Coffee Roasters in Lebanon: Specialty Beans and Arabic Coffee

For decades Lebanese coffee meant cardamom-spiced Arabic coffee or instant Nescafé. The past 10 years brought a wave of specialty roasters — small operations roasting weekly batches and selling whole bean or freshly ground at the door.

Reading a coffee bag

• Origin: single-origin (one farm/region) vs blend (multiple).
• Process: washed (clean, bright), natural (fruity), honey (between).
• Variety: Arabica is dominant for specialty; Robusta common in Arabic coffee.
• Roast date: rest 5–14 days; best window is 1–6 weeks after roast.

Brewing at home

• Espresso: 18 g in, 36 g out in 25–30 seconds for a classic ratio.
• V60/pour-over: 15 g coffee, 250 g water, 92 °C, 3 minutes.
• French press: 30 g coffee per 500 ml water, 4-minute steep.
• Arabic (rakwe): 1 tsp coffee + 1 tsp sugar + 1 cup water; boil twice.

Buying tips

• Buy whole beans and grind just before brewing for maximum aroma.
• Match the grind to the method — espresso fine, French press coarse.
• Store beans in an airtight container away from sunlight, not in the fridge.
• For Arabic coffee, lighter blends with more cardamom are popular for weddings.