Correction note (October 2026): an earlier version of this page described what 320mg "does" to your body, including focus, mood and workout claims, and suggested it for fasting windows. We removed those. On October 30, 2026 we also removed price comparisons and serving suggestions. This version covers what published limits and research say about a 320mg amount of caffeine in general.
320mg is a lot of caffeine for one drink, and it deserves a straight reading rather than a pitch. Below: how 320mg compares with the limits health agencies publish, how it compares with a cup of brewed coffee, and what research says about caffeine and sleep. This is general information about caffeine, not advice on how much you should have.
320mg Against Two Published Limits
Two agencies publish widely cited caffeine figures for adults, and they aren't identical.
- FDA (U.S.): FDA says up to 400mg a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults. The FDA also notes that people differ in how sensitive they are to caffeine. 320mg is 80 percent of that daily figure.
- EFSA (EU): the European Food Safety Authority also says daily intake up to 400mg raises no safety concerns for healthy adults, except pregnant women. It adds a figure for single doses: up to 200mg at once raises no safety concerns for healthy adults. 320mg in one sitting is above that single-dose figure. For pregnant women, EFSA says up to 200mg a day raises no safety concerns for the unborn child.
EFSA's figures aren't a U.S. rule, but they're worth knowing. Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, has a heart condition, takes medication or is sensitive to caffeine should talk to a doctor about how much caffeine is right for them.
How 320mg Compares With Brewed Coffee
The FDA's consumer page lists a 12 fl oz cup of regular brewed coffee at 113 to 247mg. A 12 fl oz drink with 320mg is above the top of that range, so the difference is concentration, not a bigger cup. For energy drinks, the FDA lists 54 to 328mg per 16 fl oz, so caffeine varies a lot across that category too. See how much caffeine is in cold brew and cold brew vs energy drinks for more.
Why Cold Brew Caffeine Varies So Much
Cold brew is steeped in cold or room-temperature water for hours rather than minutes. How strong a given cold brew ends up depends on the coffee used, the coffee-to-water ratio, the grind, the steep time and whether it's a concentrate or ready to drink. That's why brand labels range so widely, and why the number on the label of the product in your hand is the one to go by. See our guides to cold brew steep time and cold brew caffeine content by brand.
What Research Says About Caffeine and Sleep
Caffeine works mainly by blocking adenosine receptors, according to a StatPearls review of caffeine, which puts its half-life at about 5 hours in the average adult. The StatPearls review of caffeine withdrawal gives a range of roughly 1.5 to 9.5 hours between people.
That matters for sleep. In a study reported by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (Drake et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013), 400mg of caffeine taken at bedtime, 3 hours before or 6 hours before all disrupted sleep, and even at 6 hours before bed total sleep time was reduced by more than an hour. Sensitivity differs between people, so the right cutoff time varies.
How to Read Any Caffeine Number
Three habits make caffeine labels easier to compare, whatever the brand.
- Separate the per-can figure from the per-fluid-ounce figure. A 16 fl oz can with 200mg and a 12 fl oz can with 320mg are very different concentrations, and a per-can headline hides that.
- Check what the serving is. Some products state a figure per serving rather than per container, and some brands state nothing at all.
- Add up the day, not the drink. Tea, soda, energy drinks and pre-workout products can also contain caffeine, and the FDA and EFSA daily figures count all of it.
If a brand won't print its caffeine number, or prints one that doesn't match its marketing, treat that as information. For more on limits, see how much caffeine is too much.
Questions People Ask
Is 320mg of caffeine over the daily limit?
Not by the FDA's figure: FDA says up to 400mg a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults. But 320mg is 80 percent of that figure, and it's above EFSA's 200mg figure for a single dose. It's also above EFSA's 200mg daily figure for pregnant women.
How does 320mg compare with a cup of coffee?
The FDA lists 113 to 247mg for a 12 fl oz cup of regular brewed coffee, so 320mg in 12 fl oz is above that range.
Does caffeine affect sleep?
Research reported by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 400mg of caffeine taken as much as 6 hours before bed reduced total sleep time by more than an hour. Caffeine's half-life averages about 5 hours but varies widely between people.
About Bare Brew
No sugar. No dairy. Bare ingredients, a special blend of coffee and water: filtered water and Honduran Arabica. Each 12 fl oz can has 320mg of caffeine, 20 calories, 5g total carbohydrate and 0g sugar. Bare Brew is our own product. See current prices.
Sources: U.S. FDA, "Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?" (content current as of August 28, 2024); EFSA, caffeine topic page; StatPearls, "Caffeine" and "Caffeine Withdrawal"; American Academy of Sleep Medicine, on Drake et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013. Bare Brew figures are from our product page.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Bare Brew is a coffee drink, not a treatment for any condition. Each 12 fl oz can has 320mg of caffeine. It's not recommended for children, people who are pregnant or nursing, or anyone sensitive to caffeine. If you take medication or have a health condition, talk to your doctor about caffeine.
