Do You Drink the Sludge in Turkish Coffee? (And How to Read Your Fortune)

It’s the most common fear for a first-time-drinker: you get to the bottom of your Turkish coffee cup and find a thick, dark, and muddy substance. Your first instinct is to ask, "Am I supposed to drink this?" This guide will give you the clear answer, and explain what you're supposed to do instead.

Key Takeaways

• The Short Answer: NO. You are not supposed to drink the sludge at the bottom.
• What It Is: This "sludge" is the ultra-fine coffee grounds, known in Turkish as telve (tel-VEH).
• Why It's There: Turkish coffee is unfiltered. The grounds are boiled in the water and then served, so they naturally settle at the bottom.
• What to Do With It: The leftover grounds have a second, more famous purpose: fortune telling.

What is the Sludge at the Bottom of the Cup?

The thick, powdery layer you find at the bottom of your cup is the coffee itself. In Turkish, this is called telve.

The unique brewing method involves boiling an ultra-fine coffee powder directly with water. Unlike drip coffee or an espresso, this brew is never filtered. The grounds are served with the coffee.

For the first minute or two after it's served, these fine grounds slowly sink, leaving the smooth, drinkable coffee on top and forming the thick layer of telve at the bottom.

The thick, powdery 'sludge' at the bottom of a Turkish coffee cup. This is called *telve* (tel-VEH) and consists of the ultra-fine coffee grounds that settle after brewing.

Are You Supposed to Drink the Powder?

No, you are not. Drinking the telve is the single biggest mistake a beginner can make.

The grounds are not meant to be consumed. If you try to drink them, you will get a mouthful of bitter, gritty, and unpleasant coffee mud. The enjoyable part of the coffee is the flavorful, liquid brew that sits above this layer.

Consuming the grounds will ruin the taste of the coffee you just enjoyed and is considered the "wrong" way to drink it by any local.

How to Drink Turkish Coffee (and Avoid the Sludge)

Avoiding the sludge is simple once you know the proper etiquette.

1. Wait: When your coffee arrives, let it sit for at least one minute. This is crucial. It gives the grounds time to settle at the bottom.
2. Sip Slowly: Turkish coffee is meant to be savored, not gulped. Take small, slow sips from the top of the cup.
3. Stop: As you get closer to the bottom, you will start to taste or feel the gritty texture. This is your signal to stop. Leave the last sip and the entire bottom layer of sludge in the cup.

When drinking Turkish coffee, sip slowly and stop when you are about one-fifth of the way from the bottom, or as soon as you feel the texture of the grounds. The *telve* is not meant to be consumed.

The Second Life of the Sludge: Fortune Telling (Kahve Falı)

So, what is the purpose of the grounds if not for drinking? This is where the magic comes in.

In Turkey, the leftover telve is used for a centuries-old tradition called Kahve Falı, or Turkish coffee fortune telling (Tasseography).

After you finish the liquid part of the coffee, you are supposed to:

1. Place the saucer on top of the cup.
2. Make a wish and swirl the cup a few times.
3. Flip the cup and saucer (together) upside down.
4. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes.

During this time, the telve will run down the sides of the cup, creating intricate patterns. A fortune teller (falcı) will then read these patterns to tell you about your past, present, and future.

So, no, do not drink the sludge. That thick powder at the bottom is the telve, and it's meant to be left in the cup.

Let it settle, sip your coffee slowly, and when you're done, flip your cup over. You may not be able to read your own fortune, but you will have participated in a tradition that is as much a part of the culture as the coffee itself.