Coffee On Shabbos

I am a very spoiled coffee drinker. Is there an acceptable way to prepare ground roast coffee on Shabbos? How about ground roast Turkish coffee?

Thank you.

RS

Monsey, NY

Ever since the 1773 Boston Tea Party – when many Americans switched to coffee, as drinking tea seemed unpatriotic – Americans have been serious coffee drinkers.

For Jews this presents a serious problem on Shabbos, in terms of both issues of cooking and electric timers.

As for cooking, I will try to explain the complicated issues involved with great brevity. While ‘cooking’ raw items in a kli sheni is technically often allowed, due to the exceptions mentioned in the gemara – specifically toward items that cook easily (kalei habishul) – we generally consider all raw food forbidden to place in even a kli sheni.

However, instant and regular coffee (as well as Turkish) have been pre-cooked. All are roasted and then either ground and shipped (regular brewing coffee and Turkish) or, in the case of instant, roasted, ground, brewed into large vats of drinkable coffee and then condensed into a thick liquid concentrate which is then freeze-dried.

Therefore, regarding instant, since it was once cooked technically it can be placed into a cup that is then filled directly from the urn. However, practically, it is advised that one first fill the cup with hot water and then place the instant coffee inside. This is due to the fact that instant coffee melts which therefore may give it the status of a liquid that mustn’t ever be heated in a kli rishon even if cooked before.

As for brewing coffee on Shabbos, even though the beans have once been roasted, to cook them again in water is a serious concern due to the problem of reheating a pre-cooked item with a different mode than it was originally cooked with (as well as other issues).

Turkish coffee is often ground so finely that while not technically ‘instant’ can still be added directly to hot water. However due again to cooking in water an already roasted item, this too should be avoided on Shabbos.

These issues are not a concern for instant for as explained above it is brewed with water in the factory.

What about brewing coffee with a timer? As I explained in-depth in my article about the ‘Kosher’-Switch, the opinion of many rabbanim (including myself) is that timers should not be used on Shabbos save for lights, air-conditioners and those things where its use has already been accepted. One’s rav should be consulted. For those readers who cannot take the taste of instant coffee (like me!), do what I do: brew a coffee before Shabbos and then on Shabbos morning add ice and milk for a delicious and awakening brew! (one should soeak to their rav regarding drinking items that are very flavorful before davening)