Red Eye Coffee (and Black Eye)

Before you start

The red eye is a diner and coffee-shop shortcut for a stronger cup: a mug of drip coffee with a shot of espresso poured in. Add a second shot and many cafés call it a black eye; some menus go further with three shots. The names vary by region, so if you order one, it is worth checking what you will get.

The best version uses a medium-strength brewed coffee so the espresso adds depth rather than harshness. A very dark, stewed drip coffee plus a bitter shot is hard going. Brew fresh, pull the shot straight into the mug, and taste before you add milk or sugar. Keep in mind that this is a high-caffeine drink, and it adds up quickly if you have more than one.

Ingredients

• 15 g (about 2½ tbsp) medium-roast coffee — medium grind for drip
• 250 ml (8½ oz) water — for brewing
• 30 ml (1 oz) espresso — 1 shot for a red eye, from about 9 g coffee
• 60 ml (2 oz) espresso — 2 shots for a black eye, instead of the single shot
• to taste milk, cream or sugar — optional

Method

1. Brew 15 g of coffee with 250 ml of water in a drip machine or pour-over. A ratio near 1:16 gives a balanced base that will not turn harsh once the espresso goes in.
2. Pour about 230 ml of the fresh coffee into a warmed mug, leaving room for the espresso.
3. Pull one shot of espresso, about 30 ml in 25 to 30 seconds, for a red eye, or two shots for a black eye. Pull straight into the mug if it fits under the group head; otherwise pull into a shot glass and pour it in right away.
4. Stir once so the dense espresso mixes through the lighter coffee.
5. Taste before adding anything. Then add milk, cream or sugar a little at a time, since the extra body changes how much you need.

Tips for success

• Add the shot to the coffee, not the other way around. Pouring hot coffee onto a sitting shot is fine too, but leaving the espresso to wait lets its crema and aroma fade.
• Pair a fruity light-roast drip with a chocolatey espresso blend for a rounder mug; two dark roasts together often taste ashy.
• If the mug tastes too strong, cut the brewed coffee rather than the espresso. A smaller cup keeps the drink balanced.

Substitutions

Espresso

Use 30 to 45 ml of moka pot coffee per shot. It is less concentrated and lacks crema, but it still deepens the cup.

Drip coffee

French press coffee makes a heavier, oilier red eye. Cold brew concentrate diluted 1:1 with water makes a good iced version.

Milk

A splash of half-and-half softens the extra bitterness more than milk does.

Variations

Iced red eye

Pour cooled brewed coffee or diluted cold brew over ice, then add a freshly pulled shot and stir.

Dead eye

Some cafés use this name for drip coffee with three shots. It is very strong; consider a smaller mug of drip.

Troubleshooting

The drink tastes burnt and bitter

The drip coffee sat on a hot plate or both coffees were very dark. Brew fresh, move it to a thermal carafe, and use a medium roast for the base.

It tastes sour

The espresso was likely under-extracted; it ran too fast. Grind finer so the shot takes 25 to 30 seconds.

The mug overflows

Leave at least 40 to 70 ml of space before adding the shots, or brew a smaller amount of drip coffee.

Storage

Drink fresh. Brewed coffee can be refrigerated, covered, for a day or so for iced drinks, but a reheated red eye tastes flat. Discard any cup with milk left out more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Red eye and black eye coffees combine two caffeinated drinks and can contain a lot of caffeine in one mug. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects for most healthy adults, but sensitivity varies widely. Count each extra shot toward your daily total.