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Depth Charge

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description Depth Charge Overview

A depth charge is a coffee drink made by placing or pouring a shot of espresso into brewed coffee. It combines the concentrated flavor and caffeine of espresso with the larger volume of filtered or drip coffee. The term describes the preparation rather than a single standardized recipe, so the drink is mainly defined by the pairing of brewed coffee and an added espresso shot.

help Depth Charge FAQ

What exactly is a depth charge coffee drink?

It's a shot (or more) of espresso served in or alongside a cup of brewed drip coffee, combining espresso's intensity with filter coffee's volume. The espresso glass is often literally dropped into the coffee, which is where the name comes from.

Is a depth charge the same drink as a Red Eye?

Essentially yes: Red Eye, Shot in the Dark, Depth Charge, and Hammerhead are overlapping regional names for espresso added to drip coffee. Conventions like Black Eye and Dead Eye usually indicate two or three shots instead of one.

How much caffeine is in a depth charge?

It's the sum of both components, so a 12 oz drip coffee plus a single espresso typically lands around 200 mg or more, depending on the beans. That can approach half of the FDA's suggested 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults in one cup.

Where did the depth charge drink get its name?

The exact origin is murky, but it's rooted in American diner culture, where a coffee-plus-espresso hit fueled long shifts. The name plays on the naval depth-charge munition being 'dropped' into the cup.

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