Halacha: What Blessing Is Said Over Coffee?

For the coffee, we say Shehakol (the initial blessing)

At the end of consumption, we say Borei Nefashot (the concluding blessing)

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Amount to eat to be obligated in a concluding blessing (from "Daily Halacha" by the teachings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of blessed memory):

For anything a person eats, he must say an "initial blessing", such as "Shehakol" or "Ha'etz". Even if he does not eat much of it, he is obligated to make a blessing, as long as he intends to eat it for eating's sake. (However, if he just tastes it to fix it by adding spices, etc., he does not make a blessing for this tasting at all). Therefore, someone who chews gum with flavor, even if he swallows very little of it, still must bless for enjoying the flavor of the gum. Similarly, a person coming to drink something must bless it even if he only intends to drink a drop of it.

However, all this concerns the initial blessing, but for the concluding blessing, one blesses only when he has eaten an "important amount" of food, defined as the size of an olive, which is twenty-seven grams, and for drinking, the amount is "Revi'it", which is eighty-one grams.

In addition, the eating or drinking must be within a timeframe that allows the portions to combine. For if a person eats an olive-sized amount of bread over an entire day, crumb by crumb, he certainly cannot say the Grace After Meals. Instead, the consumption must occur within the timeframe known as "Achilat Peras", and there is a dispute among halachic authorities on this timeframe, with some stating it is five minutes and others saying it is about seven and a half minutes (and additional opinions exist). Therefore, it is advisable always to eat an olive-sized portion (especially during Shabbat meals) within four and a half minutes to fulfill all opinions.

Regarding a concluding blessing for a drink, one must consume a Revi'it of the beverage (eighty-one grams) in one go, for if he pauses between sips, he does not bless a concluding blessing at all. Therefore, someone who eats soup with a spoon does not bless a concluding blessing for drinking the soup, as he has not drunk a Revi'it at once, and similarly, someone who drinks hot coffee or tea does not make a concluding blessing, as he cannot drink it in one go.