee?

No. One shot (45 g) of coffee liqueur has 12 mg; an 8 fl oz cup of coffee has 95 mg.

Method and limits

The caffeine figure comes from USDA FoodData Central; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.

These are estimates for information, not medical advice.