Choosing Coffee

  • Use freshly ground coffee. The grind should be very fine, like sand or powder.
  • Typically, use 7–10 grams of coffee per 100 ml of water (adjust to taste).

Preparing the Cezve

  • Put coffee into the cezve, add water (preferably filtered).
  • Do not stir the coffee before brewing, to allow it to dissolve evenly in the water.

Brewing

  • Place the cezve on medium heat and gently stir the coffee until foam starts to form.
  • The coffee should boil gradually; it is important not to let it boil rapidly to avoid destroying the flavors.
  • Once the foam appears, tilt the cezve and carefully skim off the foam into a separate container. Pour the drink into a cup.

Tasting

  • After brewing, pour the coffee into a cup without stirring (to keep the sediment undisturbed), if possible.
  • Let the coffee cool slightly so the flavor notes can develop.

Evaluating Coffee

The First Sip

  • Take the first sip and rate the acidity and sweetness of the coffee on a five-point scale. What are the sensations? Is it fresh with citrus notes or soft and sweet with caramel?

Determining Bitterness and Body

  • The second sip allows you to assess the bitterness of the aftertaste and the body (richness of the drink). The coffee can be very bitter or have a mild aftertaste, depending on the brewing method and extraction time.

Evaluating Aroma

  • Assess the aroma of the coffee while it is still hot. What notes do you sense? Sugary, nutty, chocolaty, or others?

Technical Adjustments

  • If the coffee seems too bitter, reduce the grind size or shorten the brewing time next time.
  • If the coffee is too acidic, increase the brewing time or slightly increase the grind size to reduce acid extraction.

Example of Tasting Notes

"Ethiopian Coffee"

  • Acidity: 4
  • Sweetness: 3
  • Bitterness: 2
  • Body: 4

Liked: Light fruity aroma, pleasant sweetness, well-balanced, not too acidic.

Disliked: Bitterness in the aftertaste was more pronounced than desired, even after reducing the brewing time.

Feedback

  • Always make notes after tasting — this will allow you to optimize parameters (grind, brewing time) to achieve the best results.
  • And don't forget to share with us what you liked and what you didn't, so we can continue to select coffee that matches your preferences.

The main principle is to adjust and experiment with brewing time and grind size to achieve the best flavor balance.