Greek Coffee Guide: From beans to brewing

According to mythology, Ethiopia is where coffee was first found in the ninth century. After eating the fruit of an unidentified shrub, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered that his goats become unusually energized. In a nearby monastery, Kaldi brought the fruit to a monk who prepared a drink out of it and found that it kept him awake. This is regarded as the origin of coffee discovery. Everyone likes their coffee one way or the other, some drink coffee to stay sharp and active and others drink it because it has become their daily ritual or they can’t just do without it.

Coffees vary based on their blends, how they look and most of all, how they taste. Coffee has a long history in many different cultures all over the world. Greece is no exception. Greek coffee is a potent, smaller cup of coffee that many people choose to consume over a longer period of time.

Today, we would be placing our attention on the Greek coffee and how it’s been made. Several nations, like Italy, have created distinctive coffee cultures that have influenced the global coffee market. Greece does not lay claim to such distinctions, but through the years, it has created its own coffee culture. The Greek coffee culture and its history dates back to the time when Greece was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

Greek coffee can also be called Glykos in Greece amongst many other names. It was first discovered at the time that it was a part of the Ottoman Empire. The ancient method of brewing coffee in briquettes—what we now refer to as “Greek coffee”—has been practiced in Greece since the 19th century, possibly even earlier.

This coffee has been the star in Greece, as well as the other Balkan nations, for many years—almost up until the conclusion of World War II. The ancient method of brewing coffee in briquette, which is what we now refer to as Greek coffee, has been practiced in Greece since the 19th century or possibly even earlier. Without a doubt, the “kafeneio” was Greece’s first type of coffee shop.

From the final years of Ottoman rule, Greece has been home to the earliest coffee shops, which have been serving Greek coffee, beverages, and pastries. Brikis, which are little pots with long handles, are used to make Greek coffee. In a similar manner to powdered sugar, coffee is ground finely. Greek coffee isn’t filtered, so you’ll need an extra-fine grind size.

Types of Greek Coffee

You may wonder if Greek coffee has just one type, well this blog post is here to inform you that there are several types of Greek coffees and they include:

1. Greek Frappé coffee: This is one of the most well-known coffee varieties in Greece.
2. Espresso freddo and Cappuccino freddo: The cold-brew coffee drinks espresso freddo

   and cappuccino freddo are relatively new to Greek coffee culture.

3. Espresso and Cappuccino: Greece consumes a lot of espresso and cappuccino, which

   were created in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century.

4. Filter coffee: Although filter coffee is offered at coffee shops in Greece, it is not the most widely consumed variety. It has a mild flavor and usually has less caffeine than espresso or conventional Greek coffee.
5. Cold Brew coffee: Some modern coffee shops in Greece provide cold brew coffee as a choice because making this requires several hours.

When selecting beans for Greek coffee, it’s crucial to choose premium, newly roasted beans that are fresh and of good quality. The Arabica beans are the type of coffee bean usually used to make Greek coffee and are well suited for the ancient Greek brewing procedure because of their robust, bold flavor and low acidity.

However there are other types of beans that can be used to make coffees and they include the likes of Robusta or a combination of Arabica and Robusta. The beans must be finely ground in order to completely dissolve in the boiling water, also it must be pounded to an extremely fine texture. This will ensure that the coffee has the correct texture and a robust flavor when it is brewed.

Also it is important to note that one of the most traditional and most popular Greek coffee varieties in Greek cafes is the Freddo coffee as it is an espresso double shot that has been beaten, blended, or mixed with ice cubes to resemble an espresso frappe.

Brewing Methods

Greek coffee, also known as “Ellenikos Kafes,” must be prepared in a specific pot known as a “briki,” a small conical pot with a long handle. It must be brewed differently since it is thick, black, and powerful. It is regarded as an art form and a sophisticated taste. In order to brew Greek coffee the traditional way, you’ll need 1–2 tsp Greek coffee (finely ground), 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup water(This depends on the amount of cups you plan to make). Also you’ll need to adhere to the procedure below:

Bring out your briki and put three ounces of water in it, put two teaspoons of finely ground coffee and two teaspoons of granulated sugar into the briki that has been filled with water. The Greek coffee pot should be heated slowly on the stove until it starts to foam. Once frothy bubbles have formed and have had time to settle, remove the coffee from the heat. Reheat the briki until more foam forms after all the bubbles have dissipated.

When the second layer of foam appears on top of the coffee, remove the briki from the heat and pour the coffee into a cup. You can now sip on your freshly prepared Greek coffee! Just make sure you also have a cup of water nearby because it’s usual to consume the two beverages together.

Note that, you always have to pay attention when the coffee is being brewed, if left for too long, the coffee will quickly boil over. Just raise the briki off the heat if the coffee begins to rise quickly. If you want your coffee to be sweet, add the sugar first. You don’t want to later agitate the situation.