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  Coffee Facts

Coffee is a widely consumed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds—commonly called the beans—of the coffee plant. Coffee was first consumed as early as the 9th century, when it appeared in the highlands of Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the fifteenth century had reached Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. From the Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe and to the Americas. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages world-wide.

The two most commonly grown species of the coffee plant are C. canephora and C. arabica, which are cultivated in Latin America, South-east Asia, and Africa. Coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are roasted at temperatures around 200°C (392°F), during which the sugars in the bean caramelize, the bean changes color, and flavor develops. The beans are roasted to a light, medium, or dark brown color, depending on the desired flavor. Then, the roasted beans are ground up and brewed in order to create the beverage coffee.

Coffee has played an important role in many societies

throughout history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used in religious ceremonies. In the 17th century, it was banned in Ottoman Turkey. In Europe, it was once associated with rebellious political activities. Today, the trade of coffee has a large economic impact. Coffee is one of the world's most important primary commodities, as it is a popular beverage world wide; in 2003, coffee was the world's sixth largest legal agricultural export in value. 6.7 million tons of coffee were produced annually from 1998–2000, and it is predicted that by 2010, production will rise to 7 million tons annually.

The health effects of coffee are controversial, and many studies have been performed on the relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions. Studies have suggested that the consumption of coffee lowers the risk of certain diseases, but it may have negative effects as well, especially when it is excessive.

Coffee Etymology
The English word coffee first came into use in the early to mid 1600s, but early forms date back to the last decade of the 1500s. It comes from the Italian caffè and the French, Portuguese and Spanish café. These, in turn, were borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish kahveh, borrowed from the Arabic qahhwa.

Perfectly brewed coffee is about 98.76% water, and 1.24% solids of coffee.
For best coffee brewing results, always brew a pot of coffee to its fullest capacity.
For best brewing results, spread the coffee grounds evenly in the filter basket.
Coffee should never be held in an open container for longer than a half hour.
Coffee in a clean, pre-heated thermal server can still taste great for two hours or more.
Green coffee beans nearly double in size during roasting, but shrink 16% by weight.
Aa coffee tree usually produces only around one pound of coffee beans in a year.
Did you know that it takes five years for a coffee tree to come into full bearing?
The higher in altitude that coffee grows, the finer the cup quality.
Acidity in coffee commands a premium price, because it provides brightness.
The darker the coffee beans are roasted, the darker the resulting coffee brew in color.
The finer the coffee is ground, the stronger the coffee will be, all other things being equal. But coffee ground too fine can be over-extracted, tasting bitter.
The weight of coffee used determines its strength. Normally, the better the weight, the better the brew, and the better the aroma while brewing.
Fresh, hot water, in fusion with the coffee, should be over 195º Fahrenheit for optimum brewing.
The longer the brewing time, the stronger the brew, all other things being equal.
Coffee under 130 degrees Fahrenheit tastes better and won't burn you taste buds.
Coffee is great for your diet! It has no calories!
Coffee is great as a mild diuretic.
Coffee contains B-complex vitamins and no fat.
Coffee is renowned as a mild body regulator.
Coffee is produced in around 50 countries, most of which are in the "Third World."
All coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator, from the Tropic of Cancer on the north, to the Tropic of Capricorn to the south.
The 3,600 beans on a coffee tree that go into making one pound of coffee have to be picked by labor that may average only a dollar a day.
The finest coffee is of the Arabica species. Brazil and Colombia grows over 72% of the worlds supply of Arabica coffee beans.
Countries straddling the equator, like Colombia, harvest more than one crop per year.
The jasmine-like, beautiful aroma of coffee flowers, carried by an off-shore breeze, can be smelled far out to sea as you approach a coffee port.
Every pound of coffee contains around 5 and 3/4 ounces of coffee oil, called "soluble solids" of coffee. Only around 68% of that oil should be extracted. The rest is bitter.
Do not re-heat brewed coffee. It is never so delicious as when it is freshly made.
Coffee is the world's most inexpensive luxury.
Coffee gently stimulates the nervous system - getting us up for another great day!
Coffee may be mildly habit forming - but what a beautiful habit!
Did you know there are around 3,600 coffee beans in one pound of coffee?
Canadian coffee lovers average about 13 pounds of coffee per person per year!
Did you know coffee cherries are crimson red, and are delicious as a fruit? But they can't be sold as fruit, for they quickly deteriorate after picking.
Coffee is the only product wherein the fruit is discarded, and we consume the seeds, which are the coffee beans.
Did you know there are normally two coffee beans facing each other in a coffee in a coffee cherry? When there is only one, it is called a pea berry.
Crimson, ripe cherries are picked by hand and processed by a "washed" method in the best coffee countries. They are allowed to dry right on the trees in others.
Coffee trees are actually bushes that have a life of around 22 to 27 years, and can grow to over 25 feet in height.
Coffee is best grown on volcanic mountain sides, at elevations of over 1,600 meters.
Coffee is the largest commodity in world trade, after petroleum.
Coffee provides a living for millions of people in the poorer, "Third World."
The dried pulp form coffee cherries is often used as fuel for the heat needed to dry the green coffee beans to their required eleven to twelve percent moisture content.
Green coffee is roasted to between 405 to 455 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the coffee type, and the degree of roast coloration desired.
The aroma of coffee is like a flower valley after a spring rain.
Did you know that Canada is among the top world importers of the world's highest grade coffee, right along with Germany and Finland?
Who said Juan Valdez owned a donkey in 1992, then after the high coffee prices following the Brazilian frost of 1993, traded it in on a new Mercedes.
Each pound of coffee properly yields around 52 cups of the delicious brew.
There are three elements to a perfect cup of coffee: good coffee, brewed at full strength, and served quickly.
Non-dairy creamer should be in the cup before the coffee, so coffee will not cool below 160 degrees, where the creamer will not dissolve properly.
Coffee, if it were taxed like wine, would be more expensive than wine, and should be so treated.

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