It’s time to get acquainted with the Dunkin Turbo Shot!
The Turbo Shot is part of their long and impressive line-up of espresso products on its menu.
When the shot was first added to the menu, it was known as the Dunkin’ Donuts Turbo Shot, though due to the chain’s name change, the beverage’s name changed with it.
Topics Explored
- What is a Dunkin Turbo Shot?
- Wait, What’s Turbo Hot Coffee Then?
- Turbo Shot Coffee vs. ‘Eyes Coffee’
- How to Make Your Own Turbo Shot Coffee
- Taste & Appearance
- More Questions
What is a Dunkin Turbo Shot?
The Turbo Shot is, basically, espresso shots taken to an extreme. ‘Turbo shot’ itself is a slang term for ‘a shot of espresso’.
The Turbo Shot alone contains 120 mg of caffeine. When added to coffee, the total caffeine content rises up significantly, justifying the ‘turbo’ name.
The Turbo Shot gives customers the fuel they need to get through the day. It can be added to any coffee beverage to make the beverage stronger, providing a real kick.
Wait, What’s Turbo Hot Coffee Then?
Well, although a Turbo Hot Coffee may sound similar to a Dunkin Turbo Shot, they aren’t the same, so don’t get confused.(1)
The Turbo Hot Coffee is made with hot coffee and a shot of espresso.
The difference is that although a Turbo Hot Coffee is a full-on beverage, the Turbo Shot is just an espresso shot that is added to beverages.
Turbo Shot Coffee vs. ‘Eyes Coffee’
Something else that the Turbo Shot Coffee is comparable to are ‘Eyes Coffee’, as in Black Eye Coffee, Dead Eye Coffee, and so on.
In this section, we’ll explore the differences and similarities between the Turbo Shot Coffee and its distant cousins.
Red Eye Coffee vs. Turbo Shot Coffee
Turbo Shot Coffee and Red Eye Coffee are in fact the same drink. For one, both drinks use 1 shot of espresso.
Another similarity is that both drinks are secret to a franchise’s menu. To explain, Red Eye Coffee is Starbucks’ menu secret, whilst the turbo shot is slightly secret at Dunkin’s.
Black Eye Coffee vs. Turbo Shot Coffee
As mentioned in the previous comparison, Turbo Shot Coffee has only 1 shot. Black Eye Coffee, on the other hand, contains 2 shots.
Black Eye Coffee also only has around 200 mg of caffeine which, although is almost half of the daily recommended amount, is not quite as much as Turbo Shot Coffee, which is 330 mg.
Dead Eye Coffee vs. Turbo Shot Coffee
Consisting of a total of 3 shots of espresso, Dead Eye Coffee contains 284 mg of caffeine and is the strongest of all ‘Eyes Coffee’, yet is still a lower content than the Turbo Shot Coffee.
The Dead Eye Coffee may also taste more bitter than the Turbo Shot Coffee due to the extra espresso shots.
How to Make Your Own Dunkin Turbo Shot Coffee
If you dare to take on the strength of Turbo Shot Coffee, you need not leave your home. But remember, this is a drink that will keep you awake if you have it too late in the day.
With our recipe, you make the Turbo Shot Coffee for yourself, though we best advise you to get up bright and early to do it.
Dunkin Turbo Shot Coffee Recipe
Our Dunkin’ Turbo Shot Coffee recipe is easy to follow, though it creates only one serving. You’ll need only a few ingredients. Have them all ready before you start brewing.
Ingredients
- Hot Water: 1 cup
- Ground Coffee: 1 cup
- Espresso: 1 shot
Instructions
- Brew your espresso shot. Preferably, you’ll want this to be medium to dark roast so as to make the most out of the actual coffee flavor.
- Depending on the roast of your espresso, use coffee beans of the same roast to brew a regular cup of coffee. For example, use medium roast coffee for medium espresso.
- Take your regular cup of coffee and pour it into a large mug. Do this as quickly as possible after brewing the coffee to ensure that the drink remains hot.
- Add the espresso to the large mug with the coffee in it and allow the ingredients to combine.
- Now, you have your own Dunkin’ Turbo Shot Coffee.
Taste & Appearance
We’ve given you an overview and insight of the Dunkin’ Turbo Shot and how to make it, but we’ve not yet properly explored how it looks and tastes.
In this section, we’ll finish your lesson on the Turbo Shot.
1. Appearance
The appearance of the Turbo Shot varies depending on how it’s built.
If the espresso is first added into the brewed coffee rather than the other way around, then thin crema is visible.
If the coffee is added second, the drink will appear the same, though the crema will have blended in.
2. Flavor
The Turbo Shot is not known for its taste as much as it is for its strength.
The flavor will mostly depend on what beans are used, but in general, the shot is bitter and quite powerful overall.
A key tip would be to use similar or the same roasts for the brewed coffee and espresso so as neither taste drowns out the other.
3. Caffeine Content
The Turbo Shot’s caffeine content varies from espresso to brew.
By itself, a turbo shot alone is 120 mg, which is over a quarter the daily recommended intake, and when combined with brewed coffee to complete the drink, it becomes around 330 mg, which is only 70 mg away from the daily limit.
4. Calories
Like the flavor, the Turbo Shot’s calorie count is dependent on the beans used.
In general, each espresso shot ranges from between 0 to 5 calories. When combined with coffee, it should still only rise to 10 calories or even less.
This is a considerably low calorie count when compared to mochas and other beverages.
Summary
The Turbo Shot gives way to a rather interesting cup for sure. Known for its’ kick rather than its taste, it’s definitely an interesting pick-me-up choice.
All the same, with such a low calorie count, it’s easy to understand why people choose a Dunkin Turbo Shot Coffee to wake them up rather than something heavier.
More Questions
Can you get a turbo shot in iced coffee?
Yes, you can add the Turbo Shot to iced coffee. What’s more is that you can also add multiple shots if you want to make a ‘livelier’ cold drink.
Keep in mind, however, depending on what else you have used to build your iced coffee, the caffeine count could increase beyond what you may be aiming for.
How much caffeine is in a Turbo Shot at Dunkin Donuts?
The Turbo Shot contains 120 mg alone, increasing to around 330 mg when combined with coffee. This is a lot for one drink, so do keep the recommended daily limit in mind.
The total for your homemade version will vary depending on what beans you have used, your brewing method, and so on.
Wondering where your info comes from? We totally understand. Hey Joe only obtains our information from reputable sources. Contents from this article are sourced from the following publications:
