The Coffee Culture in USA

So much can be said about the coffee culture in the United States. You can begin with how coffee first came here and end with popular coffee trends but my purpose here is to define some aspects of the culture surrounding coffee. But first let’s set the stage by stating a few coffee statistics.

• 90% of North America routinely takes a psychoactive drug that alters their perception, mood, consciousness and cognition in the act of drinking coffee because of the caffeine in coffee. Take a minute to think about that. It is in fact the most extensively consumed psychoactive substance in the world according to this article. The only reason caffeine is legal is because it’s not easy to consume toxic amounts of it.
• Besides water, coffee is America’s favorite drink.
• Coffee is the 2nd largest traded commodity in the world. The first is petroleum.

Does that help you approximate the importance of coffee in our lives? Coffee is an indispensable part of the lives of most Americans. Let’s peek into specific coffee moments that we love.

The Waking Cup

The cup of coffee that begins every day is what I like to call “The Waking Cup”. Without it, the day just isn’t right. It’s not a fancy cup. It’s just the traditional morning pick-me-up. 

The Working Cup

According to this research at Lancaster University, free tea and coffee breaks help employees feel valued in a way no other bonus does. The coffee break also increases productivity and relaxes employees. You might be an employee who drinks 3-4 cups of coffee during your work hours. Can you imagine an office without a coffee machine? What cruel and unusual punishment that would be!

The Seasonal Cup

We’re not an agricultural society anymore so we don’t know our seasons like our ancestors did. Instead of looking to the movement of the sun, we monitor the seasonal coffee flavors at coffee shops. How many times have you heard, “Starbucks has brought back the pumpkin spice latte? I can’t believe fall is already here!” Coffee flavors, coffee shop music and coffee shop fashion all remind us what time of the year it is.

The Friendly Cup

Many college friendships have been forged whilst drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee to complete assignments overnight. What better describes “The Friendly Cup” than Central Perk café that TV show “Friends” made their home? It’s the cup of coffee that you share with friends—you drink slowly because these are some of life’s sweetest moments.

The Awkward Cup

Coffee shops have become the calmest, safest places to begin to get to know someone special. “Hey, I was wondering, would you want to get a cup of coffee with me later?”Asking someone you think you might like to coffee is bold but not creepy, it’s sweet without being pushy. Getting to know someone new is always a little awkward, that’s why it’s called “The Awkward Cup”, but when you find a fun person all the awkwardness is worth it.

The Gourmet Cup

There’s a growing population of young coffee drinkers that are very particular about their beans. They want a very specific cup—dark roast, Ethiopian, fair-trade, freshly ground, manually brewed at the ideal temperature. They order gourmet coffee online at stores like Daily Cuppa Coffee or VolcanicaCoffee and like to experiment with new blends. This coffee culture is much like the wine culture. They are coffee snobs and we love them.

The Companion Cup

This is the cup that takes you everywhere. You might be fooled into thinking that you’re carrying the cup but in reality, it is carrying you—making every mundane task manageable by just BEING there. Everything else in life can go as long as I’m holding this warm nectar, this weapon against my fatigue, this symbol of productivity I am not alone and I can brave anything.

Coffee has changed America in so many profound ways. It’s delicious and has tremendous health benefits when consumed in moderation. It’s safe to say that any attempt to describe American culture has to include the significance of coffee for the average Joe.