Apart from time and money, traveling requires energy, and I’d be lying if I said I am always a bright and bubbly bundle of joy. Between the jet lag, the sore legs, and communication fatigue, I often need a little caffeine boost.
Luckily for me (and you), traveling not only guarantees fresh experiences, but also new and exciting coffee recipes. Almost every culture has a unique take on how coffee should be served, and some cultures have come up with some downright delicious (and strange) coffee beverages.
So you’ll know where to enjoy the tastiest coffees on your travels, read on for 7 unique and luxury coffee experiences from around the world.
South Indian Filter Coffee
In the West, saying “filter coffee” conjures up images of a soaked bed of grainy coffee grounds dripping through a paper filter, but in south India, “filter coffee” means something entirely different.
South Indian filter coffee, also known as “Kaapi,” is brewed with a filter similar to what’s used for Vietnamese coffee, but includes a touch more showmanship in the process. After all the coffee has dripped through the filter, boiling milk and sugar is added and the whole concoction is poured back and forth between two cups.
Not only does this process of repeated pouring help to mix and cool the ingredients, but it is also fun to watch as the server pours the steaming coffee in long, graceful arches between two 8 ounce cups.
Yuanyang
If you find yourself in Hong Kong, and you are a lover of both tea and coffee, there is no need to try and decide between the two. The Yuanyang is a beverage that brings you the best of both worlds.
Named after a species of duck — whose males have a significantly darker plumage than the females — the Yuanyang is a mixture of milk tea and black coffee. The softer flavors of the tea create a smooth base flavor, while the coffee offers a slight bite right at the end.
Whether you try the Yuanyang hot or iced, it is a tasty way to wind down after a long adventure, providing your daily dose of yin and yang to ensure balance throughout your journey.
Vietnamese Egg Coffee
If you’ve ever sat down in an Asian fusion restaurant, you have probably heard of or tried either hot or iced Vietnamese coffee. The Vietnamese Egg coffee is similar, but like its name suggests, also includes an egg.
The recipe is really quite simple: brew up some Vietnamese coffee with the special filter, then whip together egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk and pour it into the brew. Voilà, you now have a steaming, caramel colored coffee just waiting to be enjoyed.
Though the thought of drinking a raw egg is enough to make some people’s stomachs churn, the Vietnamese Egg coffee is a smooth and sweet coffee experience.
Malaysian White Coffee
Although its name may make you picture something like an exotic cappuccino, Malaysian White coffee does not get its name from its color, and looks like just a typical cup of coffee. The Mandarin word for white (Bái) also means “without,” and Malaysian White coffee beans are roasted without sugar and wheat, unlike most other bean roasts, and only in margarine.
A local might tell you that this selective roasting process is healthier than typical bean roasts, because it leaves out the sugar, yet I wouldn’t bet on it. Aside from the real or imagined health benefits of Malaysian White, its special roasting process does bring out a more layered taste and stronger aroma.
In some roasts the sugar and wheat can overpower the natural coffee flavors, so roasting with only margarine allows those more subtle notes to shine through. The aroma alone may be enough to wake you up, but the taste is perfect for kicking back and taking a little R&R.
Turkish Coffee
If this were a competition for world’s most unattractive coffee, then Turkish coffee would be right at the top, yet it has a deliciously powerful taste unlike any other. From its unique brewing process to its distinctive aroma, everything about Turkish coffee just screams “strong.”
Turkish coffee requires coffee beans ground finer than espresso, which are slow boiled in a small metal cup with water before the whole mixture (including the grounds) is poured into your cup. Make no mistake, Turkish coffee is very bitter, but it is highly caffeinated.
This coffee is not for everybody, but it is definitely worth a try. Turkish coffee is one of the oldest brewing methods, and is essentially the ultimate unfiltered coffee.
Café de Olla
Image credit: Lorenia, Flickr
As one of the largest exporters of organic coffee, Mexico has some exceptional coffee beverages. One of those drinks, the Café de Olla, is a combination of many things associated with Mexican cooking: spices, unrefined sugar, and earthen cooking pots.
The Café de Olla is typically brewed in a traditional clay pot, known as an “olla de barro,” with dark coffee beans. A special type of unrefined sugar called piloncillo is added, as well as a brewer’s choice of spices, which always includes a fresh cinnamon stick.
The clay pot imparts an earthy tone in the coffee, which becomes a perfect base for the pure sugar and exotic spices. This process makes the Café de Olla taste distinctly natural and refreshingly sweet, and would be a great way to end a night of Tequila sampling.
Kopi Joss
Take a brief stroll through your local pharmacy and you are sure to find products containing “activated charcoal” or something similar. Whether you do or not, there are many who believe in the positive health benefits of charcoal.
The residents of Yogyakarta, Indonesia have taken this assumption to a new level and decided that not even their daily cup o’ joe should be without the “healthy” substance. Though western pharmaceutical companies use complex recipes to infuse charcoal into their products, the Yogyakartans simply drop it into their brew.
The Kopi Joss is a coffee drink that is equal parts water and powdered coffee, with a burning hot chunk of charcoal to top it off. It’s powerful and smoky (read: very smoky) flavor is enough to snap anyone into focus, but the the reaction from your friends when you tell them what you drank is the best part.
Along with a list of “dear diary” worthy coffee experiences, you now also have a list of exciting destinations, so get out there and enjoy! While you are out sampling coffee flavors around the world, be sure to check out this infographic of unusual beverages to try as well.
Have you tried any of these coffee drinks on your travels? Do you know of any that I didn’t mention? In the comments below tell me about your own global coffee experiences.