The best coffee for Turks

Take single-sorted Arabica, invigorating Robusta or a blend? Buy immediately ground or give preference to grain? We will talk about the most important points and subtleties in the material about the best coffee for the Turks. We will also share the perfect recipe and talk with a professional roaster about all the nuances of choosing ingredients for a drink.

Rating of the top 5 varieties of coffee beans for Turks according to KP

We remind you of one of the main rules when brewing coffee in alternative ways (i.e. not in a coffee machine): the grain must be ground before preparing the drink, and not for future use.

1. “Doubleby Espresso”

A chain of specialty coffee houses (that is, those that serve only specialty beans – those that have received the highest rating) sells their own roasted beans. Prices are high, but as you know, you have to pay for quality. 

A mixture with the laconic name “Doubleby Espresso” is the manufacturer’s most budget option. But that doesn’t make it worse. Despite the name, the manufacturer himself also indicates that one of the ways to prepare it is Turkish. As part of the Arabica varieties of Burundi Shembati, Burundi Naprizuza and Brazil Kaparao. The descriptors (if it’s easier – flavors) of all three varieties are dried fruits, dates, chocolate and some tropical fruits. Everything you need to make the best Turkish coffee.

Main characteristics

Advantages and disadvantages

2. Lemur Coffee Roasters «Uganda Robusta»

“Ugh, Robusta! Can it be called the best coffee? ”Some connoisseurs will object. We parry: it is possible. Any experienced roaster will notice that the phrase “100% Arabica” has been promoted by marketing. Yes, Robusta is cheaper, devoid of such a variety of flavors as Arabica. But good and expensive Robusta also happens. This is one example. 

The Republic of Uganda in East Africa is considered the birthplace of Robusta. This variety will appeal to people who appreciate a drink with notes of dark chocolate and tobacco flavors. And no sourness. This lot has expressive bitterness and notes of cocoa on the aftertaste. Bonus: increased caffeine charge. If you drink coffee to cheer up, then a fragrant cup of Robusta will come in handy.

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Advantages and disadvantages

3. Illy Intenso

After a holiday in Italy, tourists often bring steel jars with red illy nameplates as gifts. The product is one of the hallmarks of the country of the Apennine Peninsula. It is not necessary to fly to Rome to buy this coffee – it is sold in large quantities here. 

Italians roast and choose coffees such that all the acidic descriptors leave it. Blend (that is, a mixture of grains of different varieties) Intenso, which we include in our rating of the best coffee for Turks, is the apotheosis of the maximum allowable roast degree. Dark, with a noticeable bias in the noble bitterness. On the palate cocoa, prunes, hints of hazelnuts. The manufacturer indicates that this is a mixture of nine elite varieties of Arabica. But even on the official website there is no information about which varieties. It is known that the grain here comes from Costa Rica, Brazil, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Jamaica.

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Advantages and disadvantages

4. Bushido Specialty

Bushido coffee is an interesting sample from the mass market. Swiss-Dutch brand, name and marketing with an eye to something Japanese. From what’s on display in supermarkets, it’s one of the best brands overall. For Turks, the manufacturer recommends a package under the Specialty brand. It contains Ethiopian grains Yirgacheffe. This is the highest mountainous region of the African country, which is famous for its Arabica. Most of the lots really go through as special grain. So here the manufacturer does not prevaricate. 

After cooking in a Turk, this coffee will open from an interesting side. It is quite light, you can feel herbal-fruity notes, apricot, flowers in it. A kind of parity: between the usual bitter (but without obvious bitterness!) Coffee and modern lots, in which the variety of acidity is primarily appreciated.

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Advantages and disadvantages

5. Movenpick Caffe Crema

The Swiss brand is known for its hotels, chocolate, ice cream and coffee. Actually, they launched a line of products just to be served in their hotels and establishments. The products have become cult in some way. Therefore, they set up a business of mass production and sale. 

As for coffee, the company has a dozen types of it. For Turks, we recommend Caffe Crema. This Arabica blend. Where? The manufacturer does not specify. The roast is medium, but closer to dark. The coffee is moderately bright, with a medium body. The main notes are dark chocolate. It shows itself well primarily in coffee machines and Turks. Pairs well with milk.

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Advantages and disadvantages

Rating of the top 5 varieties of ground coffee for Turks according to KP

The main disadvantage of ground coffee is that the taste quickly disappears from it. At the same time, the aroma from the jar can remain intense for a long time. Try to drink an open package of ground coffee as soon as possible and store it in a container with minimal oxygen access.

1. Unity Coffee “Brazil Mogiana”

Coffee from Brazil’s Mogiana or Mogiana region is a modern classic. The gold standard for coffee machines, but it’s just as good when made in Turkish. Rich taste of juicy dried fruits (such an oxymoron!), cocoa, nuts, citrus sweetness is present. This Unity Coffee variety has a Q-grader score – “coffee sommelier” – 82 points. This is indicated on the coffee packaging. The result cannot be called the best (this one starts from 90 points, but the lots are three times more expensive), but it is fair to consider it worthy. If you buy from a roaster, you can order a grind specifically for the Turks.

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Advantages and disadvantages

2. Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi

One of the main souvenirs that tourists bring from Turkey. In Istanbul, giant queues line up in the corporate department of this company. And no wonder: “Mehmet Efendi” has a textbook taste of Turkish coffee and perfect grinding “to dust”. With him in the Turk, the drink is revealed in the best way. In a cup, you will get a grassy-bitter drink, leaving in roasted barley and ash. It also has a slight sweet sourness. 

What bean is used in coffee and where did it come from? Company’s secret. It should be noted that the company manages to maintain a stable taste of the drink, which indicates high quality standards.

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Advantages and disadvantages

3. Hausbrandt Gourmet

Another Italian brand in our ranking of the best, also a cult in its own way. This is a blend of Arabica beans from the plantations of Central and South America and Brazil. Unfortunately, the company does not provide more detailed geographical indications. 

On the palate – obvious sweet notes, a slight acetic-tartaric acidity, powerful citrus shades and a little caramel. Finely ground coffee, which is ideal for Turkish preparation. The drink goes well with chocolate.

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Advantages and disadvantages

4. Julius Meinl President

This coffee is known for its Viennese roast. Slightly stronger than average – with such a brighter flavor is revealed. 

For Turks, we recommend trying the Präsident blend – “President”. It has a persistent aroma of hot chocolate. The sweetness and intensity of taste is slightly above average and subtle acidity. According to the manufacturer, this coffee is most popular in the company’s homeland in Austria. Unfortunately, the company does not specify the regions of grain origin for this blend. The pack clearly shows that this is a mixture of Arabica and Robusta. 

From the Turks we get classic coffee, without any bright flavors.

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Advantages and disadvantages

5. Black Egoist

“Egoist” is another – along with “Bushido” – a player from the mass market, which offers a product much better than its competitors. For Turks, we recommend blend Noir. It contains a blend of Arabica beans from Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea. Unlike other mass brands, this one indicates the way the grain is processed – here it is washed arabica. 

In Turkish, this coffee shows itself to be balanced. But with a much greater extraction in water with alternative brewing methods, it begins to taste bitter. In general, the taste of the drink on this grain is even, classic, in a sense, boring. What you need for a good cup for every day.

Main characteristics

Advantages and disadvantages

How to choose the right coffee for Turkish

Choosing the best coffee is not difficult. A sure sign that you have a worthy candidate for brewing in a Turk is the amount of information that the manufacturer publishes on the pack. The region of origin of the grain, the method of processing, the degree of roasting, as well as the taste characteristics of the future drink.

Arabica or Robusta

Coffee sommeliers definitely respect Arabica. Robusta is cheaper, has more caffeine and less flavor notes. However, Arabica Arabica is different. And in stores they often sell coffee blends: several varieties form a common blend. 

When choosing coffee for Turks, be guided by the rule: the best coffee is the one that you like the most. Choose according to your taste, do not trust someone else’s opinion.

What to look for when buying

• Roast date. Ideally, coffee should be no older than two months. At this time, the grain is at its peak of taste. It is difficult to find in supermarkets, but not impossible. On the other hand, most private roasters in Our Country prepare the grain immediately before selling it.
• appearance of the grains. Coffee is the case when the aesthetic appearance indicates the quality of the grain. It should not contain defects, offal, especially stones. Ideally, the color should be semi-matte, without serious oily discharge. The glossy layer on the grain, of course, smells fragrant – after all, these are the same essential oils. But it means that the taste of the grain is gone during the roasting process.
• Aroma. Everything is simple here: the best coffee smells good. There should be no burnt odors, mustiness.
• Purchase from a trusted location. Of course, in the supermarket near the house you can get good coffee for the Turks. Especially if you are not too pretentious in your choice. But in practice, there is a much greater chance of acquiring successful grain from roasters.

About ground coffee

Convenient, fast, but less tasty: after grinding, coffee is exhausted in a matter of hours. Sealed packaging can slow down this process, but not much.

Some roasters are categorically against placing ground coffee in the refrigerator (there is humid, a lot of smells), while others believe that ground coffee must be kept in the refrigerator if there is an airtight container (this slows down the oxidation process).

Where is the truth? Both opinions are valid. It seems that here, as in the choice of Turkish coffee, it is a matter of taste.

What to cook

Ideally, a copper Turk. There are a lot of ceramic ones on sale now. However, such a material absorbs the aroma of one type of coffee and thereby affects the flavor notes of another. At the same time, even in a plastic electric Turk, which also absorbs odors, you can get a delicious drink. It is much more important to choose the right kind of coffee for brewing.

How to cook

Pour water into the Turk. Pour in ground coffee. Ideally – 1 gram per 10 ml, that is, for a standard cup of 200 ml, you need 20 grams of grain. This may seem like waste. But remember how such coffee is served in the East? Maximum in a cup or glass 100 ml. And even 50-70 ml.

Put the cezve on the fire and make sure that the coffee does not run away. It cooks for about 4-5 minutes. We remove the Turk from the fire when boiling and put it on something cold, for example, a sink. The Turk has inertia – it absorbs the heat of the fire and gradually releases it to the liquid, so that the drink can escape even after being removed from the burner. Then immediately pour into cups.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the best coffee for Turks and talked about how to choose the bean. But a number of unexplained nuances remained. Answers CP questions Sergey Pankratov, owner of craft coffee roasting and Coffee People coffee shop.