If you are a coffee addict, it’s the first and last beverage you think of daily. You always look for places to find great coffee when you travel.
That’s because coffee is one of the best drinks you can have. It boosts our energy, keeps us alert, and provides our bodies with lots of antioxidants.
People all over the world love drinking coffee. About 7 billion cups are sold in a day worldwide.
Coffee is such a well – loved beverage that most countries have signature coffees. There is Russian coffee, Turkish coffee, Israeli coffee, Italian coffee, and German coffee.
Germans have a reputation for being excellent engineers whose products such as cars and beer are in demand worldwide. So it’s no surprise that their coffee is a favorite brew for many citizens all over the world.
German coffees are also well-loved in Germany too. Coffee drinkers in the country drink about 160 liters of coffee per year, which translates to about 4 cups daily.
If you haven’t heard of this brew, here is some information about it.
What is German Coffee?
Some people think the term German coffee refers to coffee beans produced in that country, and it’s not the case.
The coffee beans you find in Germany (which are mostly Arabica coffee beans) are imported from countries such as Jamaica and Kona.
What we mean by German coffee is how they brew their coffee. It’s usually mild and flavorful to suit the preferences of German citizens.
German coffee is similar to what is referred to as an Americano in the US.
The coffee beans preferred for preparing German coffee are mild roasts such as light roasts, which they refer to as Zimt-Röstung.
These coffee beans retain their flavor because the roasting process has not burnt off their authentic taste or aroma profiles.
The focus for most Germans is on bringing out the authentic taste of coffee beans instead of making them strong and bitter.
Mild coffee roasts are also preferred because they produce coffee that’s easier on the stomach due to their smooth taste.
So, don’t be surprised if you can’t find dark roasts in a German grocery store when you go to visit that country.
Some popular coffee brands used to prepare coffee in Germany are Jacob’s Kronung coffee, Dallmayr Prodomo coffee, and Tchibo Feine Milde coffee.
They are brands of coffee beans that most suit the German taste for mild coffee roasts.
The typical coffee machines used to brew German coffee are drip coffee makers that require coffee filters.
That sets German coffee apart from other international coffee, such as Turkish or Israeli coffee, which are traditionally brewed without filters.
Their preference for filter coffee may be because the filter was discovered by Melitta Bentz, a German housewife.
She invented coffee filters using blotting papers while looking for a way to filter grounds from coffee to reduce its bitterness. That paved the way for German citizens to love mild coffee, a fondness that continues till today.
The most popular German coffee is made with high-quality coffee, Kirschwasser, and whipped cream. Kirschwasser is cherry brandy.
Other favorite German coffees are Pharisaeer Kaffee and Eiskaffee.
What is Pharisaeer Kaffee ?
German Pharisaeer Kaffee is a dessert-style drink similar to Russian coffee, prepared with rum, dark coffee, sugar, and whipped cream.
Pharisaeer Kaffee is for people who have a sweet tooth or those who prefer their coffee dark and strong with a bit of alcohol in it.
There is an interesting German story about Pharisaeer Kaffee that you may find amusing.
It is said that the name Pharisaeer Kaffee originated from the events that occurred in a christening ceremony in the 1800s.
The congregation’s pastor, Gustav Beyer, was against what he called “godless drinking.” He encouraged his parishioners to avoid alcohol, but some church members who loved rum decided to add it to their coffee during the christening.
The mischievous congregants covered the smell of alcohol with a thick layer of whipped cream to prevent Pastor Gustav from smelling it.
Their ruse worked for a while, but the pastor eventually smelt the rum at some point during the ceremony. Angered by their cover-up, Pastor Beyer cried out, “Ihr Pharisäer!” which is translated to “You Pharisees!”
Since that day, coffee with rum, sugar, and a layer of whipped cream on top has been referred to as Pharisaeer Kaffee in German cafes.
Here is how to make Pharisaeer Kaffee.
German Pharisaeer Kaffee Recipe
Ingredients
6 ounces of strong black coffee
3 tsp of sugar
2 ounces of dark rum
4 tablespoons of whipped cream
Procedure
- Fill a large coffee mug with coffee and stir in some sugar.
- Add some rum to the coffee and scoop the whipped cream on top.
- Garnish your coffee with cinnamon, cocoa, or chocolate shavings.
- Enjoy your hot mug of Pharisaeer coffee with a Danish cookie!
Remember to drink your Pharisaeer coffee as the Germans do without stirring it as a tribute to its origin.
It’s such an essential ritual in Germany that anyone who stirs in their whipped cream when drinking Pharisaeer coffee among friends is always jokingly asked to buy another round for everyone.
There is also German coffee made using Kirschwasser or cherry brandy. Some people think of this type of German coffee as the “original German coffee.” Here is a recipe.
German Kirschwasser Coffee Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 ounce Kirschwasser / Cherry brandy
5 ounces hot, black coffee
1 Tsp of sugar
2 Tbsp whipped cream
Procedure
- Pour the Cherry brandy into a specialty coffee cup and add sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the hot coffee and stir. Top your German coffee with whipped cream.
- You may garnish the coffee with a cherry or drizzle some cherry syrup on top of the whipped cream.
German Eiskaffee Recipe
In the Summer, Germans enjoy drinking rich cold coffee with lots of ice cream and whipped cream.
It’s a sweet treat for those hot days when you need something delicious and cold to improve your day. The whipped cream and ice cream give German Eiskaffee a smooth mouthfeel.
Here is how to make German EisKaffee.
Ingredients
6 ounces of strong black coffee
3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
3 scoops of whipped cream
Procedure
- Brew the black coffee and keep it in the fridge overnight or for 3 hours to chill.
- Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a tall glass and pour the chilled coffee over it. Leave space for some whipped cream at the top.
- Spoon the whipped cream over the coffee and top it up with some chocolate chips or cocoa powder.
- Enjoy the Eiskaffee with a long-handled spoon or edible straw.
Conclusion
That’s how to make three types of German coffee. We’ve also given you some interesting information on the origin of this coffee and German coffee culture.
You can make German coffee at home as an after-dinner drink, a dessert drink, or whenever you need a mild, unique coffee beverage.
We can’t always drink cappuccinos and lattes every day. So, the next time you need to try a different type of coffee beverage, try the German coffee recipes we’ve given you.
You’ll find that German coffee is a flavorful pleasant coffee you can have any day.
