10 Fun Coffee Facts You’ll Want to Share With Friends
Coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s a global story, a science experiment, and a tradition all rolled into one. Whether you’re enjoying your favorite latte at Durango Joes or savoring a morning cup at home, these fun coffee facts will give you plenty to share with friends!
1. How Does Caffeine Keep You Awake?
When you drink your cup of joe, the caffeine is absorbed into your system and blocks the sleep-promoting receptors known as adenosine. Adenosine builds up throughout the day and signals to your body that it's time to rest. Because caffeine and adenosine are structurally similar, caffeine can bind to those receptors instead—blocking the sleepy signals and giving you a temporary boost in alertness and wakefulness.
2. Coffee is Actually a Fruit
Coffee beans are the seeds of coffee cherries, small red or purple fruits that grow on coffee plants. Technically, that makes your coffee a fruit beverage!
3. Espresso Isn’t a Type of Bean
Espresso refers to the brewing process, not the bean itself. By forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee under pressure, it produces a concentrated shot of bold, rich flavor.
4. The First Webcam Was Made for Coffee
The very first webcam was invented at Cambridge University in 1991—but not for science or security. It was set up to monitor a coffee pot. Researchers Dr. Quentin Stafford-Fraser and Paul Jardetzky were tired of making the trip to the break room only to find an empty pot, so they rigged up a camera and created the first live video stream just to check if there was coffee left.
5. Decaf Isn’t Completely Caffeine-Free
While decaf coffee has significantly less caffeine than regular coffee, it’s not completely caffeine-free. The exact amount can vary based on brewing method and serving size, but on average, a cup of decaf contains about 3 to 15 milligrams of caffeine. For context, that’s roughly 10% of the caffeine found in a regular cup of coffee—less than what you’d find in an ounce of dark chocolate or about half the amount in a can of Coke. So yes, your decaf might still give you a tiny boost.
6. Coffee is Grown in Over 70 Countries
The “Bean Belt” stretches along the equator, from South America to Africa and Southeast Asia. Brazil leads the pack as the largest coffee producer, but countries like Ethiopia and Vietnam are also major contributors to your morning brew.
7. The World’s Most Expensive (and Unusual) Coffee
Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world—and it has a wild origin. The beans are first eaten by a civet cat, then pass through its digestive system before being collected, cleaned, and roasted. This unique process is said to change the flavor profile, creating a smooth and less acidic cup of coffee that some people are willing to pay top dollar for.
8. Coffee is a Billion-Dollar Industry
Globally, coffee is the second most traded commodity after crude oil. From small, family-run farms to large-scale exporters, coffee connects millions of people worldwide.
9. Different Roasts, Different Flavors
Light, medium, and dark roast coffees aren’t just different in color—they’re distinct in flavor. Light roasts often have brighter, fruitier notes, while dark roasts boast rich, smoky flavors.
10. What Roast Has More Caffeine?
Ever heard that light roasts have more caffeine than dark? It’s actually true—but only when coffee is measured by volume. As beans roast, they lose moisture and expand, meaning dark roast beans end up lighter and puffier than light roast. So if you scoop your grounds, you’ll get more caffeine from light roast simply because it’s denser. At Durango Joes, we brew all our drip coffee on tap by weight, which means all of our roasts have the same caffeine levels.
Your Coffee Adventure Awaits
There’s a whole world behind every cup of coffee—and we’re here to share it with you. Whether you're geeking out over coffee science or just love a good brew, Durango Joes is your go-to spot. Stop by and try something new, or order through our app for a quick and easy coffee run. And if you learned something fun today, share it with a friend using #DurangoJoesFunFacts.