Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Ibrahim Bat
Do you need a solid caffeine boost for a night you need to stay awake or for exercise? Or you could just be an incorrigible coffee lover and want to drink really strong coffee.
In this article from Best Coffee at Home, we’ll cover coffees with high caffeine content that are equally strong.
When you finish reading this article, you will learn all the information about red, black, and dead-eye coffees, and you can brew them yourself at home.
Related: All-Day Energy – Best Time Release Caffeine Pill Supplements
What is Red Eye Coffee?
Red-eye coffee is a beverage made by adding a shot of espresso to filter coffee. Locally, it also has different names such as ‘drip with espresso,’ ‘shot in the dark,’ and ‘hammerhead.’
Red-eye coffee can also be served with 2 espresso shots in some cafes. Therefore, specifying how many shots of espresso you want when you order your red-eye coffee is beneficial.
On the other hand, you can generally think of red-eye coffee as an Americano. While an Americano adds one shot of espresso to hot water, you add a shot of espresso to filter coffee in red-eye coffee. Their mentality is quite similar, but red-eye coffee is much stronger.
Is Red Eye Coffee Strong?
Red-eye coffee is a strong coffee. This is because you add an espresso shot to a caffeine-loaded filter coffee. Espresso, being a highly concentrated coffee, contains the most caffeine per unit volume among coffee types.
Red-eye coffee is just for you if you’re looking for a drink that will give you extra power in your workout or help you stay awake at night. However, if you need something more, coffees are even stronger than red-eye coffee.
What is a Black Eye Coffee?
Black eye coffee is a beverage with two espresso shots to filter coffee.
The difference between black and red-eye coffee is the number of espresso shots used. While red-eye coffee uses 1 shot of espresso, black-eye coffee uses 2 shots.
The number of espresso shots used directly affects the caffeine content and strength of the coffee: the more espresso, the more caffeine, and the more power.
What is Dead Eye Coffee?
Dead-eye coffee, made by adding three shots of espresso to filter coffee, is one of the strongest coffees in the world. It is also the strongest in the red, black, and dead eye coffee trilogy.
The names of these coffees, prepared by adding espresso to filter coffee, can vary regionally. I should note that I’ve heard quite pleasant and creative names like Crazy Horse and Eye of the Tiger.
The most commonly used names for ‘Eye’ coffees and the number of espresso shots they contain are as follows:
- Red Eye: 1 Shot Espresso
- Black Eye: 2-Shot Espresso
- Dead Eye: 3-Shot Espresso
Caffeine Content Of Red Eye, Black Eye, and Dead Eye Coffees
A cup of filter coffee (8 fl oz, 240 ml) contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine. Espresso contains 65 mg of caffeine per shot (1 oz, 30 ml). Based on this, the caffeine content of eye coffees is:
- Red Eye Coffee: 100 mg + 65 mg = 165 mg caffeine
- Black Eye Coffee: 100 mg + 65×2 mg = 230 mg caffeine
- Dead Eye Coffee: 100 mg + 65×3 mg = 295 mg caffeine
These values are really high. Experts say that the daily caffeine intake for adults should be below 400 mg. Make sure you don’t drink a second cup (1).
When tracking your daily caffeine intake, don’t just count coffee. Caffeine can also be found in many other foods, such as tea, chocolate, and energy drinks.
How to Make ‘Eye’ Coffee?
If you’ve made it this far, you know almost everything about eye coffee. Except for one thing: How to make it?
In this part of our article, I’ll explain how you can make eye coffee at home. The recipe is quite simple and easy.
Step 1) Brew Your Filter Coffee
Brew your filter coffee using the method you always use. This method could be Chemex, Hario V60, French press, Aeropress, or a drip coffee maker. I usually use Hario V60. However, the method you choose to use won’t make a big difference.
On the other hand, I should note that coffee brewed in a French press will be stronger than in a Chemex. If you want to learn more about the difference between coffees brewed in a Chemex and French press, I recommend you read our article on Chemex vs. French press.
Step 2) Pull Your Shot
Prepare your espresso shot. The number of shots you’ll prepare will depend on which eye coffee you want to make. For red-eye coffee, prepare a single shot; for black-eye coffee, prepare a double shot; and for dead-eye coffee, prepare a triple shot of espresso.
The easiest way to pull an espresso shot is to use an espresso machine. However, you can also use a Nespresso machine if you don’t have one. A Moka pot can also provide you with a drink close to espresso.
Step 3) Mix and Serve
We’ve reached the easiest step. Mix the espresso and filter coffee. But there’s a small trick here. Instead of pouring the filter coffee over the espresso, pour the espresso over the filter coffee.
Because if you pour the filter coffee over the espresso, you will lose most of the espresso crema. You will preserve the crema by pouring the espresso over the filter coffee.
Your caffeine bomb coffee is now ready. Add hot milk and sugar if you find it too strong to drink.
Final Thoughts on Red Eye, Black Eye, and Dead Eye Coffees
Red eye, black eye, and dead eye coffees are incredibly strong and contain a high amount of caffeine.
These coffees combine the sweetness of filter coffee with the bitterness of espresso. However, it’s important to note that the espresso flavor is quite dominant.
The dominance of espresso is less noticeable in red-eye coffee, while it is much stronger in dead-eye coffee. Black-eye coffee falls somewhere in between. As mentioned earlier, the only difference among them is the number of espresso shots used, which results in caffeine content and taste variations.
If you need an energy boost for your workout or must stay awake to complete tasks by morning, these coffees will do the job. However, I think they are unsuitable for daily consumption due to their pronounced bitterness.
If you don’t plan to make eye coffee at home, you can ask for an espresso shot to add to your coffee filter at a café. This is because these coffees may have different names in certain regions, and the barista might not understand what you mean.
Red Eye Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Filter coffee maker (chemex, Hario V60, filter coffee machine etc.)
- 1 Espresso Machine (or nespresso)
Ingredients
- 1 oz Coffee Beans
- 9 fl oz Water
Instructions
- Brew Your Filter CoffeeBrew your filter coffee using the method you always use. This method could be Chemex, Hario V60, French press, Aeropress, or a drip coffee maker. I usually use Hario V60. However, the method you choose to use won’t make a big difference. On the other hand, I should note that coffee brewed in a French press will be stronger than in a Chemex. If you want to learn more about the difference between coffees brewed in a Chemex and French press, I recommend you read our article on Chemex vs. French press.
- Pull Your ShotPrepare your espresso shot. The number of shots you’ll prepare will depend on which eye coffee you want to make. For red-eye coffee, prepare a single shot; for black-eye coffee, prepare a double shot; and for dead-eye coffee, prepare a triple shot of espresso.The easiest way to pull an espresso shot is to use an espresso machine. However, you can also use a Nespresso machine if you don’t have one. A Moka pot can also provide you with a drink close to espresso.
- Mix and ServeWe’ve reached the easiest step. Mix the espresso and filter coffee. But there’s a small trick here. Instead of pouring the filter coffee over the espresso, pour the espresso over the filter coffee.Because if you pour the filter coffee over the espresso, you will lose most of the espresso crema. You will preserve the crema by pouring the espresso over the filter coffee.Your caffeine bomb coffee is now ready. Add hot milk and sugar if you find it too strong to drink.
