Black coffee or filter coffee is one of the most popular drinks in Germany. Whether at home, in the office, or in a café: 9 out of 10 adults drink coffee every day, an average of 3 cups a day! In this blog post, we'd like to share 7 interesting facts about black coffee and coffee-based drinks. So let us know if you already knew these or if we surprised you!
#1: The most expensive coffee comes from Thailand!
For a long time, Kopi Luwak was considered the most expensive coffee in the world. Connoisseurs had to pay up to €1,200 for a kilo. This admittedly extremely unethically produced coffee has since been replaced by Black Ivory Coffee as the most expensive, exclusive, and, with an annual production of less than 100 kg, rarest coffee in the world.
At a Thai rescue and care center for approximately 30 elephants, the keepers came up with the idea of mixing coffee cherries into the elephants' food. The digested cherries are sorted by hand from the dung by the elephant handlers, the mahouts, and processed. The resulting coffee is sold almost exclusively to the Anantara hotel chain, is available at only five hotels in the Maldives and Thailand, and costs the equivalent of 40 euros per cup.
This coffee is very, very rarely available in stores. When it is, connoisseurs have to pay over €80 for just 35g (!). That means a kilo costs around €2,300. A truly expensive indulgence. Unfortunately, we've never had the chance to try it and don't yet know its unique flavor.
#2: Not all black coffee is created equal!
In Germany, when we think of black coffee, we usually think of classic filter coffee. But this popular beverage can be enjoyed in many more variations. In France, the French press is preferred; for so-called "Turkish coffee," finely ground coffee is brewed directly with hot water; instant coffee is convenient, especially for those who drink a lot of coffee and aren't too fussy; and in Italy, you have to order an "Americano," which is an espresso with hot water, to get black coffee. As you can see, there are an incredible number of ways to drink your coffee. You should try as many as possible!
#3: October 1st is International Coffee Day!
In 2006, the German Coffee Association introduced "Coffee Day." This is, of course, celebrated together with "International Coffee Day" every year on October 1st. On this day, all coffee lovers, café owners, and coffee roasters are invited to celebrate coffee. Special events, tours, and activities are organized for the occasion. It's a true tribute to coffee.
#4: There are more than 100 different types of coffee!
This fact comes as a bit of a surprise to many, as only two of these over 100 species are primarily used for our coffee: Arabica and Robusta. These two coffee species account for over 99% of the coffee traded worldwide. The remaining one percent consists of Coffea libera, Coffea excelsa, Coffea maragogipe, and Coffea stenophylla.
The coffee varieties are then developed from the different types of coffee beans, influenced by the growing region, soil nutrients, climatic conditions, and processing methods. Particularly well-known varieties include Bourbon, Catimor, Ethiopia, Java, Sidamo, and many more. From these coffee varieties, coffee specialties such as Americano, Cappuccino , and Latte Macchiato can be created. As you know, the beans must then be roasted differently to achieve these specialties.
#5: Only the older generation drinks black coffee?!
Many people are familiar with it: drinking coffee at their grandparents' house, where black filter coffee is served with a splash of milk or cream and a teaspoon of sugar. It sounds a bit old-fashioned. However, black coffee has an enormous importance for the global coffee trade and sales!
Even during the initial discussions about whether a roaster wants to buy coffee from a distributor, the coffee is tasted in its purest form, a process known as cupping. Any addition would distort the flavor! This is crucial in determining whether a roaster will include a green coffee in their portfolio or not. Similarly, coffee associations, such as the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), only taste coffee black and then rate it on a scale of 80-100 (a score below 80 would not classify it as specialty coffee).
The winner of the "Cup of Excellence" is also chosen annually. Various factors are considered in the evaluation, such as coffee variety, transparency, sustainability, and craftsmanship – but the result is also a black coffee.
Coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts have also discovered black coffee and prefer it! They employ almost artistic and ritualistic brewing methods to extract the best flavor from the coffee.
As you can see, no generation can truly escape black coffee.
#6: Drinking coffee is a hobby!
Everyone knows that annoying question: "So, what are your hobbies?" We can help you out, because drinking coffee can be considered a hobby in Germany. Around half of all Germans go to a café at least once a month. Nearly 15% even go two or three times a month.
#7: Black coffee only tastes good hot?!
Perhaps that was true in the past. Today, there are wonderful cold brew methods that make every coffee connoisseur's heart beat faster! Cold brew coffee, in particular, is becoming increasingly popular and demands a particularly good coffee. Fortunately, at SIMON&BEARNS, we have high-quality specialty coffee to meet this demand!
We hope we were able to teach you a lot about coffee this week and offer you one or two cool party facts.
Do you know any other interesting facts about coffee? Or do you simply prefer to enjoy it?
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team
Black coffee - 7 facts about the popular hot drink!
Black coffee or filter coffee is one of the most popular drinks in Germany. Whether at home, in the office, or in a café: 9 out of 10 adults drink coffee every day, an average of 3 cups a day! In this blog post, we'd like to share 7 interesting facts about black coffee and coffee-based drinks. So let us know if you already knew these or if we surprised you!
#1: The most expensive coffee comes from Thailand!
For a long time, Kopi Luwak was considered the most expensive coffee in the world. Connoisseurs had to pay up to €1,200 for a kilo. This admittedly extremely unethically produced coffee has since been replaced by Black Ivory Coffee as the most expensive, exclusive, and, with an annual production of less than 100 kg, rarest coffee in the world.
At a Thai rescue and care center for approximately 30 elephants, the keepers came up with the idea of mixing coffee cherries into the elephants' food. The digested cherries are sorted by hand from the dung by the elephant handlers, the mahouts, and processed. The resulting coffee is sold almost exclusively to the Anantara hotel chain, is available at only five hotels in the Maldives and Thailand, and costs the equivalent of 40 euros per cup.
This coffee is very, very rarely available in stores. When it is, connoisseurs have to pay over €80 for just 35g (!). That means a kilo costs around €2,300. A truly expensive indulgence. Unfortunately, we've never had the chance to try it and don't yet know its unique flavor.
#2: Not all black coffee is created equal!
In Germany, when we think of black coffee, we usually think of classic filter coffee. But this popular beverage can be enjoyed in many more variations. In France, the French press is preferred; for so-called "Turkish coffee," finely ground coffee is brewed directly with hot water; instant coffee is convenient, especially for those who drink a lot of coffee and aren't too fussy; and in Italy, you have to order an "Americano," which is an espresso with hot water, to get black coffee. As you can see, there are an incredible number of ways to drink your coffee. You should try as many as possible!
#3: October 1st is International Coffee Day!
In 2006, the German Coffee Association introduced "Coffee Day." This is, of course, celebrated together with "International Coffee Day" every year on October 1st. On this day, all coffee lovers, café owners, and coffee roasters are invited to celebrate coffee. Special events, tours, and activities are organized for the occasion. It's a true tribute to coffee.
#4: There are more than 100 different types of coffee!
This fact comes as a bit of a surprise to many, as only two of these over 100 species are primarily used for our coffee: Arabica and Robusta. These two coffee species account for over 99% of the coffee traded worldwide. The remaining one percent consists of Coffea libera, Coffea excelsa, Coffea maragogipe, and Coffea stenophylla.
The coffee varieties are then developed from the different types of coffee beans, influenced by the growing region, soil nutrients, climatic conditions, and processing methods. Particularly well-known varieties include Bourbon, Catimor, Ethiopia, Java, Sidamo, and many more. From these coffee varieties, coffee specialties such as Americano, Cappuccino , and Latte Macchiato can be created. As you know, the beans must then be roasted differently to achieve these specialties.
#5: Only the older generation drinks black coffee?!
Many people are familiar with it: drinking coffee at their grandparents' house, where black filter coffee is served with a splash of milk or cream and a teaspoon of sugar. It sounds a bit old-fashioned. However, black coffee has an enormous importance for the global coffee trade and sales!
Even during the initial discussions about whether a roaster wants to buy coffee from a distributor, the coffee is tasted in its purest form, a process known as cupping. Any addition would distort the flavor! This is crucial in determining whether a roaster will include a green coffee in their portfolio or not. Similarly, coffee associations, such as the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), only taste coffee black and then rate it on a scale of 80-100 (a score below 80 would not classify it as specialty coffee).
The winner of the "Cup of Excellence" is also chosen annually. Various factors are considered in the evaluation, such as coffee variety, transparency, sustainability, and craftsmanship – but the result is also a black coffee.
Coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts have also discovered black coffee and prefer it! They employ almost artistic and ritualistic brewing methods to extract the best flavor from the coffee.
As you can see, no generation can truly escape black coffee.
#6: Drinking coffee is a hobby!
Everyone knows that annoying question: "So, what are your hobbies?" We can help you out, because drinking coffee can be considered a hobby in Germany. Around half of all Germans go to a café at least once a month. Nearly 15% even go two or three times a month.
#7: Black coffee only tastes good hot?!
Perhaps that was true in the past. Today, there are wonderful cold brew methods that make every coffee connoisseur's heart beat faster! Cold brew coffee, in particular, is becoming increasingly popular and demands a particularly good coffee. Fortunately, at SIMON&BEARNS, we have high-quality specialty coffee to meet this demand!
We hope we were able to teach you a lot about coffee this week and offer you one or two cool party facts.
Do you know any other interesting facts about coffee? Or do you simply prefer to enjoy it?
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team