06 Sep Ready to Boost Your Coffee IQ?
We love to talk about our favorite drink – coffee! Not only has coffee become a staple of excellency (both hot and cold) in our daily lives, but it has also been called a few different names. Start raising your coffee IQ immediately by learning some:
- Gahwah – Started around 1582 in Yemen.
- Kahvah -Turkish
- Koffie – Dutch
It doesn’t matter what it’s called. It is the third most consumed beverage after water and tea. Coffee is 98% water, and we also love our tea so it’s a win-win.
We must spill the beans though. Coffee beans are not beans. They are actually seeds. Seeds are inside the cherries that grow on the coffee plants. Typically, there are 2 seeds in every cherry. However, about 5% – 10% of cherries only have one seed. These are called Peaberries. They are often sold separately as they are sweeter.
Coffee info overload? Let’s add some Coffee IQ fun facts:
- A good harvester can pick 100 – 200 pounds of coffee cherries every day, which equals 20 – 40 pounds of coffee seeds.
- The average time from flowering to harvesting is approximately nine months.
- Bees love coffee as well!!! Honey Bees feed on the nectar of the flowers and ingest the same caffeine we do. This creates quite a buzz!
- Kopi luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world. It can command up to $600 per pound or $100 per cup. It’s also known as “cat poop coffee.” We’ll let you look that one up.
- The American Cup Measurement for a cup of coffee is six ounces. The Guinness world record for the largest cup of coffee happened in Guanajuato, Mexico, on December 10, 2022. It contained 7,116.59 gallons. Just hook me up with an IV please.
Top Coffee Types
The two most important varieties of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Approximately 60% of coffee produced is Arabica. It has higher quality flavors and aromas. Robusta coffee is more earthy, bitter and has more caffeine content. It is easier to grow and therefore a cheaper coffee bean. Most commercial grade products use Robusta. Each grows in different climates. Arabica in higher altitudes with lower temperatures, with Robusta in a lower altitude with higher temperatures. We prefer Arabica every day of the week.
There is so much to coffee, and we just got started. What is coffee, where it comes from, and fun facts are just the start for boosting your coffee IQ. We are going to bring you so much more. What is the best equipment for your breakroom (maybe more than one type is needed). Should you have seeds (not beans, remember?), pods, single serve or filtered frac packs? Our Authorized Providers cover all coffees and what would be the best fit. Let’s make sure that your water has the right filtration as coffee is 98% water (I think that we are being redundant).
Celebrate Your Coffee IQ
Coffee is so great; we get to celebrate it on two different days each year. The US and Canada celebrate on September 29, while International Coffee Day is October 1. Drink responsibly and have fun on both days! If you want more help boosting your coffee IQ or creating the perfect coffee experience for your team, get in touch with your friends at Coolbreakrooms.