Looking to dive into the world of Turkish coffee but don’t know what to use? We’re delving into the topic of the best coffee for Turkish coffee.
Turkish coffee is an exotic delight, with complex flavors and textures that sets it apart from every other variation in the world of coffee. One of the key factors for success in brewing your Turkish coffee at home is choosing the right coffee: both roast and grind are important.
So what should you be on the lookout for?
Read on for three top choices.
What is Turkish Coffee?
Although Turkish coffee has gained popularity in many places, including Greece, Armenia, and parts of eastern Europe, it originated in–you guessed it–Turkey. The unique brewing method is a major part of what makes Turkish coffee so different and so beloved: the ground coffee beans aren’t filtered in any way and are drunk with the brew itself.
Turkish coffee uses a special pot, called a cezve in Turkey. The coffee is ground to a fine powder, along with spices and sometimes sugar, and added to the pot with water before being boiled.
To get the best possible Turkish coffee, you have to make the right choices when it comes to the coffee beans and how you grind them. While there are some favorite brands, it also helps to know what particular traits you’re looking for.
Turkish Coffee: The Roast
One of the key factors that impact the flavor of your Turkish coffee is the roast of the beans. It’s no secret that certain brewing methods work better with certain roast levels; while Turkish coffee is a little more forgiving than espresso, it’s still a good idea to stick with a particular range.
In Turkey, most of the coffee that goes in the cezve is a light or medium roast. Since the Turkish method cooks the coffee beans more thoroughly than most other methods, using darker roasts can result in a much more bitter result. If you’re trying for the first time, start with a medium roast, and if the result is too strong tasting, you can adjust with lighter roasts until you find the perfect balance.
Turkish Coffee: The Grind
After the roast, the grind is the second most important aspect to ensuring Turkish coffee success. You can’t just toss any size grind into the pot and expect success.
Turkish coffee needs to be ground to fine powder-like flour or with consistency as that of powdered sugar. This lets it dissolve into the liquid, thickening it and making it, so it’s pleasant to drink the grounds as part of the brew.
It’s possible to grind at home, and many Turkish coffee lovers use specialized grinders from Turkey to hand-grind their coffee to the right fineness. Most coffee shops also have the right equipment to grind your coffee for the Turkish pot.
Finally, if you buy coffee directly intended for Turkish coffee, you can often get it pre-ground, though you’ll want to make sure to use it quickly, as finer grinds go stale more quickly than a whole bean or coarse grinds.
3 Best Coffee For Turkish Coffee
If you want to take the guesswork out of choosing the right coffee for your Turkish coffee at home, I’ve compiled the top three Turkish coffee brands available online.
1. Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Turkish Coffee
This brand has been in business since 1871, which is a marker of quality all on its own. The coffee comes pre-ground, in an airtight container, and is renowned for authentic Turkish flavor. Unlike some coffee available in Turkey, it’s made purely from Central American arabica coffee beans, without robusta beans added to the mix.
2. Kahve Dünyası Turkish Coffee
A relative newcomer founded in 2004, Kahve Dünyasi coffee offers a darker roast compared to Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. Like its veteran counterpart, the company sources beans from Central America, more specifically Brazil.
It offers dark roast, medium roast, mixed, and Turkish Gummy, and while they have a strong reputation, some Turkish coffee lovers feel the resulting brew isn’t as strong. However, they’re still a top brand, and they’re an excellent starting point for beginners.
3. Hisar Kahve Turkish Coffee
Another long-term market dominator, Hisar Kahve was founded in 1928 and was the first coffee company in Turkey to sell its wares in airtight vacuum packaging. Like the other two options, Hisar Kahve comes pre-ground, with three roast options: Classic, Double-Roasted, and Mastic Gum Roast.
The unique range of flavors is definitely a selling point, though it may be more unusual than you might want as a starting point. The unique roasting process does result in a longer-lasting aroma, and of the three it’s the easiest to brew successfully, so it’s still definitely worth trying.
