Many regions around the world have their unique coffee traditions, and Turkey is no exception. Situated at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkey, once the center of the Ottoman Empire, held a vast territory that spanned from northern Africa to eastern Europe.

During the era of Sulaiman the Magnificent (1520 – 1566), coffee was introduced through trade. So Turkish coffee began to be created. According to historical records, around 1540, Ozdemir Pasha as the Turkish governor was stationed in Yemen. There he discovered coffee and introduced it to Sulaiman.

History Turkish Coffee

In Yemen, coffee was processed into snacks, while in the hands of imperial cooks, it was turned into a beverage. The trick is to finely pound the roasted coffee beans, then place them in the ibrik. After that, coffee grounds are added with water and sugar, boiled until boiling and bubbly, then served in small cups.

Turkish coffee became a favorite of the royal family and wealthy families at that time. Even Turkish coffee makers are an exclusive occupation as their services can only be used by royalty and wealthy families. But as time went on, Turkish coffee became more and more accessible to many people at that time.

In 1554, the first coffee shop called Kiva Han appeared in Tahtakale, Istanbul. Uniquely, Turkish coffee is also referred to differently in different regions.

Let’s Get to Know Ibrik

A coffee brewing device called an ibrik is a tool for processing coffee grounds and is mandatory in serving Turkish coffee. Originally, the ibrik was designed to brew coffee in the hot sand of the desert. Ibrik itself was first discovered in the 16th century.

It is said to be the oldest coffee brewing tool in the world and is very famous in the Middle East region. Not only that, UNESCO also named ibrik as the cultural heritage of the Middle East. Over time, ibrik spread even to America. The technique of making ibrik coffee is also unique because it uses sand as a heat conductor.

Coffee grounds that have been added with warm water and sugar are then placed on special sand while shaking. This method makes the ibrik heat up quickly and the coffee boil. After boiling, the coffee is ready to be served in a glass.

Taste

Not only is the processing method unique, coffee from ibrik also has a distinctive flavor. ibrik coffee has a fragrant aroma and rich spice flavor. Of course, this is also based on the character of the coffee brewed with ibrik. Generally, the coffee used is arabica coffee that has been mixed with various spices.

The ibrik tool still has its fans in the modern era. Even coffee brewing competitions with ibrik still exist, such as the Cezve/Ibrik Championship held in Poland in 2022. Marina Khyuppenen was one of the winners of the Ibrik Championship in 2017 with her signature recipe. In the recipe, Marina added orange and nutmeg flavors.

Marina’s own ibrik coffee recipe is fairly simple. First, prepare 18 grams of coffee for a 200 ml ibrik. The coffee used must be fresh beans. Second, pour the coffee into an ibrik and add 40 ml of orange juice, 3 grams of sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, and 120 ml of water. Third, heat the ibrik on the stove over medium heat.

If the foam has risen to the surface of the coffee, the coffee is ready to serve. Let the coffee sit for two minutes until it is more delicious and ready to enjoy. Generally, in serving ibrik coffee, the coffee ratio is thicker and resembles espresso.

Conclusion

The Ibrik is one of the oldest coffee brewing devices in the world. Discovered in the 16th century, coffee brewed using ibrik was an exclusive drink during the Ottoman Empire. This is because brewed coffee from ibrik can only be enjoyed by the royal family and the rich.

The way coffee is brewed using an ibrik is very unique because it is simmered on hot sand, resulting in a distinctive flavor and fragrance due to its use of arabica coffee mixed with spices. Are you also interested in tasting coffee brewed using an ibrik, or would you like to experiment with it?

Are you a coffee enthusiast? Explore the KopiKita platform to discover a wide variety of Indonesian coffees from different regions, all at the best prices!