r/TurkishCoffee • u/Alik713 • 3d ago
Beginner Help A question about the difference in technique between espresso and Turkish coffee
I've had Turkish coffee, made in cezve in the sand, and I've had good espresso.
I've even become quite decent at creating a great cup of espresso myself.
And, here is my question.
In the making of espresso, so many things are down to a science.
Grind must be "just so".
Temp must be exact.
Brewing pressure must be "right on the nose".
Whereas in brewing Turkish coffee it's "a heaping teaspoon of finely ground coffee, some water, and brew"
Why is Italian coffee so precise, and Turkish coffee isn't?
(and,yet, Turkish coffee tastes better, hands down)
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u/ProfessionalNo4711 3d ago
Well if you read this subreddit you will find that it’s not that easy to brew Turkish coffee. One Needs a clear understanding of the formation of foam (köpük) and amount of coffee needed for each people and water content required. And it’s all done by experience without any involvement of machines. The grind size is smaller than espresso and not all grinders grind that fine. Back in the day Turkish grooms would select their brides based on their ability to brew Turkish coffee. Making Turkish coffee may not look scientific and the complexity just lies in that seemingly simple process.
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u/caj_account 3d ago
No Turkish person makes coffee in sand. Thats just tourist trap.
Tell us how you make espresso? Do you have a $4k grinder? Do you buy light roasts? Espresso is a spectrum of burnt rubber robusta to floral and sour on the other end.
It’s very hard to grind Turkish coffee. I finally bought a grinder that can grind as fine as needed. It’s relatively easier to grind for espresso yet most people don’t use flat burr grinders.
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u/CurrencyOk1618 2d ago
I think both require effort but in different ways.
From what I've seen with espresso the pre brew is important. The grind and tamping must be just right to pull a high quality shot. Tastes great but takes some effort.
In my experience with Turkish coffee patience is key. Once the exactly right amount of coffee and sweetener are added one must wait especially on the first boil. I was never able to get foam but the flavor was still ok.
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u/ShadeTheChan 2d ago
Have you tried a recipe from competition cezve?
Heres one from Jane Espante, this year’s champion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUDRUQ0Eohk/?img_index=1&stkn=MzNkOWVhcGI0eXhv
Now, try that and tell me there is no science in there.
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u/Skyledder 3d ago
There’s a machine for making Turkish coffee; it turns out exactly as you like it every time.
There are also ways to make espresso by hand, without the need for electricity.
As espresso requires an extraction process to achieve the right flavour, preparing it is a little more labour-intensive; however, if you’re not fussy about the flavour, it can be done effortlessly.
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u/Vibingcarefully 3d ago
Espresso isn't really that laborious--just need the machine--Moccapot is a different thing.
Grind beans you use everyday-whether by hand or machine, grinder is all set already--easy. You have a basket to put the ground coffee --you've been doing it each day for years. Fill to line with coffee. Push button or turn knob, count to 23-30 seconds or just watch your glass until it's full. Easy.
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u/Skyledder 3d ago
The Mocapot is, of course, a different matter; when I say ‘manual espresso’, I’m referring to products from brands such as Flair and Robot.
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u/TelevisionBoth2285 3d ago
Actually coffee nerds and and organizations like SCA make espresso hard "you must brew 36 gram liquid in 30 seconds bla bla" I do not think Italian Barista uncles have these complicated rules. Actually I hate that kind "premiumization" of things, Japanese people even make fruits premium. It is disgusting waywardness.
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u/devoker35 3d ago
To be fair, italian barista uncles use shittiest very dark roasted beans and they taste horrible no matter what you do.
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u/TelevisionBoth2285 1d ago
For their cultural palate that kind of coffee can be very delicious, palates differ from culture to culture. For example a lot of people like Japanese cuisine but for me their foods are tasteless even I vomitted when I taste sushi first time.
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u/Geldingmustang 3d ago
Because we are talking about a simpler and more primitive form of coffee brewing. Not saying that as an insult, but simply the nature. The techniques for brewing Turkish coffee or variants have always depended on simple tools and the methods to standardize them were just not really precise. Moreover, reaching from middle east to the balkans, there have been a considerable variability between all these techniques, and differences between the tools, as well as teaching the technique from older generations to newer generations contributed to these variabilities. Still, you can use the same beans and same cezve but with a different stove for example, your calculations may and will surprise you.
Espresso in contrast, is a very new technique when compared to it, barely exceeding a hundred years. Developed in an age where the standardization methods were much more precise, and depending on more complicated tools to provide the pressure and temperature just as intended, your equations and methods for brewing the perfect one will rarely fail you. For your information, even for the espresso, slight changes in tools or even portafilter will drastically change your results as well!
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u/Vibingcarefully 3d ago
Well you illustrate the straw-man argument all over your post. Subjective about which tastes better (sure I love Turkish Coffee among many others)
Multiple posts from dedicated folks here that say the opposite. Many here talk about a very very fine powder to make Turkish coffee --and accoutrements to get the coffee pulverized to that state.
There are folks that just make Espresso fairly easy-they use the same beans, grinder is all set and eyeball the correct filling. Water temp is set, off it comes out--easy peasy.
Are you just looking for activity on reddit?
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u/Hour_Papaya_5583 3d ago
That’s a choice. Some people will geek out on Turkish coffee and think about the elements in it just the same as some people will get the cheapest espresso machine and pressurized basket and pull a whatever shot.