# Turkish Methodology



## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

Just about to start a Turkish adventure (coffee only, I am afraid!). A trawl of Utube has thrown up as many different methods as videos!

I have my manual Turkish grinder, fresh beans and am waiting on the delivery of a jezve. Is there any kind of accepted 'right' way to do this, or just lots and lots of wrong ways?!!!


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

It's a very repeatable brew method. I have done quick brews foamed 3 times & brews where I killed the brew before foaming and the extractions were actually pretty similar. I tend to do longer brews (~9min) on a low hob, but have had very tasty brews at 3-4min at a medium heat. I use preboiled water.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Brian as in Brian's Coffee Spot posted an item on this at the weekend

http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/2015/07/25/mastering-the-cezve-with-vadim-granovskiy/


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## YerbaMate170 (Jun 15, 2015)

I can't really comment on what people on here have found to work best, but where I'm from (Middle East, roughly) the method varies from person to person, household to household, country to country etc.

For example, some add cold water, sugar and coffee to the Jezve and heat together... Others heat the water first, then add coffee and sugar... Some only bring to the boil/let the foam rise once, others up to 3-4 times...


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Sugar? I never have sugar in mine.


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## YerbaMate170 (Jun 15, 2015)

jonc said:


> Sugar? I never have sugar in mine.


traditionally you'll be asked if you want it "sade", "orta" or "sekerli" in Turkish (plain, medium, sweet) - change for armenian/greek/arabic etc. But granted, I like mine plain too;

Although "Turkish" coffee is often known to be made with very dark roasted beans that are often not great quality so sugar covers up bitterness.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Phil104 said:


> Brian as in Brian's Coffee Spot posted an item on this at the weekend
> 
> http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/2015/07/25/mastering-the-cezve-with-vadim-granovskiy/


Nice article - that's this afternoon's coffee planned out.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

YerbaMate170 said:


> traditionally you'll be asked if you want it "sade", "orta" or "sekerli" in Turkish (plain, medium, sweet) - change for armenian/greek/arabic etc. But granted, I like mine plain too;
> 
> Although "Turkish" coffee is often known to be made with very dark roasted beans that are often not great quality so sugar covers up bitterness.


Mine's Greek (Cypriot), so Sketto (not sure on transliterated spelling) is the word for it without sugar, I believe!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

The coffee that I had last Friday in Honey & Co had cardoman in it although I didn't add any sugar nor thought I needed to. I think I would have been happy without the cardoman because in every other way it was the best Turkish coffee that I have had (out of not very many) and I was encouraged to have a go at home - once I have got the necessary vessel (ibrik or cezve).


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## DeloresSteele (Jul 31, 2015)

I like Turkish coffee just because of its flavor only.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Why else would you like it? I thought you were selling tea anyway?


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

I'll never recover from my first trip to the Middle East and being offered Turkish coffee for the first time in my life. Being a polite Canadian and not wishing to offend, I drained the cup, grinds and all.

Never have been able to look at Turkish coffee since.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I think a lot of people have that experience the first time! My first one was in a Lebanese restaurant. I knew full well the grinds were there, I just didn't get the technique for drinking it right on the first go. Had a bit more success in Cyprus where the alternative is frappé (cold Nescafe instant)


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

Tried brewing last night and this morning. Last night: Coffee 3, Sugar 2. Horribly sweet. This morning: Coffee 3, Sugar 1. Still too sweet. Tonight? As god intended... ;-)


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

@ajh101 Presumably you drink espresso or pour over or other brewed without sugar?


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

@ajh101 Presumably you drink espresso or pour over or other brewed without sugar?


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## MSM (Mar 12, 2015)

jonc said:


> Mine's Greek (Cypriot), so Sketto (not sure on transliterated spelling) is the word for it without sugar, I believe!


Yep... it means plain.

I drink a fair amount when my mother-in-law brings her favourite (already ground) coffee from Greece.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

MSM said:


> Yep... it means plain.
> 
> I drink a fair amount when my mother-in-law brings her favourite (already ground) coffee from Greece.


Are your in laws Greek? Mine are! Isn't the food amazing?!


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## MSM (Mar 12, 2015)

Yeah Greek in-laws and yes x1000 to good food - I really crave for a gyros (in pita) some days.

I also enjoy a frappé when I am in Greece


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Mine are from Cyprus and my wife and I are both veggie - which is considered most irregular.


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

jonc said:


> Mine's Greek (Cypriot), so Sketto (not sure on transliterated spelling) is the word for it without sugar, I believe!


Sketto is without sugar. Metrio is medium (little bit of sugar). Gliki is sweet.

From the cypriot of the forum...


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## MSM (Mar 12, 2015)

charris said:


> Sketto is without sugar. Metrio is medium (little bit of sugar). Gliki is sweet.
> 
> From the cypriot of the forum...


Funny how the Greek and Cypriot words slightly differ, glyko is sweet in Greek I believe.

JonC - I have yet to meet (or should that be meat) a vegetarian Greek!


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

My wife is one!


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

MSM said:


> Funny how the Greek and Cypriot words slightly differ, glyko is sweet in Greek I believe.


They are exactly the same with this word: gliki, glikis, glyko, glykos



> JonC - I have yet to meet (or should that be meat) a vegetarian Greek!


We have a few in Cyprus, probably the same % as other countries. I see no reason though







. A good stake or a nice pitta with Cypriot (charcoal) kebabs take the first top 2 positions in my favourite food league.


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

Do you think that a Turkish coffee without the grounds, but all of the strength, could still be classed as Turkish?!


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Yes.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Is it because you would simply filter out the grounds?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> Is it because you would simply filter out the grounds?


Sure, I have heard of folk using an Aeropress, or Melitta style cone to filter Turkish, I use a V60 with a Chemex paper. I don't like leaving silty/coffee in the cup, but obviously filtering is no good for foam/fortune telling ;-)


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

MWJB said:


> Sure, I have heard of folk using an Aeropress, or Melitta style cone to filter Turkish, I use a V60 with a Chemex paper. I don't like leaving silty/coffee in the cup, but obviously filtering is no good for foam/fortune telling ;-)


 Thanks Mark - sometimes the blindingly obvious isn't so blinding, which is why I wanted to test my assumption. I'm less certain about how to resolve the dilemma of no silt no fortune telling.


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

I like a nice full deep full bodied mouthful but not the silt. I fear losing the silt might mean losing the good stuff! :-(


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

ajh101 said:


> I like a nice full deep full bodied mouthful but not the silt. I fear losing the silt might mean losing the good stuff! :-(


It shouldn't do, filtering through an Aeropress will still let some silt through, I'd avoid very tight weave filter cone papers if you want good body, stick to Filtra/Filtropa/Chemex. You can brew at very high ratios for intensity & still hit full extractions, say up to 150g/l at least?


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Tempted by this thread I'm going to get an ibrik or cezve but quickly realise that there is quite a choice at a range of prices. What should I consider in making a decision?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I like the steel Grunwerg from HasBean with the bakelite handle, I can stick a digital thermometer in it & kill the brew at a specific temp.


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

I think I understand why you might want to do this (to stop it boiling), but I do wonder if getting too exact would kill the er... 'spirit' of the drink?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Well, there are various cues as to when to end the brew - don't let it boil/boil over once/boil over 3 times, etc., a slow brew (4-9 min) from pre-boiled water to ~99C seems the most repeatable & least ambiguous to me.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Repeatability has its attractions even if that goes against the spirit of it









Mark, why do you use pre boiled water? And are you using bottle (e.g. the Waitrose Essential) or? Do you then start the brew off from cold and know from experience how to set your heat source so that the temp slowly rises?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I use pre boiled (Volvic) to speed up the process (typically drops to ~80C on transfer to Ibrik), just so I don't get bored/distracted & hit uncontrolled boil-over. I only have a couple of workable options on heat source with my electric hob: small hob on "3", small hob on "4". I have had very tasty brews anywhere from 4-17mins, it just so happens that on "3" brews up to 200g take ~9min. I daresay faster brews are certainly possible, perhaps inevitable with gas? Time to the minute doesn't seem critical, once you're much over a couple of minutes.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks @MWJB - I've just ordered an Ibrik andam looking forward to experimenting. We have a gas hob and I'll use a diffuser plate and figure out how high to set the flame - probably the lowest on our less intense burner.


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## hartshay (Feb 28, 2015)

Proper Turkish brew is an art form and best drunk in a shepherds hut in the mountains with an old local farmer.......I have never managed to repeat that experience..or coffee taste


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