Dare to explore a stronger coffee

Which coffee best clears the mind? As a Turkish saying has it, coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love. But what do we mean by a truly strong coffee? Besides espresso, have you tried ristretto, Red Eye, Black Eye or Dead Eye?

Espresso

This concentrated, aromatic coffee can be enjoyed on its own or used as the base for latte macchiato, caffè macchiato and cappuccino.

Serve it in a small, preheated cup to help maintain its temperature. A traditional single shot is commonly around 25–30 ml, although recipes and double servings vary. The roughly 70 ml mentioned in some older guides is not a universal single-espresso measure.

Enjoy espresso with or without sugar. Cocoa, chocolate shavings, vanilla or cinnamon are possible additions if you want to experiment.

Ristretto

A ristretto is a shorter espresso, prepared with less water for the same coffee dose. An illustrative recipe might yield around 15 ml in 15–20 seconds, although modern recipes differ.

The result is concentrated and can have a different balance from a longer espresso. Its caffeine content depends on the dose and extraction, so a stronger flavour does not automatically mean more caffeine.

Red Eye, Black Eye and Dead Eye

These combinations add espresso to a cup of brewed black coffee, often filter coffee:

• Red Eye: brewed coffee with one espresso shot.
• Black Eye: brewed coffee with two espresso shots.
• Dead Eye: brewed coffee with three espresso shots.

A Red Eye can be served hot or cold. Adding shots can produce a very high-caffeine drink, so consider the size, strength and your total intake rather than treating these names as a challenge. Choose a serving that suits your tolerance.