4 Forgotten Coffee Stories You’ve Probably Never Heard

You’ve heard about single origins and light roasts—but what about coffee you can bathe in? Or the pope who saved coffee from being banned? Specialty coffee lovers crave deeper stories, not just brewing specs. Here are four bizarre, true tales from coffee’s past you’ve likely never come across—each with exact details preserved.

Quick answer: Japan offers a real coffee spa experience (2,800 yen per soak), a pope once declared coffee divine after tasting it, coffee dishes were designed to cool your cup, and an American chemist—not the U.S. president—commercialised early instant coffee during WWI.

Japan’s Real Coffee Spa Experience

Nestled in Hakone, Japan, a specialist spa resort lets visitors indulge in coffee baths among other viscous immersions—including wine, chocolate, and green tea. For just 2,800 Japanese yen, guests can pour coffee over themselves. Right next door is a ramen bath where you can literally swim in noodles.

The Pope Who Tasted—and Blessed—Coffee

Historical accuracy is shaky, but the tale persists: religious extremists once tried to ban coffee, claiming it was the devil’s drink. According to travel writer and academic Frances Hayes in her book A Year in the World, a pope—possibly Clement VII or Clement VIII—took a sip, loved the flavour, and declared it a blessed beverage. That papal approval helped coffee spread even further. The pope’s identity remains debated, but the story underlines coffee’s controversial early reputation.

Why Coffee Dishes Were Made for Cooling

A much-retold (but unconfirmed) story involves Thomas Jefferson asking George Washington why he poured his coffee into the saucer before drinking. Jefferson allegedly replied that his throat wasn’t made of brass—and that saucers were designed precisely to cool the brew. Whether true or not, the function of the coffee saucer as a cooling surface is historically grounded, even if we no longer use them this way.

The Chemist Who Invented Instant Coffee

While Japanese inventor Sartori Kato created the first true instant coffee, large-scale production didn’t begin until 1901. That’s when Chicago chemist George Washington (no relation to the president) developed a commercially viable version. His brand, Red E Coffee, wasn’t a hit with modern palates—but it became a favourite among World War I soldiers. Washington’s innovation marked the start of mass-market instant coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the coffee spa in Japan located?

The coffee spa is in Hakone, a well-known hot spring district in Japan. It is part of a professional spa resort offering various liquid immersion experiences, including coffee, wine, chocolate, and green tea. A single coffee bath session costs 2,800 yen.

Did a pope really bless coffee?

According to travel writer Frances Hayes, a pope—possibly Clement VII or Clement VIII—tasted coffee and declared it blessed after religious groups tried to ban it as the devil’s drink. The historical pope’s identity is uncertain, but the story highlights how coffee once faced moral opposition before gaining acceptance.

Were coffee saucers really used to cool coffee?

Yes. An oft-told story claims Thomas Jefferson asked George Washington why he poured coffee into his saucer. Jefferson said it was to cool the coffee since his throat wasn’t brass. Though apocryphal, the function of the saucer as a cooling surface is historically accurate, even if the exact dialogue is unverified.

Who first invented instant coffee?

Japanese inventor Sartori Kato created the first instant coffee, but it wasn’t produced at scale until 1901. That year, American chemist George Washington developed a commercial process in Chicago and launched the brand Red E Coffee, which was widely used by WWI soldiers.

Is the ramen bath real?

Yes, the same Hakone spa resort that offers a coffee bath also features a ramen bath where visitors can swim in noodles. It’s part of the resort’s range of unusual immersive experiences.

Why isn’t the pope’s name certain in the coffee story?

The story appears in Frances Hayes’ book but does not definitively identify whether the pope was Clement VII or Clement VIII. The account is widely repeated but remains unverified by official church records.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Lovers

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright floral and citrus notes, or their Yirgacheffe for juicy berries and stone fruit. Both showcase the complexity that makes coffee so beloved—and worth bathing in, cooling carefully, or even declaring divine. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.