How to make Finnish coffee - the traditional way

Now that coffee is hotter than ever and many are enjoying different coffee flavors and ways to prepare (home baristas o-hoy!) there is one quite different way to enjoy coffee in Finland.

 

Finns drink the most coffee in the world

Finns like tthey coffee in large quantities, traditionally quite light roast, even though nowadays darker roasts are becoming more popular.

The amount of coffee can be explained by the fact that Finns drink usually filtered coffee, but also they drink coffee at all times! There is a schedule to keep you know. And Finns are known to keep the schedule.

While in many cultures coffee is enjoyed in the morning, in Finland it's enjoyed both morning and night. And in between. Several times.

If you also support the Finnish coffee schedule, find the mug here!

 

Finns drink mostly filtered coffee

You know, MoccaMaster is a really highly valued coffee maker and it's almost as common in Finnish households as Fiskars scissors. Practical Finns think, if the coffee maker should be loaded already in the evening, to save some precious time in the morning and avoid fatal errors in the coffee making. When sleepy, you can forget things, like put the pot there..

There is the traditional way to make coffee 

In Finland, you buy coffee in 1/2 kg (2 lb) packets. And if coffee is on offer, the amount is always limited per household/buyer because food and beverages are expensive in Finland (Tax for groceries is 14%). E.g. in Spain, the packets are half the size. Well, espresso is smaller than filtered coffee but it's also roasted finer so it fits to smaller space I think.

Do Finns drink unfiltered coffee?!

Many Finns, especially older people still make coffee without any machine or fancy equipment. another way. This is a way where you don't need a fancy coffee pot, or even a filter, this coffee is unfiltered and can be made in a normal high steel pan (or coffee pot that has a practical nose)

The two roasts of Finland

The most popular coffee brands in Finland (e.g. forever most popular JuhlaMokka  from Paulig, which also travels with many Finns to other countries for vacation) are available in two different roasts -filter coffee (drip coffee) and pot coffee.

Pot coffee is the traditional way, and many older people (like my mom) still make and drink it every day. And some drink it while hiking in the nature, when you are far from coffee machines but still can make fire and have fresh water directly from the Finnish nature.

Sure you can also put pot coffee to coffee maker, but it does not taste the same because of the way of making is different. In filter coffee the water is dripping quite rapidly through the coffee, but in pot coffee, it is there for several minutes, creating a completely different aroma. 

Are you a home barista? Enjoy any coffee unfiltered, the Finnish way!

If you have a coffee grinder at home, you can soon enjoy coffee in traditional Finnish way. Any coffee can be ground to desired level. Try the most coarse setting first, and go finer with the next try, until you find the suitable setting.

Technically, filter coffee is finer than pot coffee, because pot coffee needs to be more coarse, so that it will not float too much. 

The best level of grinding is the one when the coffee grounds sink during those 5 minutes of waiting.

How to make traditional Finnish Pot Coffee

Let's get to the business then! Here we go.

The same process is used when making coffee outside, while hiking, just make a fire where allowed and cook the water. Bring to boil is important but not mandatory in difficult circumstances (like open fire) Just remember, definitely no cooking the coffee!

1. Take a clean coffee pot or a steel pan with lid.
2. Measure 1 cup of fresh cold water (2.5 dl)  per person or depending if you plan to drink 3 cups yourself, add 3 cups.
3. Close the lid and bring the water to boil.
4. Take off the heat.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of pot roast coffee per cup. No need to mix.
6. Bring to the heat, and bring to boil so that the coffee froths up to the rim, not boiling over.
7. Take off the heat and close the lid. Put to the table.
8. Let the coffee be for 5 minutes (lid closed). Don't move it much, otherwise you won't get clear coffee.
9. Clear the tip of the pot nose by pouring maybe 1/4 cup or less. Put the coffee back to the pot.
10. Pour the coffee calmly and steadily. If no coffee grounds appear in the cups, congratulations, you did it perfect! There can be a few sometimes on the bottom of the cup, no worries.
11. Add sugar, milk or both, or enjoy the coffee black.

In this picture is happening an event called "pannun tiristäminen" which means trying to drizzle the last drinkable portion of the coffee from the pot, where there are mostly used coffee grounds after you have already drank your planned portion.

Note: Do not throw the used coffee grounds to the sink - they belong to compost or some other trash depending on your current recycling methods. I have lived in apartment when young when upstairs were putting the coffee grounds to the sink and surprise surprise, all blocked.. that was no fun event and I was lucky to be at home!

What's good with coffee? Check these recipes to make your coffee table a place everybody wants to visit again! https://feelslikefinland.com/blogs/finnish-food-recipes/tagged/good-with-coffee