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Coffee in America

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Even though you may stumble out of bed every morning and make your way to your coffee maker, you probably don’t give much thought about how many other Americans are doing just that. Or, how we are changing the way we drink coffee in the United States to model our friends across the pond. However, we think it’s interesting to take note of these changes. So, sit down with your steaming cup of brew and read on to see our country’s coffee consumption patterns.

Crazy About Coffee

It’s safe to say we love our coffee. Although we are far from the only consumers of the morning brew, it is interesting to see where we stand in our coffee consumption. Here are 12 fun facts about coffee in the U.S.

  1. Hawaii is the only state that commercially grows coffee.
  1. New York consumes seven times more coffee than all other U.S. cities. No wonder it’s the city that never sleeps!
  1. In fact, the first coffee house opened in New York in the late 1700s.
  1. Americans consume about 400 million cups of brew each day. This is around 146 billion cups per year!
  1. The average size of our coffee cup is about nine ounces.
  1. Although coffee certainly isn’t the only caffeinated beverage available, it does make up about 75 percent of the caffeine consumed in the U.S.
  1. Slightly over 50 percent of all American adults drink coffee. The average coffee consumer drinks about three cups of coffee per day.
  1. About 35 percent of people drink their coffee black.
  1. The U.S. spends about 18 billion dollars on specialty coffee each year.
  1. Even though coffee is delicious any time of day, about 65 percent of it is consumed in the morning.
  1. The average American woman drink lattes the most (22 percent), followed by regular coffee (19 percent), and then cappuccinos (12 percent).
  1. The average American man usually drinks regular coffee the most (30 percent), which is then followed by espresso (14 percent).

Catching Up to Europe

In typical American fashion, we generally order our nonfat vanilla lattes–hold-the-whip-add-mocha-drizzles through a speaker, ingrained as a part of the daily commute, whereas our European counterparts pride themselves on savoring their cappuccinos, sitting down each morning with their cup of joe in a quaint café, taking their time.

Even though there are distinct cultural differences when comparing the coffee cultures of our homeland to Europe, it seems that lately Americans have taken a page out of the European handbook.

While drive-thru coffee shows no signs of slowing down, there has been a rise of coffee houses and cafes across the country. It seems that Americans are learning to slow down and enjoy their coffee out of an actual cup. Big, open spaces invite us to leave the confinement of our cars and come in to sip our coffee and stay awhile. In learning a thing or two from European coffee culture, American coffee houses everywhere are starting to feel very European.

  • Coffee houses

With more cafes and coffee houses (the kind without the drive-thru window) on the rise, American coffee drinkers are encouraged to use the space to socialize and enjoy themselves.

  • The mug

One of the best aspects of brewing your coffee at home? Holding that ceramic mug in your hand. Coffee just isn’t the same in a paper cup, and shops everywhere have started to make the change. Now local coffee houses are likely to give customers a mug or glass if you plan to enjoy your coffee in their café.

  • The ambiance

Coffee shops are going for a cozy atmosphere. This could mean books and newspapers, overstuffed chairs, community tables, and quaint outside seating. Soft music and dim lighting also add to the ambiance to invite you in to enjoy your cup of joe with a book or the news of the day.

Wildly popular, baristas everywhere take pride in their cappuccinos by making artsy designs in the foam. This is just another trend that calls for people to come in and take a seat, slowly sip their brews, and enjoy the scenery the coffee house has to offer. Of course, if you’re really good, you can always try your hand at your own coffee art. You just need an artist’s hand and an espresso machine of your own.

  • Drinks

The drinks are not just being served in mugs, but also come in classic varieties. Craving a café au lait? No problem. Want to try a shot of espresso in a teeny tiny cup? You got it. You can pretty much always find a coffee shop close to you to expand your palate.

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