Introduction:Red Eye coffee is a high-caffeine specialty drink that combines espresso and pour over. Its origins are tied to a trick for staying alert during long-haul flights. This article delves into the origins of its name, the scientific rationale behind the modern 1:5 mixing ratio, and provides detailed brewing steps and parameters—including bean variety selection, roast matching, the sequence of pour over and espresso preparation, as well as actual flavor performance and drinking suggestions—to help you master this highly challenging coffee beverage.

The name "Red Eye" coffee is inspired by the "red-eye flight," which departs late at night and arrives early in the morning, often leaving passengers and crew sleep-deprived with eyes reddened from fatigue—hence the name. It’s said that to stay awake during these long flights, some began mixing espresso with drip coffee, inadvertently creating this ultra-high-caffeine drink.

Over time, the method of making Red Eye coffee has gradually evolved. The preparation method in its modern form has been refined,with one shop using a 1:5 ratio of espresso to pour over coffee,and adjusting the blend based on the increased concentration of modern espresso to achieve a more balanced overall flavor while maintaining its strong stimulant effect.

The prototype of Red Eye coffee is said to have been created by crew members on duty, who mixed their own coffee to combat fatigue during long flights. When a small amount of espresso was no longer enough, they began adding more drip coffee to increase total caffeine intake, giving birth to the early version of Red Eye coffee.

Early recipes typically used a ratio of one part espresso to four parts drip coffee, but as the concentration of modern espresso has increased,the current recommended ratio has been adjusted to 1:5,meaning one part espresso paired with five parts pour over coffee. This not only makes caffeine intake more efficient but also achieves a more harmonious overall flavor.

In terms of bean selection, since this is a beverage that blends two extraction methods, the roast level and flavor profile of the beans should be as compatible as possible. If the two are too different, it can easily lead to an unbalanced overall taste or even noticeable clashes.

One shop uses a medium-dark roasted "Warm Sun Blend" as the espresso base, which features flavors of whiskey, butter cookies, and a hint of berry acidity. For the pour over portion, they selected the similarly medium-dark roasted "Brazilian Queen Estate," which exhibits notes of chocolate, cream, and nuts, complementing the espresso base.

For brewing, the pour over part uses a three-stage extraction with parameters set to 15 grams of coffee, a grind size of 75% passing through a #20 sieve, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature at 88°C, using a Kono filter. The espresso part is brewed with 20 grams of coffee, a 1:2 coffee-to-liquid ratio, yielding about 40 milliliters in approximately 30 seconds.

In actual practice, it is recommended to start with the pour over extraction, as it takes longer, while the espresso can be made later due to its shorter preparation time. When the pour over reaches its third pour, the espresso extraction process can begin simultaneously to save overall preparation time.

Once the espresso is ready, pour about 40 milliliters of it into the cup first, then add 200 milliliters of the pour over coffee. This combination maintains the 1:5 ratio and ensures the overall taste is neither overly diluted nor excessively intense.

After pouring, gently stir to mix evenly before enjoying. Although the actual flavor profile of this coffee includes elements such as chocolate, nutty cream, and whiskey aroma, the overall high caffeine content and rich coffee liquid make it difficult for all flavor layers to fully express themselves. Instead, it highlights a thick mouthfeel and a strong coffee stimulation.

Even for regular coffee drinkers accustomed to high caffeine intake, Red Eye coffee still presents a certain level of challenge.It is advised that readers with sensitive stomachs or low caffeine tolerance approach it with caution,to avoid any potential discomfort.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.