How to Make Classic Specialty Coffee Drinks from Around the World

If you've ever wondered how people in Turkey predict their luck from coffee grounds, or why Australians drink something called a 'Pharisee' with rum, this guide answers those exact questions. These aren’t just novelty drinks — they’re historically rooted ways to enjoy coffee, each with its own ritual, ingredient list, and serving style.

Across 10 classic recipes from as far as Turkey and Russia, you’ll find exact spice blends, layering techniques, freezing methods, and alcohol pairings. Every method includes precise measurements, stirring instructions, and presentation details — no vague 'add sugar to taste.'

Turkish Coffee: Fortune in the Grounds

Turkish coffee isn’t just strong — it’s a cultural experience where the leftover coffee grounds at the bottom of your cup are read for fortune-telling. To make it, combine finely ground dark-roast coffee with spices like cinnamon in a pot, add water, and bring to a boil three separate times. Let the grounds settle, then pour the clear liquid into cups. Optionally top with orange juice and honey.

Iced & Frozen Coffee Variations

Iced Cream Block Coffee

This layered American-style coffee drink doesn’t use ice cubes — instead, it’s built with frozen milk coffee cubes. Pour sweetened boiled milk into a glass, then slowly add frozen coffee so it floats atop the milk. The result is two distinct layers, with milk foam on top. Finish by sprinkling cinnamon powder.

Soft Mocha Frost Coffee

This dessert-like frozen coffee combines ice, frozen coffee, 20ml chocolate syrup, and mocha ice cream. Blend until just mixed — avoid over-blending. Pour into a glass with chocolate syrup drizzled on the rim. Top with chocolate shavings.

Mocha Frozen Coffee

Similar in texture to soft serve, this version blends ice, frozen coffee, and chocolate syrup without melting the mixture. Drizzle chocolate syrup around the glass rim to create a pattern, pour the blended mix inside, and garnish with shaved chocolate.

Honey Frozen Coffee

Use crushed ice in a glass, add frozen coffee, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle cinnamon around the edge. Finish with a drizzle of honey. Optional fruit like pineapple slices can be added.

Lemon Coffee

Add 2–3 drops of liquor (such as brandy) to a cup of light-roast coffee, then float thin lemon slices on top for a refreshing citrus twist.

Alcohol-Infused Coffee Classics

Bourbon Coffee

This French country-style coffee mixes dark-roast coffee with a few drops of sherry. The combination delivers a balanced sweet-and-sour flavor.

Pharisee (Australia)

Originally a nickname for drinkers who liked to spike their coffee, the Pharisee is made by combining 10g sugar and 20ml rum in a cup, then stirring in dark-roast coffee. Add a spoonful of cream and finish with a few rum drops on the cream.

Maria Theresa Coffee

Created in 18th-century Vienna to promote coffee, this recipe uses 20ml orange liqueur or sweet wine, poured into a cup before adding dark-roast coffee. Top with whipped cream and decorative candies.

Unique Regional Preparations

Russian Hot Coffee

A sweet mix of hot dark-roast coffee with orange marmalade, vodka (Russian standard 'Russky Standart' or similar), and cream. Combine all ingredients while the coffee is still hot.

Passion Coffee

Also known as ‘coffee prélude’ or ‘coffee pulidor’, this dramatic drink involves setting a spiral-cut lemon peel soaked in brandy on fire over a cup of hot coffee mixed with sugar. The flaming peel drips brandy into the brew — a showstopper for gatherings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the traditional way to make Turkish coffee?

Turkish coffee is made by boiling finely ground dark roast coffee with optional spices like cinnamon three times in a pot. After boiling, the coffee is poured without filtering, leaving the grounds to settle at the bottom. It’s often served as is, or optionally with added orange juice and honey.

How do you make layered iced coffee with milk and coffee?

Pour sweetened boiled milk into a glass, then carefully add frozen coffee over the back of a spoon to float on top. This creates distinct milk and coffee layers, finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon on the milk foam.

Why do people read Turkish coffee grounds?

After drinking Turkish coffee, the leftover coffee grounds settle at the bottom of the cup. It’s a traditional practice to interpret patterns in the grounds to predict the drinker’s day or fortune.

What’s the difference between frozen coffee and iced coffee?

Frozen coffee recipes blend or freeze coffee into solid components (like ice or ice cream), maintaining texture without dilution. Iced coffee typically refers to brewed coffee over ice cubes, which melts and waters down the drink.

Are any of these coffee drinks alcoholic?

Yes — several listed drinks include alcohol, such as the Pharisee (with rum), Bourbon Coffee (with sherry), and Passion Coffee (with brandy). They’re traditional in places like Australia, France, and Austria.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Global Coffee Recipes

For these international coffee drinks, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for fruity complexity, PWN Golden Mandheling for rich body ideal in frozen or spiced coffee, or Yirgacheffe for bright acidity that stands out in layered or boozy recipes. Each offers the clarity and balance needed to complement syrups, spirits, or spices without losing their origin character. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.