How To Make Turkish Coffee

As coffee culture spreads and connects across the world, we get to discover all kinds of coffee drinks and recipes from various ways of life.

One of the latest crazes has been Turkish coffee, a delicious style of bold, intense coffee that’s made using a brewing method unique to Turkish culture.

In this blog by Mystic Monk Coffee, we cover every aspect of one of the most popular coffee drinks from the Middle East (including how to brew it at home).

You’ll learn what Turkish coffee is, how it's made, and the traditional way it is served. And if Turkish coffee isn’t available, but you're still looking for fresh, bold flavors, browse our full collection of coffee beans. Read on and discover the exotic joy of a thick-foamed cup of dark coffee.

What Is Turkish Coffee?

Turkish coffee is a widely known style of incredibly rich coffee, prepared in a specific Turkish coffee pot called a cezve (pronounced "jez-vay"). The coffee is usually brewed using finely ground coffee and poured into small cups without a filter.

The pot is placed over low to medium heat to gently bring the water and coffee to a boil, resulting in a nice, rich extraction. You can usually add in your preferred amount of sugar while it boils, allowing the coffee to brew with its own inherent sweetness. Some individuals also prefer to mix cardamom and other spices into the grounds, creating additional layers of flavor.

Of course, to coffee connoisseurs, Turkish coffee has distinct qualities beyond its brewing process and coffee grind level. Here are some other key aspects of Turkish coffee:

• It has a heavy body, as Turkish coffee is brewed with a low coffee-to-water ratio. That means it’s highly concentrated when served in a small cup.
• It has as much coffee as an espresso, if not more, considering its high caffeine concentration. The main difference is that espresso is brewed using high pressure, while Turkish coffee isn't.
• It is steeped in tradition, as most Turkish coffee is served in porcelain Turkish coffee cups, adding a layer of heat retention and mouthfeel while sipping this delightfully thick coffee. Turkish cups are often passed down as family heirlooms across generations, filling each serving with a special warmth beyond the first sip.

How To Brew Turkish Coffee

Now let’s discuss how to make Turkish coffee. First and foremost, you'll have to gather the right ingredients and equipment. While they may not be readily available everywhere, it's easy to find what you need online.

Here's everything you'll want to gather before you brew Turkish coffee:

• Finely ground Turkish coffee, like traditional Turkish brands Hafiz Mustafa or Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. You can take medium roasted coffee beans, like ours at Mystic Monk Coffee, and grind it down to fine powder.
• A cezve, which is a small pot with a narrow top and a wide bottom that is attached to a long, angled handle. They are traditionally copper pots, but can also be made of other metals. What matters most is the shape.
• A small cup, possibly made of porcelain, but anything you have in your kitchen would be fine.
• A flat stovetop, whether gas or electric. Check to make sure your cezve works with induction heating surfaces, just to be sure. Certain cezve’s are made of materials that work best over gas stoves, while others are made to work well with induction stoves.

With all elements together for you to use, it’s time to get started on the fun part. Follow the steps below, and you'll have a nice cup of Turkish coffee ready for your pleasure:

1) Measure cold water & coffee

The common rule is to use a 1:10 ratio of coffee to water. Roughly speaking, this means one heaping teaspoon of coffee for every small cup of coffee you want to make.

Remember, Turkish coffee is like an espresso. Their cups come small yet packed with body and flavor.

2) Mix up your grounds

You take the water and coffee and mix them together in the cezve with your spoon. At this point, you can add sugar if you’d like.

Mixing the water and coffee before applying heat starts the extraction process early on, ensuring you get that strong, flavorful cup once everything is done brewing.

3) Slowly heat up the small pot

Next, you put the cezve over low to medium heat. The trick here is to bring the coffee up to a boil at a slower pace than usual. Again, this is meant to extract as much of that fine-ground coffee as possible.

Soon, you should see a dark, thick layer of foam form on the surface of the liquid. Once you start to see it bubble up, it's Turkish tradition to use a spoon to scoop up the crema foam and put some into each cup.

4) Pour half on the first boil

Next, you'll want to pour out approximately half a cup on the first boil. Pour slowly and gently to keep that layer of foam from breaking apart. Then, return the cezve to that gentle heat and wait for it to boil a second time.

5) Then pour again on the second boil

Once you see the coffee boiling again, pour that second half into your cup. This step helps you keep that signature rich foam. Expect a cup of java with the kind of boldness and flavor that leaves you satisfied long after the last sip

6) Let the grounds settle, then enjoy!

Since Turkish coffee doesn't involve any filters, let your cup sit for a minute or two, so l the grounds can fully settle. This invites coffee enthusiasts to pause for a friendly conversation before taking that first sip.

The Traditional Way To Serve Turkish Coffee

Authentic Turkish coffee isn't just brewed a certain way. It is also traditionally served in a certain manner. Here's how you can honor Turkish tradition :

• With a glass of water: Since the times of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish coffee has been served with a glass of water. Cleanse your palette, and cool off a bit from the rush of hot coffee.
• Sweets on the side: Soft, sweet Turkish delights are a common snack to have along with your cup. From rich chocolate to sweet pastries, the choice is yours.
• Just one cup: For its heavy body and high caffeine, one cup is often enough.

Shop Boldly Roasted Coffee Grounds & Beans from Mystic Monk Coffee

For those craving a cup of Turkish coffee, it is certainly a delicious and exotic treat. Its brewing and serving methods reflect many aspects of Turkish history and tradition. They also showcase how central coffee has been to the country's culture.

Similar to us here in the states, coffee is now a daily necessity for nearly every person in Türkiye. You might not get the same strong body and dark, bold flavor, but you can still enjoy something like it with Mystic Monk Coffee. Our coffee subscription service ensures you can get your preferred light, medium, or dark roasts delivered straight to your door on a routine basis

Better yet, shop our online selection, and you'll certainly find a wide range of choices for your next favorite blend, roast, or flavored coffee. All crafted by artisan monks at our Carmelite monastery in Wyoming, ordering Mystic Monk Coffee means enjoying delicious brews made through passion for coffee and deep faith in serving you. Shop Mystic Monk Coffee today and experience the difference for yourself.