Turkish coffee is among the richest, most decadent coffees you can taste. And, like all the best things in life, making it is no walk in the park. If you’ve tried, you may have found your coffee lacking in the foam department, but don’t worry, you’re not alone in wondering, “why is my Turkish coffee not foaming?”
Turkish coffee doesn’t foam due to the coffee not being fresh or because the water is mistakenly brought to a boil. It’s also possible that the beans are ground too coarsely or the coffee-to-water ratio is too high.
We’re not going to leave it there, though. Keep reading, and join us for a deep dive into your Turkish coffee pot, metaphorically speaking.
Why is My Turkish Coffee Not Foaming?
The most common reasons that Turkish coffee comes out foamless are not so much a matter of an unintentional mistake as they are misinformation and misunderstanding. For example, if you search for a guide on how to make Turkish coffee online, you there is a good chance you will find several examples that talk about “boiling” the coffee.
Boiling water destroys Turkish coffee foam
It could be that something has been lost in translation with this particular problem, but Turkish coffee should most definitely not be boiled. When the water reaches its boiling temperature, it starts to evaporate more rapidly. The result of this evaporation on a foamy cup of coffee is rather devastating for the foam. Which is to say it disappears.
It is worth noting that the boiling temperature of water changes with the external air pressure around it (the lower the pressure, the lower the boiling point), though this will only be a practical matter for people trying to make Turkish coffee at high altitudes.
Stale coffee beans does not foam well
The other common problem-using coffee that isn’t fresh-is relatively self-explanatory. Coffee that isn’t fresh simply doesn’t foam very well.
Coffee foam is often a simple indication of how fresh the coffee beans are. The reason has to do with carbon dioxide gas naturally trapped inside fresh coffee beans. As coffee beans age, or after they are ground, the CO2 gas is released and forms bubbles on top of your beverage.
This happens with Turkish coffee as well. That is why using freshly ground coffee is important for producing a foamy brew.
Less common reasons Turkish coffee doesn’t foam
Other less common causes include using coffee that is too coarse and using a ratio of water to coffee that leans too heavily on the coffee side of things. We’re going to go over how to make a delicious cup of Turkish coffee below, so don’t worry; all will be revealed.
