If you like your coffee as strong as strong gets, you’ll want to pay attention to an important menu item seen at coffee shops: the black eye coffee. The black eye coffee is even stronger than its cousin, the red eye coffee — offering a solid choice when you need the strongest coffee on the menu. Whether you’ve had a late night or simply love the strong taste of espresso, you can’t go wrong with the black eye coffee. This coffee is about as strong as it gets! Here’s what you need to know about the black eye coffee before this simple yet strong drink.
What is black eye coffee?
A black eye coffee is made with only two simple ingredients: freshly brewed regular coffee and shots of espresso. Different than a red eye coffee which consists of one cup of coffee and one shot of espresso, the black eye coffee contains two shots of espresso mixed into a cup of coffee. To make this strong coffee/espresso drink, you simply pour two shots of espresso into a cup of coffee. This drink usually comes as a hot drink, however, it can be ordered over ice, if preferred.
Caffeine content
A typical cup of coffee is about 80 mg, on average (although it varies depending on brewing and the size of the cup). Plus, one shot of espresso is generally around 64 mg of caffeine. It only takes some simple math for you to realize this means the black eye coffee packs in a sizable amount of caffeine for just one coffee beverage. There’s a wide variation of caffeine content that could be found in the black eye, so we recommend checking with a coffee shop before you order. After all, you don’t want to end up consuming too much caffeine only to find yourself crashing at the 3 p.m. afternoon slump.
At over 200 mg of caffeine per cup, on average, of black eye coffee, you’re consuming more than half of your recommended caffeine allowance in just one cup. This strong coffee drink is best suited for those who only want to drink one cup of liquid to get the fast jolt, equivalent of drinking three cups of coffee. With the recommended allowance of caffeine at 400 mg per the FDA, black-eye coffees contain just as much (if not more) caffeine than consuming an energy drink.
Why is it called black eye coffee?
Did you think of getting punched and left with a black eye when you read the name “black eye coffee”? While this association might turn you off, the name black eye coffee is thought to refer to the color of this dark, rich coffee beverage. Black eye coffee is very dark in appearance thanks to the addition of not one, but two shots of espresso mixed into black coffee.
The true meaning of the name black eye coffee is still up to interpretation, however. While some say the color of the drink explains the name “black eye”, others say it is called a black eye coffee because the drink’s strength is almost like “getting punched in the face” since it is so strong. If you’re going to give the black eye coffee a try, it’s best suited as a morning coffee beverage due to its high caffeine content.
What it tastes like
The black eye coffee tastes exactly as you’d imagine it to taste: bold, rich, and strong. If you’re already acquainted with the taste of red-eye coffee, the black eye coffee is just slightly stronger and slightly more bitter from the additional shot of espresso. Those who like an Americano but want something stronger might also like the black eye coffee. Unlike an Americano which contains water to dilute the drink, the black eye coffee is made of 100% coffee plus espresso.
If you like the strong and bold taste of black eye coffee but fear the caffeine content is just too much, there’s also a lazy eye coffee variety that may be of interest. This drink is similar but uses decaf coffee as the base.
Ordering a black eye coffee
A black eye coffee is a popular enough order that most coffee shop baristas will know of it, but don’t expect to see it on every menu at coffee shops. Chain coffee shops like Dunkin’ and Starbucks will make this drink for you, but it’s not likely to be on the menu. If you’re mobile ordering, this could be difficult so you may need to head into the store to order at the counter. We’ve found it’s more likely to be on the menu at locally owned, non-franchise coffee shops.
