What is a Red Eye Coffee?
If you are anything like me, the first thing you need when you get out of bed in the morning is a hot, or iced, cup of coffee. I feel like I cannot function, until I have had my first sip of the delicious, goodness of coffee.
However, what do you do when a cup of coffee is just not enough. We all have times when we know the day, or night, is going to be a long one. So, what do you do? This is where the red eye coffee comes in. It will be a lifesaver for when your normal cup of coffee just isn’t enough.
What is a Red Eye Coffee?
A Red Eye Coffee is nothing more than a cup of brewed coffee with a shot of espresso in it. It is as simple as that.
You might be familiar with this drink, as it goes by various names depending on the region you live. Some of the other names it goes by are the Whitemoor Mine, Shot in the Dark, and the Train Wreck.
The History of the Red Eye Coffee: Why is it called a Red Eye Coffee?
You can probably guess that it has something to do with a “red eye” flight. Those long-haul, overnight flights that the airlines do.
They were called that because back in the day people would be up all-night flying and would arrive in their destination with red, blood shot eyes. Not the most attractive look.
A cup of coffee with a shot of espresso is what the passengers would drink to help stay awake during the flight. Hence, the name red eye coffee.
Are there other variations of the Red Eye?
Yes, there are several actually. The variations come from the number of shots of espresso that are added. We already know that the classic red eye coffee has one shot of espresso. The other variations are:
- Black Eye Coffee: This is a cup of coffee with two shots of espresso added to it. The name comes from the black ring that appears when you add the shots of espresso to the coffee.
- Dead Eye Coffee: This is a cup of coffee with three shots of espresso in it. The name supposedly comes from the theory that the high concentration of caffeine will shut down your organs, leading to your death. However, for coffee-addicted drinkers like us this drink is the best way to jumpstart us to face those long, hard days or nights ahead. This version is also referred to as a triple red eye coffee.
- Green Eye Coffee: This is a famous, secret menu drink at Starbucks. It is their special name for the Dead Eye Coffee. So, if you are looking to order a dead eye or a triple red eye at Starbucks, then you want to order the Green Eye Coffee.
How much caffeine is in a red eye coffee?
Now that you know what red eye coffee means and the different variations of it. You are probably wondering how much caffeine you are putting into your body with these different versions of it. We have done the calculations for you.
A regular, 8-ounce, cup of coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine and one shot, or ounce, of espresso contains 64 mg of caffeine.
Therefore, using these for our calculations below here is the total for the red eye, black eye, and dead eye coffees.
- Red Eye: One cup of coffee (95 mg caffeine) + one shot of espresso (64 mg of caffeine) = 159 mg of caffeine
- Black Eye: One cup of coffee (95 mg of caffeine) + two shots of espresso (128 mg of caffeine) = 223 mg of caffeine
- Dead Eye (Triple Red Eye): One cup of coffee (95 mg of caffeine) + three shots of espresso (192 mg of espresso) = 287 mg of caffeine
- Starbucks Green Eye: This is the same as the dead eye or triple red eye above, so the total is also 287 mg of caffeine.
This may sound like a lot of caffeine, especially the dead eye coffee, but all of these drinks have less than 400 mg of caffeine in them. According to the FDA, the safe daily limit for healthy adults is 400 mg of caffeine.
However, it is important that you listen to your own body. If you are having bad side effects from any of these coffee drinks, then you should stop drinking it.
While they can be good options to help you stay awake and alert, too much caffeine can give you adverse side effects. Some of these include anxiety, irritability, increased heart rate, stomach aches, and an inability to control your bladder.
As with everything in life, moderation is key. More does not always mean better. While caffeine can help you to focus and get your work done. Too much will cause you to get hyper, jittery and wired.
You will no longer be able to focus on the task at hand. It is important that you learn your limits, so that you don’t go past it.
What does a red eye taste like?
The taste of a red eye varies because there are different types of coffee that you can use to make it. The flavor of your red eye drink will be based on the type of roast and coffee beans you use to make it.
A darker roast will be more bitter, and a light roast will be lighter and more subtle. If you want something in between, which is the most common, then use a medium roast coffee.
There is also a wide range of flavors when it comes to espresso. Everything from spicy, sweet, nutty, and bitter. All of these options make it hard to say exactly what your red eye coffee will taste like. You can customize to your personal taste.
You can change it up even more by adding in some sugar, cream, and cinnamon. This is a very controversial coffee drink, some love it and others absolutely hate it. It can be too strong and bitter for some coffee drinkers.
While this isn’t my favorite coffee beverage, I will drink it on days when I need a little more caffeine to get through my day, but don’t want to have to drink several more cups of coffee to get it.
The red eye coffee is the perfect go to when you need a quick coffee fix to get on with your day.
How to make a red eye coffee:
As you can see it is quick and simple to make a red eye. All you need are two ingredients and whatever add-ons you like. Here is a simple red eye coffee recipe for you to follow.
Red Eye Coffee Recipe:
Tools Needed:
- Espresso machine and coffee maker, or a dual-coffee machine
Ingredients:
- 8-ounces of brewed coffee
- 1-ounce of espresso
- Additions such as cream, sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
- Brew your espresso
- Brew your coffee
- Add your espresso shot to your cup of brewed coffee.
- Top your coffee with your chosen additions (optional step)
- Enjoy!
While a red eye is easy to make, many people do it wrong. It is common to brew the coffee first. However, this makes the coffee cool off faster than you want. You don’t want your coffee getting cold while you are making the shot of espresso.
If you want to keep your coffee drink hot, then do it in this order and you can thank me later. Bonus: If you can do both at the same time, that is ideal.
However, most people can only do one at a time so this is the order you should do it.
Final Thoughts:
If you ever found yourself needing some extra caffeine to get you through your day, a red eye coffee is a great choice. It is quick and simple to make.
So, the next time you are pulling an all-nighter for school you can brew yourself a red eye, black eye, or dead eye coffee.
Or drive to the nearest Starbucks and order one there. Not sure this is the right drink for you? Then check out my article, What is the Strongest Coffee at Starbucks?, to see more coffee drink options.
No matter which type you choose, we guarantee it will give you the boost of caffeine you are looking for.
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