9 things you didn’t know about coffee

We wake up to it every morning. We consume way too much of it throughout the day, but what do we really know about coffee? Lets start at the beginning.

 

It began with dancing goats

A legend has it that the effects of caffeine were first noticed by Ethiopian shepherds after they noticed their goats going wild after they ate coffee berries.

 

Coffee was a snack before it was a drink

Coffee berries used to be mixed with fat to form little energy balls. We don’t think that’s a bad idea.

 

Coffee isn’t grown anywhere in the United States…

…except Hawaii. Hawaii grows coffee. Go Hawaii!

 

King Charles was not a fan

In 1675. King Charles outlawed coffee houses because he thought they were meeting places for people to conspire against him. Not paranoid at all, Charles…

 

George Washington invented instant coffee

No, not that George Washington. A Belgian man with the same name invented instant coffee in 1906.

 

There are two main types

There’s Robusta coffee, which is bitterer but has more caffeine, and there’s Arabica, which is more popular and milder. Are you a Robusta or Arabica fan?

 

Coffee grows on trees

Imagine having to climb 30 feet for your fix. That’s how tall these trees could potentially grow up to! Not to worry though, most of them stay around 10 feet tall to make our lives easier.

 

Espresso is not a type of coffee itself

Espresso is just the way the coffee is made. To make espresso, you shoot really hot, super pressurized water through finely ground beans. Also, it’s ESpresso not EXpresso.

 

World War II deserves credit for the phrase “cup of Joe”

Soldiers in WWII (aka G.I. Joes) were seen to be big coffee drinkers, so the phrase “cup of Joe” was born.

 

The term “Americano” also comes from WWII

America soldiers used to dilute their espresso with hot water to tame the strength of the drink. Now we have Café Americano.

 

So come to the Bagel Bakery and check out our great freshly brewed coffee.