The internet is full of fabulous facts about everything from current events to the history basket weaving and coffee fun facts. As we research for our daily content on food trucks, food carts and street food, we stumble upon some items of knowledge that we just did not know.

We have decided when these fun facts pop up, that we would share them with our readers in our section titled “Did You Know?”

For today’s Did You Know we will look at Coffee fun facts:

Coffee Fun Facts: Legend has it that Ethiopian shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw their goats appearing to become “frisky” and “dance” after eating coffee berries.

  • Originally coffee was eaten. African tribes combined coffee berries with fat to create energy balls.
  • Coffee beans are actually the pit of a berry, which makes them a fruit.
  • Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world. (oil is first)
  • January 18th is National Gourmet Coffee Day.
  • January 25th is National Irish Coffee Day.
  • April 7th is National Coffee Cake Day.
  • September 6th is National Coffee Ice Cream Day.
  • September 26th is National Coffee Day.
  • There are two types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Seventy percent of coffee beans are Arabica. Although less popular, Robusta is slightly more bitter and has twice as much caffeine.
  • The rise of Islam contributed greatly to the consumption of coffee. The religion prohibited drinking alcohol but considered coffee an acceptable beverage.
  • All coffee in the world is grown in “The Bean Belt” (areas between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn).
  • Hawaii is the only state in the US that grows coffee.
  • The term “a cup of Joe” comes from American servicemen (GI Joes) in WWII being seen as big coffee drinkers.
  • George Washington invented instant coffee. A Belgian man living in Guatemala named George Washington invented in 1906.
  • French philosopher Voltaire is said to have drank 50 cups of coffee a day.
  • The largest cup of coffee ever was brewed in July 2014 in South Korea. It was over 3,700 gallons.
  • The largest iced coffee was brewed in Las Vegas in 2010, and was 1,500 gallons (not including ice).

Coffee Fun Facts We May Have Missed

Feel free to let us know about the coffee fun facts we missed. We always love to add to these lists. If we can verify that the facts is just that, a fact, we will give the reader credit in the article.

Reference: Fun Facts about Coffee

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