Alex Morgan — Food Science Researcher and Former Q Grader

Alex Morgan

Food Science Researcher & Former Q Grader Coffee Quality Specialist

Seattle, Washington · CYP1A2 Slow Metabolizer · Cat Dad to Espresso

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M.S. Food Science

Washington State University, 2018
Thesis on caffeine metabolism and CYP1A2 enzyme kinetics

Q Grader Certified

Coffee Quality Institute, 2016
Cupped 200+ coffees weekly for 6 years

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SCA Certified

Specialty Coffee Association, 2017
Barista Skills & Sensory Evaluation

Why I Built CaffeineCheck

I used to cup 200 coffees a week as a Q Grader for a specialty importer in Seattle. Every sample got scored for acidity, body, flavor — but nobody was tracking the milligrams. I was consuming caffeine all day, every day, and I had no idea what it was doing to my sleep.

When I left the industry to get my master's in food science at WSU, I started studying caffeine metabolism for real. I learned about CYP1A2 — the enzyme that breaks down caffeine — and discovered I am a slow metabolizer. That means 200mg hits me like 400mg hits a fast metabolizer. No wonder I could not sleep.

I built CaffeineCheck because most people have no idea how much caffeine they are actually drinking. A Starbucks Grande Blonde Roast has 360mg — nearly the entire FDA daily limit in one cup. Cold brew can hit 200mg+ per 16oz. Energy drinks are marketed to teenagers who have no concept of half-life.

This site treats caffeine like the drug it is: useful, but dose-dependent. Every tool is built with lab-verified data, pharmacokinetic models, and a healthy respect for sleep architecture.

I live in a converted warehouse loft in Capitol Hill with my partner Sam, who drinks tea and thinks my obsession with milligrams is "endearing but exhausting." Our cat Espresso sleeps 20 hours a day and has never had a sleepless night in his life. I am trying to learn from him.

Quick Facts

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5,000+ Data Points

Personally logged caffeine intake over 4 years

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CYP1A2 Slow

Confirmed by pharmacogenetic testing

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350+ Beverages

Database of lab-verified caffeine content

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2-Cup Limit

My personal daily max to protect sleep

What this site is not: CaffeineCheck does not provide medical advice. The tools are for educational and self-tracking purposes only. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are concerned about caffeine's effects on your health, please consult a healthcare professional. The FDA 400mg limit is a guideline for healthy adults, not a prescription.