Famous Coffee Drinkers and Their Legendary Habits

Ever wondered how your morning cup compares to what geniuses and war heroes drank? From 18th-century philosophers knocking back 50 cups a day to kings brewing coffee with champagne, history’s most interesting minds didn’t just drink coffee—they built routines, myths, and even musical comedies around it.

Nearly a dozen notable figures—including German composer J.S. Bach, French writer Honoré de Balzac, and U.S. General Ulysses Grant—are known for their intense, often strange relationships with coffee. Some drank it for energy, others for inspiration, and a few even wrote songs warning against it.

Why Did So Many Famous People Drink Coffee?

Coffee wasn’t just a drink for many historical figures—it was fuel, a muse, or even a vice. Whether for mental clarity, physical stamina, or social rebellion, coffee played a powerful role in their daily lives. Here’s what some of history’s biggest names really thought of it.

J.S. Bach: The Composer Who Warned Against Coffee

German composer Johann Sebastian Bach loved coffee—but also wrote a comic opera mocking it. In his one-act musical The Coffee Cantata, an aging father tries to get his daughter to quit drinking coffee. Ironically, Bach himself was a fan and encouraged others to drink it. The cantata tells the story of a father struggling to break his daughter’s three-cups-a-day habit.

Honoré de Balzac: Caffeine and Creativity

French writer Honoré de Balzac consumed an extreme amount of coffee to fuel his writing. He slept from 6 p.m. to midnight, then wrote non-stop for 12 hours—with constant coffee intake. “As soon as coffee is in my stomach,” he wrote, “my whole body gets in motion… as if an army were preparing for battle.” He believed it directly powered his creative output.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Coffee for Strength

French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte described coffee’s effect as giving him both warmth and “extraordinary strength.” He said, “A strong dose of coffee makes me feel lively and gives me a sense of well-being.” For Napoleon, coffee wasn’t just routine—it was essential to his physical and mental endurance.

Frederick the Great: Champagne in Your Coffee?

Prussian King Frederick II had an unusual coffee habit—he drank it mixed with champagne instead of water. While most enjoyed their coffee black or with milk, Frederick preferred this aristocratic blend, making his coffee ritual uniquely lavish.

Ulysses S. Grant: Coffee With Breakfast

American General Ulysses S. Grant started his day with fresh vinegar and cucumber, followed by a large cup of strong black coffee. This was part of his daily breakfast routine throughout his military career.

Immanuel Kant: A Late Coffee Bloom

German philosopher Immanuel Kant didn’t care much for coffee earlier in life, but developed a strong attachment to it in his later years. His late-life appreciation turned coffee into a daily staple.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Favorite Drink?

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Voltaire: Up to 50 Cups a Day

French philosopher Voltaire drank coffee throughout his life, reportedly consuming as many as 50 cups per day. When told it was a slow poison, he famously replied, “I’ve been drinking it for 65 years and I’m still alive”—and he lived to be 84.

Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle: Lived to 100

French Enlightenment thinker Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, who lived to 100, credited coffee for his longevity. When a neighbor joked that death must have forgotten them, he quipped, “Let’s keep it that way.”

Louis XV: The Royal Roaster

King Louis XV of France loved coffee so much that he grew his own trees in the palace gardens. His yearly harvest yielded six pounds of beans, which he roasted and brewed himself for personal enjoyment.

The Anti-Coffee Campaigns

Not everyone loved coffee. In 1524, religious authorities in Mecca banned coffeehouses to prevent public unrest. In 1570, Sultan Murad III of the Ottoman Empire equated coffee drinking with alcohol and shut down Constantinople’s coffeehouses. Even in the 18th century, Swiss King Gustav III considered coffee a narcotic and issued repeated bans against it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Voltaire really drink 50 cups of coffee a day?

Yes, according to the article, French philosopher Voltaire drank as many as 50 cups of coffee daily. Despite claims that coffee was a slow poison, he lived to 84 after drinking it for 65 years.

What did Balzac say about coffee and writing?

French writer Honoré de Balzac claimed that coffee fueled his creativity. He worked from midnight to noon with constant coffee intake, stating that once it entered his stomach, “my whole body gets in motion… as if an army were preparing for battle.”

Why did Napoleon say coffee gave him strength?

Napoleon Bonaparte described coffee as providing both warmth and “extraordinary strength.” He relied on it for both physical energy and mental clarity during his military and political career.

What was Frederick the Great’s unusual coffee habit?

Prussian King Frederick II drank coffee mixed with champagne instead of water, a luxury habit that set his coffee routine apart from more common preparations.

Did King Louis XV roast his own coffee?

Yes, French King Louis XV grew coffee trees in his palace garden, harvested six pounds of beans per year, and personally roasted and brewed them for his own enjoyment.

Were there historical bans on coffee?

Yes, Mecca banned coffeehouses in 1524 to prevent unrest, and the Ottoman Empire shut down coffeehouses in 1570 under Sultan Murad III. Later, Swiss King Gustav III also tried to ban coffee in the 18th century.

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