Coffee – We Celebrate its Royal Majesty

“Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love” is how Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, an 18th century French priest and diplomat, described this magical drink. Pure passion in a handful of words! Regardless of whether you can imagine starting your day without it, whether you drink it in bed, with your family or friends, or you get up half an hour earlier to enjoy every sip by yourself, it is quite certain that all of you who drink it worship it! Yes, we know that all of your, true coffee fans, celebrate it every day, because you don’t want to start your day without it, but that is precisely why it deserved a day all of its own: the International Coffee Day was celebrated on October 1.

A worldwide favorite, loved on every continent, it delights us every day and we think we know everything about it. But, did you know the following facts?

1. Wars were waged over coffee. It is considered “black gold”, and the fact that over 2 billion cups are consumed each day in the world proves how popular this drink is. It is the second most popular one, after water!

2. According to a legend, Honoré de Balzac drank 60 cups of coffee a day in order to remain awake and keep writing. The French philosopher Voltaire is said to have consumed the same number of cups of coffee. Beethoven allegedly used precisely 60 coffee beans for a cup. He would always count the beans before brewing!

3. Roasted coffee beans release over 1,000 aromas, of which human senses can detect 50.

4. There are over 100 varieties of the plant in the world and they all grow exclusively in the tropical and subtropical zones, 25 degrees above and below the equator. It grows on all continents, except Europe, where the microclimate is not adequate for it. Brazil is the biggest producer on the planet, although the plant itself does not originate in South America. The suitable soil and climate have contributed to the image of Brazil as a land of endless plantations, making the country the world leader when it comes to coffee.

5. Arabica and Robusta are the most commercial coffees, accounting for more than 99% of the consumption. Arabica grows at higher altitudes, has a greater potential range of aromas and, unlike Robusta, can make its own necessary balance within a single product. Robusta offers a full taste. Regardless of which one you prefer, both are a pleasure to the senses, which is why we enjoy coffee in the first place!

6. Single Origin is a term that is increasingly used to designate exactly what it says: single or pure origin. It can pertain to one country, one region, and sometimes only one farm. Single Origin brings an exotic experience of the pure nature of the areas it comes from, carrying the spirit and the emotion from the plantations.

7. The plant’s fruit has an intense red color when it is ready to be picked. Each fruit contains two coffee beans, wrapped in three shells that need to be peeled away. The procedure of releasing the beans from the fruit determines the flavor. In the IX century, the red berries attracted the goats of a goatherd in Ethiopia. When they ate the fruits, they became more vivacious. Our dear goats, thank you for that!

8. The main ingredient of coffee – caffeine, was detected by the German chemist Runge, to whom Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had gifted several coffee beans. In his laboratory, Runge detected, in coffee, numerous caffeine crystals. This happened back in 1794.

9. The International Coffee Day was established by the International Coffee Organization and launched on October 1, 2015, in Milan, in order to promote fair coffee trade and support the millions of farmers that grow this aromatic plant. Still, the main objective of the day is for people all over the planet to share their passion and love for this drink.

10. Supporting the families which grow the plant and thanks to whose dedication and hard work quality coffee reaches us all is an important focus of the International Coffee Day, but also raising awareness of the plantations, the farmers and the hard work and effort invested in growing and preparing each coffee bean. Coming from various countries, coffee connects people worldwide, traveling from one country to another and carrying the characteristics of one culture over to another.

Due to all this, we celebrate it! That is also why Strauss Adriatic celebrates is! Its day is a day to celebrate its origin, all those who took part in its discovery and development, each hard-working farmer who picks every coffee bean by hand and the road it travels from the plantation to our cup. Whether you like traditional, espresso or filtered coffee, may you celebrate it too!

Strauss Adriatic d.o.o. Šimanovci

International Coffee Day

International Coffee Organization

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Périgord

Honoré de Balzac

Voltaire

Beethoven

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Arabica

Robusta

Single Origin