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Marc
June 9, 2024
What about stirring the instant coffee once when using this method , is that allowed after you pour over? Reply
Yakov
Chicago
June 7, 2024
AFAIK, this article is giving two different opinions on what is necessary to make coffee.
The first is that water from a kli sheini cannot come into contact with anything that could be cooked by it - You have to use a kli shishi. The second is that you can pour into a kli shishi from a kli sheini that already has something in it that can cook. The second example of pouring over the coffee grounds is cooking by pouring from a kli sheini into a kli shlshi. I believe that the second example would be assur using the first opinion. Otherwise, the first opinion should say that you could put your coffee into the kli shlishi before you add the water.
Reply
Y. Glassner
Montreal
June 21, 2024
in response to Yakov:
Pouring from a kli sheini is equivalent to a kli shlishi Reply
Julieanne
Missouri
June 7, 2024
Isn't it a requirement to dump out all of the unused pre-boiled Shabbat coffee and tea when Shabbat ends? You would have to make fresh coffee and tea, no? Reply
DAVID J JAMES
Swidnica
June 7, 2024
How about a thermos flask made before sun down? Reply
John F. Weston
Sacramento
June 7, 2024
in response to DAVID J JAMES:
The Stanley Classic Thermos, with a starting temp of 200° will still be 177° in 8 hours and 137° after 24hrs. Problem solved. Reply
DAVID J JAMES
Swidnica
June 10, 2024
in response to John F. Weston:
I also swear by Stanley, but the exact swear words I use cannot be repeated on a religious site. Reply
Avraham Sonenthal
BALTIMORE
June 7, 2024
I don't think you can cook instant coffee. With tea, you pour the hot water directly on the leaves, so its a type of cooking. But with instant coffee, the beans are roasted, then ground up, then brewed into coffee, then freeze dried. Since you can't "cook after cooking" for something dry, don't think using a secondary cup applies. Reply
Karen
NYC
June 9, 2024
in response to Avraham Sonenthal:
I'd have to agree. Instant coffee powder or granules, once you add water, is reconstituted not brewed. Adding pre-heated water should be just fine. Reply
Yakov
Skokie
June 21, 2024
in response to Avraham Sonenthal:
Generally speaking, reheating is prohibited derabbanan. There is also a concern as to what people will add to the coffee that will actually cook deoraita. Reply
Avraham Sonenthal
BALTIMORE
June 25, 2024
in response to Yakov:
If reheating was prohibited there would be no such thing as a blech (matechet). Reply
Avraham Sonenthal
BALTIMORE
June 25, 2024
in response to Yakov:
Also I have to say this: there is no reheating for non liquids. Freeze dried coffee is a non liquid. Reply
J. Gagnon
June 7, 2024
Get one you can program. Then the percolator starts on its own.
Load it and forget it. Coffee made from a commercially available coffee maker, does not boil.
This would fall under the elevator rule. Where it is otherwise not permitted to use an elevator on Shabbat but one that self-operates and stops at every floor is permitted; subways would also be permitted if within tolerated limits. In this case, the elevator is programmed on a timer; same with the programmable percolator.
Reply
Mo
R
February 15, 2026
in response to J. Gagnon:
No. It's not comparable. It's more complicated since there' an additional prohibition of Bishul-cooking. Reply
CS Odeen
MELROSE
June 6, 2024
What about the use of a pre-installed "Insty-Hot?" It's a under-countertop reservoir that maintains water temperature at just about the boiling point, and holds 1 gallon; the faucet is installed on the counter top, just like a sink faucet, with a lever to dispense. I admit, I've used this for coffee, instant mashed potatoes, ramen for the children or other things that do require boiling water, but this is already pre-heated and there is no cooking involved (i.e., the children may do this themselves and love it for hot cocoa...). Reply
rachel barrett
Everett Wa
June 6, 2024
Ice tea works better if I unscrew the light bulb in the ref. Reply
AnInsight
June 6, 2024
If avoiding "cooking" on Shabbos is the goal, why not make sufficient (instant) coffee the day before, and put the fully prepared coffee in a crock-pot especially reserved for the purpose, set on low, no different than cholent?
(There are nice, inexpensive 4 qt. "Crock-Pots" available.)
If you add cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg there is no need for sugar, nor cream, and it should not take on an "old" coffee odor, nor taste, nor smell particularly coffee-ish throughout the day; but, rather nicely, gently aromatic of the spices.
It also will be healthier.
You'll just need to ladle it into cups.
Be well.
Reply
Norma
June 6, 2024
Pour-over coffee doesn’t really work- it doesn’t taste as good when the water isn’t boiling hot. Better use instant coffee for Shabbat, pour the water from the urn in an empty cup first for it to lose some of the heat and then in your coffee cup from there. Reply
CS Odeen
MELROSE
June 6, 2024
in response to Norma:
I had to chuckle... Instant coffee never tastes as good... but our water heater is set at something like 120-130 degrees. Water out of the faucet is plenty hot! lol Reply
Karen
NYC
June 9, 2024
in response to Norma:
Not true. People who use Chemexes swear that they're the best way to brew coffee and I believe the water temperature is supposed to be below boiling. They've been around for 80+ years, so they must be doing something right. The only thing you'd have to be careful about is not to rip the paper filters. Reply
Julieanne
Missouri
June 5, 2024
I wondered about cold brew. Some coffee brand have coffee in little bags like tea bags, which makes it easy to seep out overnight and since it hasn't been boiled it won't be as bitter. Reply
Karen
NYC
June 7, 2024
in response to Julieanne:
I'm something of a tea connoisseur and I can tell you that cold-brewed tea is not only delicious but contains less caffeine because of the lack of heat. (Disclaimer: for whatever reason, caffeine doesn't seem to affect me.) I can't stand coffee but I've read that for those who like it, cold-brewed actually tastes better than other brewing methods (as you mentioned, less bitter) and might have less caffeine. Reply
Diane Gerber
Arcadia
June 5, 2024
What if a person were to make a liquid concentrated coffee "essence" in advance, then simply pour the hot water over it? Reply
Chava
Missoula MT
June 5, 2024
in response to Diane Gerber:
We make bialetti espresso before shabbos and on shabbos turn it into an americano by adding it to the 2nd cup of hot water from the water urn. Reply
Yerachmiel Glassner
Montreal
June 9, 2024
in response to Diane Gerber:
According to Ashkenazi tradition there is cooking after cooking in regards to liquids, so the correct way is to take water from the urn in a second cup and you can add your liquid coffee into that cup as liquids cannot cook in a secondary cup. If using actual coffee grinds and using a pour over filter then the water from the second cup should be used to pour over where a third cup is actually the receiving the drip coffee Reply
Brian
Atlanta, GA
June 5, 2024
I think it is also allowed to prepare cold brew before Shabbat as the coffee will be ready to drink (although it won't be hot). Is that correct? Reply
Chava
Missoula MT
June 5, 2024
in response to Brian:
We keep a jar of cold coffee in the fridge to make iced coffee in the warmer months that requires no cooking on Shabbos. Just add the ice to the liquids not the other way around. Reply
Karen
NYC
June 7, 2024
in response to Chava :
You could freeze coffee into cubes, too--no dilution when it's time to enjoy your coffee. Reply
I'm not Jewish, and I'm not a coffee expert, but I like the idea that if I could find a way to make Jews more Jewish, I want to help. Since it is super hot here in the northern hemisphere, I attempted to make sun coffee with the coffee that comes in bags and putting them in Mason jars along with water and I put them out 11am Friday, then in the evening I transferred the jars into the steaming hot closed up garage, but if you don't have a garage I think you could build a simple greenhouse box. It was a bit warmer than lukewarm and tasted a bit stronger than an ice coffee method. But definitely not hot enough for those that like it steaming hot.
Where are you in thw Nothern Hemisphere? Death Valley?
I'm in Northern Missouri, and yes, people in Death Valley would definitely achieve hotter coffee than mine. I'm not very smart nor witty, so if there is a person who is an expert at making the coffee hotter with mirrors, and some sort of frame with thick plastic, I would probably try to do it myself. I didn't make good grades in science, yet I love experiments and challenges. Thank you, sir, for your input.