10 things you probably didn't know about coffee
Here at Foxsoft we do our part in persisting the stereotypical role of IT and our excessive coffee drinking, though Hugh is more partial to a strong cup of tea. But here’s 10 things you probably didn’t know about the black gold.
Coffee grows on trees, they can grow up to around 9 metres tall, but are cultivated to be about 3 metres so they’re easier to harvest.
Image courtesey of harryalverson
The beans are actually the seeds inside a bright red berry. They’re picked and dried then stripped until you’re left with a green bean.
The beans are typically roasted at temperatures ranging between 188 and 282 degrees Celsius for between 3 and 30 minutes.
It’s thought that an Ethiopian shepherd called Kaldi was the first to notice the effects of caffeine when he saw his goats “dancing” after eating coffee berries.
African tribes mixed these coffee berries with fat and ate them.
The area between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn is known as the bean belt. This is where all the coffee in the world is grown.
The rise of Islam helped popularise coffee. Alcohol was prohibited but coffee was considered acceptable.
In 1675 King Charles II banned coffee houses; he said they were places where people met to plot against him.
There are two primary categories of coffee, Arabica and Robusta. About 70% of the world uses Arabica, whilst the rest drink Robusta. Arabica beans are mild and aromatic. Robusta has a more bitter taste and has 50% more caffeine then Arabica.
Instant coffee was invented by George Washington in 1906 while he was living in Guatemala. No, not that George Washington. He was a Belgian-born Brit who had emigrated to America and was trying his hand at cattle ranching in Guatemala.
The ”Americano” comes from American GIs during World War II. They ordered espresso with water because the flavour was too strong.
And if you’re feeling generous, mine’s a bag of Weasel Puke Coffee