# Is it Necessary to Brew Coffee in Order to Extract Caffeine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-necessary-to-brew-coffee-in-order-to-extract-caffeine/421355 "2007-10-03T07:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-necessary-to-brew-coffee-in-order-to-extract-caffeine/421355/1 "2007-10-03T07:19:47Z")
That’s the question. If I grind the beans and toss them in my morning smoothie will I get the same buzz? Is munching on chocolate coated espresso beans just as good a sipping espresso? ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-necessary-to-brew-coffee-in-order-to-extract-caffeine/421355/2 "2007-10-03T10:26:34Z")
I think you will get your buzz. When they decaffienate coffee, they often do it in somewhat warmish CO2 above its critical point, and the caffiene just dissolves away. I think all that has to happen is solvation at room temperature, which your digestion will do if it can absorbe caffiene at all (which obviously it does). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-necessary-to-brew-coffee-in-order-to-extract-caffeine/421355/3 "2007-10-03T10:30:44Z")
Yeah, you can get a caffeine buzz by eating coffee beans whole. They sell them chocolate-coated here and they’re _good_.