Contrary to popular belief, dibek coffee is not the name of a specific coffee brewing method. Dibek coffee is characterized by manually crushing roasted coffee beans in a mortar made of stone or wood called a dibek. This results in slightly coarser ground coffee beans than those ground in a coffee grinder.
Dibek coffee is not actually a coffee brewing method, but a method of grinding coffee. Roasted coffee was placed in large, round, hollow-filled vessels made of stone or wood, somewhat resembling a mortar, and crushed with a pestle until fine. The resulting coffee was brewed as if it were Turkish coffee. The coffee ground using this method had a thick consistency and was called Dibek coffee. This method of coffee grinding continued until the first half of the 1800s, but in 1827, with the invention of the coffee grinder by Selim, one of the masters of the tüfenkçi (a type of coffee grinder), the dibek coffee became extinct. Because this method of coffee production was laborious and time-consuming, coffee grinding could not be done at home, and with the widespread use of coffee grinders, coffee grinding became commonplace.
In fact, the mortars used to make dibek coffee have a very long history. Naturally, these mortars were previously used for grinding grains, not coffee. Examples of mortars found at various archaeological sites in Turkey include those found at Tilki Tepe or the ancient city of Sipka near Baskale.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DIBEK COFFEE?
Dibek Coffee, consumed daily, is a solution to bad breath. It provides a unique pleasure, is an enemy of Parkinson's disease and cancer, and stimulates the stomach. It helps eliminate gallstones, protects the skin, has a pain-relieving effect, and lowers cholesterol. Dibek Coffee is also known to aid digestion when consumed after meals.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF DIBEK COFFEE FROM REGULAR TURKISH COFFEE?
The difference with dibek coffee is that it's brewed directly over a fire, not in a cezve (coffee pot) as in the old Ottoman style. Sugar, coffee, and water are added to the cup, stirred, and then placed directly over the fire before being served. This method of coffee grinding continued until the first half of the 1800s, but in 1827, with the invention of the coffee grinder by Selim, one of the gunsmith masters, the dibek coffee became extinct. Because this method of coffee making was laborious and time-consuming, it couldn't be done at home, and with the widespread use of coffee grinders, it became commonplace.
How to Brew Dibek Coffee
When making dibek coffee, a hand-pounded mortar and pestle is used to grind the coffee beans. Depending on various recipes for mortar coffee, the coffee beans can be ground in a mortar, along with coconut, cardamom, or coral. Once the coffee is ground and ready for brewing, it is brewed like regular Turkish coffee.
