Coffee Culture
Latest articles, industry insights and brewing guides
China’s First Coffee Village in the Remote Mountains
Discover Fuguala, China’s oldest coffee-growing village, home to 13 acres of century-old Typica trees planted in 1892 by French missionaries.
The History of Coffee Cultivation in Gukeng, Taiwan
Learn how Gukeng, Taiwan became known for its sweet, smooth Arabica coffee with unique local flavor, and why it’s called 'the homeland of Taiwanese coffee.'
Vienna’s Classic Coffeehouses & Specialty Coffee Culture
Explore Vienna’s iconic historic cafés like Café Central and Café Sacher, where specialty coffee culture thrives amid imperial history.
How an Irish Bartender Invented Irish Coffee After a Chance Romance
An Irish bartender created Irish Coffee in 1942 to impress an air hostess he loved—she discovered it a year later. Here’s the full story.
How Irish Coffee Was Born from Longing
Discover the true origins of Irish Coffee: a cocktail of Irish whiskey, hot coffee, and cream invented to warm lonely travelers.
How One Man Fathered Central America’s Typica Coffee Trees
Learn how French naval officer Gabriel de Clieu smuggled a single coffee tree to the Americas in 1723, sparking Central America’s coffee boom.
Why France Struggled to Build a Coffee Industry
King Louis XIV and XV tried to cultivate coffee in France and its colonies—but harsh climates, disease, and failed transplants kept it from taking root.
Napoleon’s Coffee Ritual and the Turkish Grinder Legend
Napoleon loved coffee so much he mortgaged his military cap for a cup. Discover his secret brewing method and the grinder that bears his name.
How Coffee Fueled the French Revolution
Coffee and Parisian cafés helped spark the French Revolution—find out how revolutionaries like Danton and Voltaire used caffeine to fuel resistance.
How Enlightenment Ideas Traveled from Parisian Cafés to America
Learn how French Enlightenment thinkers used Paris’s Café Procope to draft major works—and how U.S. founders later carried those ideas home.
How Paris' Oldest Café Became a French Cultural Icon
Founded in 1686, Le Procope is Europe’s oldest continuously operating café, a hub for Enlightenment thinkers and revolutionaries.
How Italian Culture Shaped French Coffee Tradition
French coffee culture took root via southern ports, decades after Italy. Learn how Marseille and Lyon sparked France’s early coffee trade—despite Parisian resistance.
From Cowboy Coffee to Specialty: The American Coffee Journey
How America went from boiling cowboy coffee to launching the global specialty coffee movement, starting with Peet’s in 1966.
How Many Coffee Beans Did Beethoven Use Per Cup?
German composer Beethoven insisted on using exactly 60 coffee beans per cup—about 9 grams—for his daily brew. Here’s the math and music history behind it.
Germany’s 1777 Coffee Ban: Frederick the Great’s Failed Beer Push
In 1777, Frederick the Great tried to ban coffee in Germany to protect beer. Here’s why it failed—and how coffee still won.
How Coffee Reached Germany in 1670 and Took Hold
Coffee arrived in Germany in 1670—decades after Italy and France—and quickly spread despite royal resistance. Here’s how it became a national staple.
How Saint Helena Coffee Got Famous Through Napoleon’s Praise
Saint Helena coffee rose to fame after Napoleon praised it as 'the only good thing' on the island. Learn the history and why it became a sought-after single origin.
Napoleon’s Exile and Saint Helena’s Historic Coffee
Discover how Napoleon drank his coffee during exile on Saint Helena, where British-planted Mocha trees thrived despite harsh conditions.
Napoleon’s Favorite Coffee and Saint Helena’s Legendary Beans
Discover how Saint Helena coffee became famous through Napoleon’s exile, and why it’s now one of the rarest and priciest coffees in the world.
How Saint Helena’s Green-Tipped Bourbon Coffee Began
In 1732, Britain planted Yemeni Bourbon seeds on Saint Helena. Neglected, they survived—and became Napoleon’s favorite. Today, it’s one of the rarest specialty coffees.