If you like tasting different types of coffee, you may have come across German coffee. It’s one of the coffee brews that coffee drinkers refer to with appreciation.
That may be because Germans are the largest coffee drinkers in Europe. Some popular German coffee brands are Tchibo, Eduscho, and Jacobs.
When you hear the term “German coffee,” you may think it refers to coffee grown in Germany. But that’s not the case.
German coffee is a type of brew associated with Germans. It is characterized by full, strong flavors and a bitter aftertaste. It is usually made using Arabica coffee beans from Jamaica, Ethiopia, and Kona.
Germans have a reputation for quality products, which also applies to their coffee. Their coffee stands out from other roasts, such as Vienna and French roasts, because of its mildness.
They use understated flavor-packed roasts that do not have a distinct flavor to brew their coffee. Some examples are chocolatey Italian roasts and boldly flavored French roasts.
People refer to German coffee as strong and delicious with a smooth mouthfeel and mild aroma. You can have it at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is the type of coffee that does not overshadow any meal.
German coffee tastes excellent black or with cream and sugar. Most people seem to love German coffee anyway they drink it. And it’s been that way since way back.
History of German Coffee
Coffee has been in Germany for a long time. That’s where the paper filter was invented by Melitta Bentz in the 1900s.
The Electronic drip brewer was also invented by a German Gottlob Widmann in 1954. Therefore, coffee is a well-loved brew in Germany. It is commonly served in German Bäckereis, where you can get affordable fresh coffee, bread, sandwiches, and rolls.
German coffee can be traced back to the 17th century when they started brewing it in Brandenburg courts. It later found its way into regular cafes where the men and women sat around gossiping and chatting over coffee.
Men were uncomfortable with the women in cafes. They started grumbling that women were using these spots as venues for coffee and gossip.
That birthed the term “kaffeeklatsch,” which is used to date to refer to cafes where you can drink coffee and chat with friends. Some establishments in Germany also refer to coffee and cake as Kaffee and kuchen klatsch.
German coffee is taken at any time of the day. What differentiates it from other types of coffee, such as Vienna roast, that are too strong to have at any time of the day.
But that doesn’t mean German coffee is only made from mild coffee. There are many types of coffee available.
Different Types of German Coffee
Since the introduction of coffee in Germany, various popular brands have come up. The famous Jacobs coffee was produced in 1895. Today its Kronung brand is sold everywhere in the world. Another famous German coffee brand is Tchibo.
The main thing that distinguishes German coffee from other brews is the roasting and brewing processes. It also has a distinct taste that sets it apart from other brews.
German coffees are usually fruity, floral, and spicy. You can always tell them apart because of their mellow taste and mild aroma.
Any nutty flavors are soft on the palate, which ensures they produce a mildly flavored cup of coffee.
The bottom line with any kind of German coffee is that it is mild or Zimt-Röstung (light roasts).
Some excellent examples are Dallamayr Prodomo, Tchibo Feine Milde, and Beste Bohne.
While Germans coffee is usually lightly roasted and mild in flavor, any brand has dark roast varieties.
Jacobs has a Crema Intenso, which is a full-bodied dark roast. We also have Dallmayr Granverde, a nutty and soft roast.
Different Ways of Brewing German Coffee
Germans usually brew their coffee with alkaline water. Their water is soft with very little chlorine and minerals. That means it does not alter the authentic taste of coffee beans.
Germans take their coffee three ways. There is Cafè Crème, Pharisäer Kaffee, and Eiskaffee.
Cafè Crème is the most popular type of coffee in German cafes that’s similar to Americano. It is a long coffee made with an espresso machine with a dual filter holder.
A Cafè Crème is the coffee you get when you order a cup of coffee in German cafes. It is characterized by a delicate crema and a short extraction time of 20 – 30 seconds.
Here’s how to brew a Cafè Crème.
Cafè Crème Recipe
Ingredients
Coffee grinder
Bar blend coffee beans
Espresso machine or automatic coffee machine
6 – ounce cup
Directions
- Grind the coffee beans to a coarse texture using a burr grinder.
- Extract your coffee for 20 -30 seconds using an Espresso machine or automatic coffee maker.
- Serve your Cafè Crème in a 6 – ounce coffee cup.
Pharisäer Kaffee Recipe
Pharisäer Kaffee is a long coffee with a shot of rum, whipped cream, and cocoa. It was named by Gustav Beyer, a preacher who chastised his congregants for drinking alcohol.
As the story goes, Gustav’s congregants served him coffee with whipped cream during a village festival while they drank theirs with rum.
That led Gustav to exclaim “Ihr Pharisäer!” in reference to their hypocrisy. An exclamation that gave Pharisäer Kaffee its name. Here is a simple Pharisäer Kaffee recipe.
Ingredients
80ml ground coffee
2 tbsp of sugar
40ml Rum
2 tsp whipped cream
1/2 tsp of unsweetened cocoa
Procedure
- Brew a cup of coffee using the grounds and water boiled to 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pour rum into the coffee and add the whipped cream on top.
- Dust your coffee with cocoa powder, and serve.
Eiskaffee
Eiskaffe is another coffee commonly brewed in Germany and widely ordered in Summer.
It’s a sweet coffee beverage made with vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream. Here is an Eiskaffee recipe.
Ingredients
Cold long black coffee
2 scoops of Vanilla ice -cream
Whipped cream
Cocoa powder
Directions
- Scoop your vanilla ice cream into a tall glass.
- Pour the long black coffee over the ice cream.
- Add the whipped cream on top and dust cocoa powder over it.
Conclusion
Now that you know a bit about German coffee, you don’t have to ask, “Why does German coffee taste good?”
German coffee is excellent because of the brewing method used to prepare it. The fact that it is primarily brewed using Arabica coffee beans also makes it stand out.
Arabica beans are known for their excellent flavor, aroma, and caffeine content. They make the perfect cup of brew, especially when brewing mild coffee such as German coffee.
The next time you go to a cafe, try it and see how it compares to other popular brews such as Americano. Let us know how it goes.
