What methods of brewing coffee are popular in different countries?
Photo: coffeefriend.co.uk
Different countries tend to have their own ways of preparing coffee. Coffee beans have been grown in many different parts of the world for thousands of years and as it has grown, different cultures have developed their own ways of making the drink and even processing the coffee beans required.
In this guide, we’re exploring the different methods of brewing and preparing coffee beans in different parts of the world. If you live in the USA, or the UK, you are probably used to a few different methods of preparation. In some parts of the world, there is one method that is used to prepare the vast majority of coffee beverages.
Vietnamese Coffee Dripper
Vietnamese coffee is often served over ice due to the fact that it is such a hot climate. There is usually a longer brewing method that is used to create the drink. The process can take around 5 minutes as the coffee beans, ground to a relatively fine consistency, pass the water through a filter. There is often condensed milk within the container it is being brewed into which hugely impacts the taste of the drink and its sweetness.
Colder brewing methods often result in bitterness. The coffee beans in Vietnam are often Robusta beans too which means that they have more of a bitter taste. This means that Vietnamese coffee is sweetened a lot in the majority of instances.
Cafezinho in Brazil
Brazil is one of the biggest producers of coffee beans so it is easy to see why you might assume that they would have many different methods to prepare the drink. In truth, a lot of Brazillians stick to Cafezinho. This is a small cup of concentrated coffee, which is filtered through a very long and thick coffee filter.
Once again, this is one of the types of coffee brewing that makes use of sweetening, and there tends to be a high concentration of sugar. This makes it a real boost for those who drink it, similar to an espresso. It is served pretty much everywhere you can imagine in Brazil. It is comparable in many ways to an espresso with sweetener added.
Turkish Coffee
If you have visited Turkey, any Middle Eastern countries, or even Greece, then there is a strong chance that you have tried coffee that has been prepared in the traditional Turkish method.
This gives an end result of darker coffee and it is quick to prepare. Turkish coffee is made in something called an ibrik which is a way to quickly heat ground coffee beans. The coffee tends to be extremely finely ground and then added to cold water. It is then boiled multiple times in the pot. It isn’t totally clear why but the end result is a very hot and espresso-like coffee that has some serious punch to it.
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremonies
Coffee originated in this part of the world. This means that the Ethiopians have a really divine view of coffee and there are often ceremonies that surround the preparation of the drink. Incense is often burned before the beans are ground by hand.
The coffee beans are then added to a pot which has become known as a jebena and boiled along with water. The coffee can then be poured through a filter which is usually made out of cloth but historically has been made using horse hair.
Different things are added for taste, including sugar, salt, and sometimes butter or milk. Ethiopians tend to consume a few cups of coffee at a time so it can provide a real buzz and create some energy in whoever drinks it.
Espresso coffees
Espresso-based coffee has been through a lot of different variations. We owe so much of the art of preparing coffee to the Italians, and this is where the espresso is thought to have originated.
It is amazing how far-and-wide it has spread. Head to any coffee shop chain and you will be offered coffee that has been prepared in this way. Of course the addition of steamed milk and frothed milk turns the drink into things like lattes and cappuccinos.
Some people still prefer to drink espressos on their own, which can also provide a quick boost, and the perfect pickup after a meal.
Photo: coffeefriend.co.uk
Summary
These are just some of the coffee brewing methods that are out there. There are so many different ways that you can make coffee and it doesn’t matter where you are in the world. Those who have travelled will know that coffee is virtually ubiquitous, but it is also extremely varied. Your experience of coffee will be vastly different from one country to the next.
Brewing methods can greatly impact the taste of the coffee, of course, so you might find a method is your favourite. Luckily, you can also buy the equipment wherever you are, so if you live in the US but want to drink Turkish coffee, this isn’t a problem.
