Glimpses of the Coffee Culture Around the World

If you can't get through the day without a cup of coffee for a little boost, you're certainly along for the ride on the world's favorite trend. Did you know that coffee is the 2nd most popular beverage worldwide? Only 2nd to a popular unhealthy soda & water (¡duh!).

Coffee culture encompasses much more than just coffee drinks. In many nations, coffee culture is a craft, it involves not only coffee consumption, but also its preparation, production, and even the social side of the coffee industry. Many countries have had a coffee culture for hundreds of years, while others are more recent converts.

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How do different cultures influence drinking practices?

Every society has its coffee-drinking habits (a determining fact for coffee-culture creation). Some individuals also have coffee schedules, while ones must drink it first thing in the morning, while others drink it after work for the flavor. Yet, do people adhere to specific practices because of their culture or location? Coffee culture combines social norms with individual preferences, as broad as the world itself, let's see glimpses of different coffee cultures.

Italy

Italians are renowned for their coffee consumption, and rightly so, they are the pioneers of modern coffee culture in the west. In Italy, it is nearly impossible to walk far without passing a coffee shop selling espresso. Espressos, the preferred coffee of Italians, are synonymous with Italian culture.

Spain

In some areas of Spain, as in most of Europe, there are "Cafe Bars." These are bar-like setups where customers drink coffee while leaning against the bar as in traditional bars, adopting an elevated conception of coffee and its culture.

USA

The United States is home to coffee chains. Starbucks, McCafe, and Dunkin' Donuts are just a few coffee shops and restaurants offering coffee, yet new challenges arise as the corporate world changes stores, resulting in a loss of quality in coffee as a byproduct of it.

France

The French, like the Italians, are known for good coffee. Much of their coffee preferences come from the Italian tradition so even the popular "French Press" is of Italian origin. Similarly to the Italians, the French favor espresso as their preferred coffee, which is frequently consumed with a croissant with the "petit dejéuner" (breakfast).

Coffee Aroma and Flavors

One bean has numerous flavors, intensities, and consumption methods. In several European and Middle Eastern nations, coffee is often prepared with a strong brew, such as espresso, served in a little cup without sugar or milk. In Scandinavian countries, a raw egg is added to a large pot of coffee. This is supposed to impart a cleaner flavor to the coffee. Let alone the diversity of craft existing in Southeast Asia.

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