The Flying Circus Coffee Field Guide

From Grave to Prestissimo

Mapping Caffeine, the Brain, and Musical Tempo

Orientation

Coffee is usually described with vague adjectives: strong, bold, smooth, light. Those words communicate preference, but they lack a shared scale.

Italian tempo markings—Grave, Adagio, Andante, Allegro, Presto—are embodied descriptions of pace. This Field Guide uses that language to describe how coffee feels: not as prescriptive medical advice, but as observations.

Important clarification: BPM in this guide refers to musical tempo (beats per minute), not heart rate.

Educational and observational only. No medical advice. No personalized dosing guidance.

Why Tempo Instead of Milligrams

Milligrams of caffeine measure quantity, not experience. Two people can drink the same coffee and report very different outcomes depending on tolerance, sleep, context, and sensitivity.

Tempo offers a descriptive scale for the felt character of attention and energy—without pretending to offer precision where none exists. In research settings, caffeine is known to influence neural timing and coherence, reaction time and processing latency, motor readiness, and autonomic balance.

Neural oscillation timing and coherence
Reaction time and processing latency
Motor readiness and fatigue resistance
Autonomic balance (calm vs. activation)

The Human Rhythm Map

Musical tempo as a descriptive scale for energy and attention. Other physiological markers are shown only as contextual cues, not targets or prescriptions.

The 17-Step Tempo Ladder

Note: One upper-bound category extends beyond traditional Italian tempo markings. It is included deliberately to describe modern, non-musical physiological extremes rather than historical performance practice. Scores are provided for reference and study. All music is in the public domain; engravings are credited and used in accordance with their respective licenses.

GRAVE

Heavy, slow, inward; momentum has not yet begun.

20–40 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~0 mg

Neural tendency

Theta/delta dominant; minimal cortical engagement

Classical reference

Chopin — Funeral March (Piano Sonata No. 2)

Flavor note

Baseline state before stimulation

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP. Engraving and edition credited on the score. Used in accordance with applicable public-domain or Creative Commons licenses.

LARGO

Broad, spacious, unhurried.

40–60 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~15 mg

Neural tendency

Early alpha emergence; drowsiness receding

Classical reference

Handel — “Ombra mai fù” (“Handel’s Largo”)

Flavor note

Very mild coffees; warmth without urgency

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP. Engraving by the credited editor. Used under Creative Commons license for non-commercial educational purposes.

LARGHETTO

Awake, but still drifting.

60–66 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~30 mg

Neural tendency

Alpha stabilizing; attention possible but soft

Classical reference

Mozart — Clarinet Concerto, Adagio (K.622)

Flavor note

Light roasts; gentle acidity; minimal bitterness

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition (clarinet concerto piano reduction).

ADAGIO

Relaxed clarity; emotional openness.

66–76 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~45 mg

Neural tendency

Calm alpha rhythm; low beta involvement

Classical reference

Samuel Barber — Adagio for Strings

Flavor note

Smooth, balanced cups; clarity over punch

Rendition: Listen

Score: Score not in the public domain.

ADAGIETTO

Quiet engagement; gentle lift.

70–80 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~60 mg

Neural tendency

Alpha peak frequency increases slightly

Classical reference

Mahler — Symphony No. 5, Adagietto

Flavor note

Elegant profiles; nuance preserved

Rendition: Listen

Score: Score not in the public domain.

ANDANTE

Walking pace; steady productivity.

76–96 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~75 mg

Neural tendency

Alpha dominant with emerging beta

Classical reference

Haydn — Symphony No. 94 (“Surprise”), Andante

Flavor note

Classic medium roasts; balance and approachability

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition (excerpt) Opening theme and first variation, including the famous unexpected fortissimo chord.

ANDANTINO

Alert without strain.

84–104 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~90 mg

Neural tendency

Beta activity increases; alpha recedes during tasks

Classical reference

Mozart — Piano Sonata No. 11, Andante grazioso (K.331)

Flavor note

Brighter profiles tolerated without harshness

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition (excerpt) Opening Theme and First Variation — a poised Andante grazioso in lilting siciliano rhythm, introducing Mozart’s most graceful variation set.

MARCIA MODERATO

Purposeful, organized energy.

96–108 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~110 mg

Neural tendency

Task-focused beta predominance

Classical reference

Johann Strauss I — Radetzky March

Flavor note

Bolder cups; structure over delicacy

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP. Engraving by the credited editor. Used under Creative Commons license for non-commercial educational purposes.

MODERATO

Prime focus and output.

108–120 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~130 mg

Neural tendency

Beta dominant; fast processing

Classical reference

Mozart — Symphony No. 40, Molto allegro

Flavor note

Firm body; reduced acidity; more roast presence

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition (excerpt) Opening Exposition — a relentless Molto allegro driven by syncopation and urgency, defining Mozart’s most restless symphonic voice

ALLEGRETTO

Creative momentum.

112–124 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~150 mg

Neural tendency

High beta with gamma bursts

Classical reference

Beethoven — Symphony No. 7, Allegretto

Flavor note

Bitterness tolerated; complexity still readable

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition (excerpt) Excerpt: Opening procession and ostinato-driven build (Allegretto)

ALLEGRO MODERATO

Energetic but controlled.

118–128 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~180 mg

Neural tendency

Highly synchronized beta

Classical reference

Mozart — Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Allegro

Flavor note

Fuller body; crema-forward profiles

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — public domain edition Allegro — A masterclass in Classical propulsion, where clarity, symmetry, and elegance generate momentum without haste.

ALLEGRO

Performance mode.

120–140 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~210 mg

Neural tendency

High beta / low gamma

Classical reference

Rossini — William Tell Overture (Finale)

Flavor note

Bold, assertive; nuance yields to drive

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — Breitkopf & Härtel full score (public domain).Excerpted for educational reference.

VIVACE

Electric, vivid.

140–156 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~240 mg

Neural tendency

Strong sympathetic activation

Classical reference

Beethoven — Symphony No. 9, Scherzo

Flavor note

Intensity over subtlety

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — Breitkopf & Härtel (public domain).Excerpted for educational reference. Movement II (Scherzo): Molto vivace The relentless rhythmic engine and explosive orchestral energy that redefined the symphonic scherzo.

VIVACISSIMO

Buzzing, edgy.

156–172 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~280 mg

Neural tendency

Beta/gamma crowding

Classical reference

Rimsky-Korsakov — Flight of the Bumblebee

Flavor note

Sharp, forceful; bitterness prominent

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: Score edited by Alan Chen. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. Source: IMSLP. Orchestral excerpt. Visual reference for extreme perpetual motion, not structural analysis.

PRESTO

Maximum output, reduced finesse.

168–184 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~320 mg

Neural tendency

Overactivation likely

Classical reference

Beethoven — Symphony No. 5, Finale

Flavor note

Power-focused blends

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: IMSLP — Breitkopf & Härtel (public domain).Excerpted for educational reference. The page shows “Presto” at the top — Beethoven marks the Finale Allegro / Presto-driven from the outset. The key has shifted decisively to C major, which is the dramatic structural goal of the entire symphony.

PRESTISSIMO

Frenetic, unstable.

184–208 BPM

Approx. caffeine

~380 mg

Neural tendency

Coherence drops; jitter risk

Classical reference

Vivaldi — Summer (Presto), The Four Seasons

Flavor note

Intensity eclipses elegance

Rendition: Listen

Score: View

Score source: Vivaldi — The Four Seasons, Summer, III. Presto. Mutopia Project edition (2010). CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: IMSLP.

PRESTISSIMO (Overdrive)

Dramatic, unsustainable.

—

Approx. caffeine

~450+ mg

Neural tendency

Saturation; diminishing control

Classical reference

Prokofiev — Dance of the Knights

Flavor note

Not about taste — about force

Rendition: Listen

Score: Score not in the public domain.

Flavor & Force: Taming the Beast

As caffeine intensity rises—often via higher Robusta percentages—flavor profiles tend to shift. This is a trade-off, not a flaw.

Robusta tends to add: caffeine density, crema, body, structural bitterness
Robusta can diminish: aromatic nuance, perceived sweetness, acidity complexity

The goal is not to hide the trade-offs, but to help you choose knowingly. If you enjoy experimenting, you can explore Arabica × Robusta ratios to find your preferred balance of elegance and force.

Balance & Restraint

In music, speed without control becomes noise. The same principle applies here. Higher tempo is not inherently better. Many of the most precise, satisfying human performances occur well below Presto.

Precision often lives well below Presto.