Arabic coffee is a beautifully rich and dark drink that is served in a unique style. This coffee originated from various parts of the Middle East to create the rich beverage we enjoy today.
Arabic coffee was traditionally brewed during a family gathering, when greeting guests, or during special occasions such as holidays. It is meant to be sipped on over a long period of time.
While there are no specific coffee bean or roast criteria that need to be met for a coffee to count as Arabic coffee, it does have a dedicated brewing style. This style can vary depending on where the coffee is ordered.
It is known to be bitter, strong, and rich. It is a thick drink that is often served with various spices in a special cup. This is the perfect coffee for a good conversation with old friends.
What is Arabic Coffee?
Arabic coffee is not defined by a type of coffee bean nor by a type of roasting method. Instead, it is a particular brewing method that came from the Middle East.
The Middle East was one of the first places to provide mass-produced brewed coffee. As such, the traditional brewing methods of this area are some of the oldest in existence. We know that Arabic coffee tastes good because its preparation method has hardly changed in the last couple of centuries.
It is a rich, thick drink that is often compared to espresso. Both Arabic coffee and espresso have a strong and sharp flavor to them with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Arabic coffee is less intense than espresso and is served in a glass that is much larger than an espresso cup.
Although espresso uses fine coffee grounds, Arabic coffee requires even finer grounds. The coffee used for Arabic coffee has an almost powdery consistency. Once the grounds are added to the hot water, it is not stirred.
The coffee grounds are allowed to settle at the bottom of the cup. This provides it with a thick and silty taste, unlike any other coffee. As a result, it is much different from other coffees in preparation method and taste.
While no specific coffee bean is required when brewing Arabic coffee, its beans are the most commonly used. The Arabica coffee bean is the most widely used coffee bean in the world because of its delicious flavors and inherent sweetness.
Arabica beans are slightly sweet and often contain notes of nuts, chocolate, and caramel. These earthy flavors are magnified with Arabic coffee brewing methods. Together, they create a delicious cup of coffee.
How is Arabic Coffee Served?
It is brewed whenever greeting guests or family members in the home. It is not a drink meant to provide a boost in caffeination, although it does that as well. It is a traditional beverage with a lot of cultural significance.
Because of its high cultural significance, it is brewed with great care and attention. It is traditionally made entirely from scratch. Whole coffee beans are roasted right in the home and ground to a fine powder.
These powdery coffee grounds and water are added to a long, skinny saucepot called a cezve. Once it has been brewed, the whole thing is poured into traditional handle-less mugs called finjān.
Finjān is a very small cup. They typically can only contain 2-3 fluid ounces and are elaborately decorated. The freshly brewed coffee is often topped with various spices, the most common of which is cardamom.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are all common spices to add to Arabic coffee. This drink is traditionally served black, but occasionally, a small spoonful of sugar is added. Once brewed, it is never mixed, however.
The unique trait of this coffee is its coffee grounds. They are served at the bottom of the drink. Because they are so fine, however, they tend to stick to the bottom of the cup unless disturbed.
Part of Arabic coffee’s silty and thick mouthfeel comes from the inclusion of its powdery coffee grounds. it is meant to be sipped over a long period of time in good company.
What Does Arabic Coffee Taste Like?
While espresso is much more caffeinated than Arabic coffee, it usually tastes much stronger. This is, in part, due to Arabic coffee’s extremely fine coffee grounds. It has a strong flavor with a rich and slightly bitter aftertaste.
This delicious traditional coffee has a thick and silty mouthfeel but only tastes better the longer it sits. This is why even though it is served in such a small cup, it can take a long time to drink.
It is common to wait 30 seconds or more in between each sip to allow the sludgy coffee ground paste at the bottom to reinvigorate Arabic coffee’s unique flavor.
It is robust and hearty. While it is not traditionally served with sugar or milk, the delicious flavor of the coffee speaks for itself.
Conclusion
Arabic coffee is one of the oldest coffee brewing methods we have today. It has hardly been changed in the last couple of centuries, meaning it’s already been experimented with to perfection.
This unique coffee uses extra finely ground coffee beans to create a thick texture that only gets better the longer it sits out. It is the perfect drink to sip on while catching up with old friends or family.
It has a lot of cultural significance from the settings it is served in the small handle-less cups it is prepared in. This rich and oftentimes spiced drink has been around for centuries and will continue to be brewed for centuries more.