Coffee Culture
Latest articles, industry insights and brewing guides
How Gabriel de Clieu Smuggled Coffee to Martinique in 1720
In 1720, French naval officer Gabriel de Clieu smuggled a single coffee seedling from Paris to Martinique, overcoming pirates, storms, and sabotage to establish the Caribbean’s first successful coffee plantation.
Why France Failed to Build a Coffee Industry
Louis XIV and XV tried to cultivate coffee in France and its colonies—but climate, disease, and transport foiled every attempt.
Napoleon’s Coffee Ritual and the Hand Grinder Legend
How Napoleon brewed his signature caramelized brandy coffee, and why his Turkish hand mill became a coffee icon.
How Coffee Fueled the French Revolution
French revolutionaries like Danton and Marat drank coffee at Paris cafés to fuel speeches and strategy before storming the Bastille.
How Paris’s Café Procope Brought Enlightenment to America
The Enlightenment ideas behind the US Constitution and French Revolution were debated over coffee at Paris’s historic Café Procope.
How Paris’s Oldest Café Became a Coffee & Revolution Hub
Opened in 1686, Le Procope is Paris’s oldest café, once a hub for intellectuals and a catalyst for the French Revolution.
How Italy Shaped France’s Early Coffee Culture
France’s coffee craze began in southern cities like Marseille, decades after Italy. Learn how Italian merchants and Ottoman diplomacy sparked French café culture.
How America Went from Cowboy Coffee to Specialty
From gritty cowboy brews to depth-roasted Peet’s, see how the U.S. transformed its coffee culture over 150 years.
Beethoven’s Coffee Ritual: 60 Beans Per Cup
German composer Beethoven insisted on exactly 60 coffee beans per cup — about 9g — and found inspiration in coffeehouses, as did Strauss with 'The Blue Danube.'
Frederick the Great’s Failed 1777 Coffee Ban in Germany
In 1777, Frederick the Great tried to ban coffee in Germany to protect beer profits. Here’s why it failed and what really happened.
When Coffee First Came to Germany in 1670
Coffee reached Germany in 1670—decades after Italy, Britain, and France. Here’s how it spread, faced royal resistance, and sparked a cultural revolution.
Why Saint Helena Coffee Quality Varies So Much
Saint Helena coffee quality fluctuates yearly due to climate and elevation. Good vintages taste like Yirgacheffe but with less acidity.
How Napoleon Helped Make St. Helena Coffee Famous
Learn how Napoleon Bonaparte’s exile on St. Helena turned the island’s coffee into a sought-after single origin through his legendary praise.
Napoleon’s Exile and the Forgotten Coffee of St. Helena
How a 1732 British East India Company coffee planting endured on St. Helena — and became part of Napoleon’s daily exile ritual.
How Britain Accidentally Grew St. Helena Coffee
In 1732, British planters introduced Bourbon coffee to St. Helena—later made famous when Napoleon was exiled there in 1815.
Napoleon’s Favorite Coffee: Saint Helena Single Origin
Saint Helena coffee, linked to Napoleon’s exile, is one of the rarest and priciest beans—just 2–12 tons per year, selling for $55/lb.
The Origins of Saint Helena’s Green-Tipped Bourbon
Learn how British efforts to rival Dutch coffee success led to Saint Helena’s unique Bourbon coffee, surviving harsh conditions since 1732.
How London’s Stock Exchange Began in Coffee Shops
Two historic London coffeehouses—Lloyd's and Jonathan's—became the foundations of global maritime insurance and modern stock trading.
How British Coffeehouses Became the Birthplace of Enterprise
Seventeenth-century British coffeehouses served as early hubs for learning, debate, and business—laying the foundation for modern companies like Lloyd’s of London.
How London’s 1675 Coffeehouse Ban Was Overturned
In 1675, King Charles II tried to ban London coffeehouses over political talk. Public backlash forced him to reverse the ban in just 11 days.