Coffee recipes · Make it at home
A red eye is simple: brewed coffee with a shot of espresso added. It tastes like a more intense regular coffee, but it also combines the caffeine from both drinks.
Ingredients & equipment
- 120–180 ml brewed coffee (drip or pour-over)
- 1 single espresso shot, brewed fresh
- A heatproof mug; milk or sweetener optional
How to make it
- Brew a small mug of filter coffee using your usual recipe.
- Prepare a single espresso shot. The coffee can be a different roast from your filter brew.
- Pour the espresso into the brewed coffee and stir gently. Adjust the amount of drip coffee to taste rather than following a rigid 1:4 recipe.
- Serve hot, or cool both components before pouring over ice.
How much caffeine is in a red eye?
It varies substantially with the bean, dose, brew method, and shot. Because you are combining two caffeinated servings, a red eye usually contains more caffeine than either component alone. That makes exact caffeine claims unreliable. If you prefer less caffeine, use a smaller portion or switch one component to decaf.
Red eye, black eye and Americano
A red eye generally adds one espresso shot to brewed coffee. “Black eye” often means two shots, though local naming varies. An Americano mixes espresso with hot water rather than brewed coffee, so the flavor and caffeine content differ.
