Coffee is one of the most popular drinks on the planet, but there are many different ways to skin a cat when it comes to brewing a cup.
Personally, we like our coffee strong, ready-to-drink, and preferably in a sleek aluminium can, but, that’s not to say others don’t do it well too!
Here are five unique approaches to coffee brewing, coming from Australia, Ethiopia, Italy, Turkey and Vietnam!
Italy
The home of espresso. Almost all coffee drinks served in Italy begin with a strong and dark espresso. You’ve probably heard of the cappuccino or the caffe latte (try our version here), but what about the lesser-known caffè corretto.
A caffè corretto is a combination of a shot of espresso with the delectable addition of an alcohol, typically grappa. Grappa is a grape-based pomace brandy, local to Italy. A caffè corretto is perfect after a hearty meal, so next time, instead of that Irish coffee or espresso martini, try a caffè corretto instead!
To make your experiment quintessentially Italian, make sure to share your coffee break with family and friends. And remember, never add milk to your coffee after lunch - cappuccinos are for breakfast only!
Australia
Perhaps unbeknownst to many, Australia is one of the most influential cultures in the modern day world of coffee. The Third Wave of coffee - think flat-whites, pour-overs, specialty coffee - was very much borne in the trendy cities of Melbourne and Sydney.
New Zealand and Australian coffee professionals squabble over who truly invented the flat white, but regardless, this modern day staple absolutely has antipodean origins. But, an even more intriguing coffee to come out of Australia is an espresso where extraction is paused halfway through
They refer to it as Magic Coffee and here’s why;
Ristretto is a way of extracting espresso while simultaneously reducing caffeine content. The drink is still dark and thick but contains less total dissolved solids than an espresso shot. Ristretto is prepared by stopping the machine between 15 to 20 seconds into extraction instead of the normal 30 to 40 seconds that is used for espresso shots.
Magic Coffee is an Australian Ristretto. Simply put, the magic is made in a 5oz cup with a double ristretto (two first-halves of an espresso shot), then topped up with micro-foamed milk. The result is similar to a flat white, but shorter with less caffeine.
Vietnam
‘Vietnamese coffee’ can refer to many different and unique beverages. Vietnam is a coffee-lovers paradise, especially if you like your brew cold. Drip coffee, usually made with a Hario v60 brewer, caphe sua da or iced milk coffee, and egg coffee are all amazing options!
Perhaps the most unusual, egg coffee first appeared in the 1940s when milk was scarce and egg yolks became a convenient substitute. The process of making egg coffee is simple, yet achieving the perfect taste is no small task.
Coffee is dripped through a pour-over utensil and then poured directly into whipped egg yolks that have been combined with condensed milk and vanilla extract. The eggs sit on the surface, forming a frothy, foamy top layer. When combined with the drip coffee, the resulting texture is unlike any other coffee beverage out there and simply superb!
Turkey
Coffee is a central part of Turkish culture, particularly social occasions, and will always be offered when you enter someone's home. Coffee is critical to weddings, celebrations, engagements, births, and more.
Turkish coffee can be cooked on a stove pan, in hot sand or on coals or ashes. As you'd guess, the method determines the way it tastes, though cooking on sand is probably the most traditional and preferred way.
Finely ground coffee and water are added to a special, handheld wide-bottomed pot called a cezve. The coffee and water are thoroughly combined and then the pot is nestled in hot sand. The sand holds an even heat, and as the coffee boils, it rises to the top of the pot. The cezve is removed, and the boiling reduces, before it is added back to the sand three or four more times. The beverage is then served in a small, espresso-style cup. The coffee grounds quickly settle to the bottom, making for a strong, thick cup of coffee, just try to avoid the last sip or you’ll have a mouthful of grounds!
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is where all of today’s coffee culture truly began. A traditional buna (coffee) ceremony is more than just a cup to energise you in the morning - it’s a celebration of the drink that has been woven into the country's social fabric since the 9th century! Being invited to a buna ceremony is regarded as a gesture of friendship and respect.
Preparing a cup of coffee in traditional Ethiopian style can take more than an hour, and drinking takes even longer, especially during festivities and celebrations. Coffee needs to be roasted first, and then approved by guests before brewing begins. Once agreed upon, the coffee beans are ground coarsely with a mortar and pestle, before being placed into a jebena, or special clay pot, which holds boiling water.
With each cup that is poured, the strength of the coffee weakens. The first cup, known as the abol, is the strongest and purest. The tona, the second cup, is weaker and may be sweetened with sugar. The bereka, the last cup of coffee, is the lightest and low in caffeine. Coffee is often seasoned with sugar, salt, butter, lemon or rue leaves.
It is considered impolite to leave a buna ceremony without consuming at least three cups of coffee. Ethiopians believe that your spirit transforms when you complete all three rounds.
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