Greek Frappé
Φραπές
Instant coffee shaken into a standing foam and poured over ice: the drink that defines a Greek summer.
A frappé is instant coffee, a little cold water and sugar, shaken or whipped until it forms a thick pale foam, then poured over ice and topped with cold water and sometimes milk.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 75 mg in one serving (12 oz (355 ml) over ice), a concentration of 21.1 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | Shaker or Handheld Frother |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1 teaspoon instant coffee to about 355 ml drink |
| Dose & yield | 3g → 355g |
| Grind size | Instant |
| Water temperature | 68°F / 20°C |
| Target brew time | 0:30 shaking |
| Serving | 12 oz (355 ml) over ice |
What you need
- 1 heaped teaspoon (about 2.5 g) instant coffee
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, to taste (about 2 for a medium frappé)
- 30 ml cold water for the foam
- Ice cubes
- About 200 ml cold water or milk to top up
Required gear
- Cocktail shaker or tall jar with a lid, or a handheld frother
- Tall glass
- Drinking straw
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Put the instant coffee, the sugar and 30 ml of cold water into a shaker or a tall jar.
- 0:15Shake hard for 30 seconds, or whisk with a handheld frother, until a thick, pale foam forms.
- 0:45Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the foam, and top up with cold water or milk to about 355 ml.
- 1:00Serve with a straw, and sip slowly.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 75 mg for a 12 oz frappé made with one heaped teaspoon of instant coffee. Instant coffee carries about 30 to 60 mg of caffeine per teaspoon, and brands differ, so a frappé made with two teaspoons has more.
Shake hard, sip slowly
The foam is what makes a frappé, so shake or whisk it for a full thirty seconds, until it stands up. Then sip slowly through a straw: the foam keeps, and the drink changes as the ice melts.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A frappé is instant coffee, a little cold water and sugar, shaken or whipped until it forms a thick pale foam, then poured over ice and topped with cold water and sometimes milk. The foam is the point: it lasts, and the drink is meant to be sipped slowly.
Origin & Story
The frappé began with a missing kettle. In September 1957, at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Dimitris Vakondios, a Nescafé representative, wanted a coffee during a break and could not find hot water. So he shook instant coffee with cold water and ice in a shaker, and invented a drink.
It became one of the most popular forms of coffee in Greece and Cyprus, a hallmark of postwar Greek outdoor café life: a tall glass, a straw and a table in the shade.
How you order it matters. Sweetness comes in three levels: sketos, plain, with no sugar; metrios, medium, with about two spoonfuls of sugar; and glykos, sweet, with about four.
The method is simple. Instant coffee, sugar and a splash of cold water go into a shaker, or under a handheld frother, and are shaken or whipped hard until a thick, pale foam forms. The foam is poured into a tall glass over ice, topped up with cold water, and sometimes finished with milk.
For one glass, whisk a heaped teaspoon of instant coffee with one or two teaspoons of sugar and 30 ml of cold water for half a minute, then pour it over ice and top up with cold water or milk to about 355 ml.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 60/100 |
| Acidity | 44/100 |
| Bitterness | 58/100 |
| Body | 46/100 |
| Aroma | 48/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Greek Frappé?
One serving, 12 oz (355 ml) over ice, contains approximately 75 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Greek Frappé?
Instant coffee dissolves in water of almost any temperature, so there is no extraction to get wrong. This drink is made with water at about 20°C (68°F).
How long should Greek Frappé be extracted?
Timing: 0:30 shaking. Method: Shaker or Handheld Frother. Ratio: 1 heaped tsp instant to 30 ml cold water, then topped to 355 ml. Grind or leaf format: Instant.
Why does my Greek Frappé taste bitter?
With instant coffee there is no extraction to shorten, so bitterness comes from using more coffee than the sugar or milk can balance. Use a little less instant coffee, add sugar to taste, or top the drink up with more milk or cold water.
Who invented the frappé?
Dimitris Vakondios, a Nescafé representative, in September 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair. He had no hot water, so he shook instant coffee with cold water and ice.
How sweet is a frappé?
In Greece you order it by sugar: sketos is plain, metrios is medium with about two spoonfuls of sugar, and glykos is sweet with about four.
Who should avoid Greek Frappé?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
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