How Coffee became a Very Popular Drink

Apart from water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world and it is the most popular hot drink.

It has come to a point where drinking coffee is a hobby for some people who cannot go a day without at least one cup of the caffeinated drink.

One of the reasons might be that it can be enjoyed by all people, no matter the age, gender, background or location.

The coffee industry as a whole has changed. Before the likes of Starbucks came into play, drinking coffee was treated as an everyday thing, something ordinary that people didn’t pay much attention to.

However, the now multi-billion company has completely changed the view on that and drinking coffee became a trend cultivated by many celebrities and influencers.

In today’s industry, everything can be personalised to make it as unique as possible and completely yours.

You can create your own cups and coffee sleeves. Several companies such as HotShot Coffee Sleeves provide you with customisation options on their website to create your own unique design.

There are also different drink varieties such as cappuccino, espresso and Irish coffee. People are also drinking it cold, a popular type being cold brew.

So why is coffee so popular nowadays? And how do marketers keep the industry going?

New ways of making coffee

It’s been known for a long time that how you prepare coffee is just as important as the type of beans used and what kind of milk is added.

As technology advances and more people are willing to experiment, new methods of making coffee emerge every now and then.

One popular way that is being tried by cafés and people at home is pour-over coffee.

How does it work?

Firstly, you need to boil water then measure how much coffee you want to make. It is best to use freshly roasted coffee beans.

Form a paper filter into a sealed cone and place into a metal or plastic holder over a glass jug. Meanwhile, grind the beans until they have a sand-like consistency.

Place the ground coffee beans into the filter then pour the hot water over them in a spiral way.

After, you have to wait for 30 seconds. Once the 30 seconds are up, pour some water again, firstly in a spiral way, and then just straight.

Repeat the process until you reach the 2-minute mark. Allow the brewed coffee to filter then it is ready to use.

Why is pour-over coffee so popular?

It is because the coffee has been filtered to get rid of any impurities. The result is a much brighter and cleaner drink which has a far richer flavour than any regular machine-drip coffee.

Renowned coffee aficionado Jesse Raub says that “hand-pouring the water offers you an easy, controlled method for ensuring even distribution”.

Today, many cafés have pour-over coffee on their extensive menu in order to meet the needs of even the most demanding customers.

Many cafés these days also choose to implement alternative ways of coffee brewing to meet people’s needs.

This includes batch brewing which allows for large quantities to be brewed at a time and the technological Aeropress device.

Different methods can entice customers and it will lead to engaging conversations about the beverage.

It will make them feel appreciated, as even though you are at work, you found time to make conversation with them.

A client who is satisfied with the service will come back and will be more willing to try new drinks that are on offer.

It is the ideal way to gain feedback as well as new and exciting creations.

Vegan Coffee

More people are turning to veganism whether it be for health or ethical reasons and there is an increasing number of food substitutes to accommodate them.

This includes drinks like coffee. Drinking it black is vegan but for those wanting a cappuccino or café latte, that might be a little more difficult as regular milk is not vegan.

However, the drink continues to increase in popularity as there are simple ways to make the different varieties suitable for vegans.

Substituting dairy milk for almond milk or soya milk is the obvious choice.

The vegan alternatives do the same job as normal milk but they can offer even more flavour to your drink of choices. Subtle flavours of almond or cashew can come through if that is the milk that is used.

Making simple changes to accommodate dietary requirements like veganism is one of the reasons why coffee is so popular throughout the world.

New Tastes

When it comes to the tastes of their drinks, café owners are getting more creative which is what contributes to its popularity.

Usually, the most popular flavours are ones which reflect a special occasion. One notable example is the pumpkin spice latte Starbucks releases near Halloween.

But there are more obscure coffee flavours like ones with lavender or ones with orange peel.

There are so many things you never thought could be put into coffee, but they turn out to be the perfect combination.

But one of the most sceptical drinks is coffee and tonic, the non-alcoholic alternative to gin and tonic.

It may sound strange but not for Kevin Bohlin, who was one of the first people in the coffee business to experiment with the idea.

Apparently, after trying it, he was “blown away by the balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness”.

According to him “espresso lends itself to mixing in a way that other coffees don’t”.

But coffee and tonic is not the weirdest coffee flavour you can find on the market. If you like bacon, you might be interested in the maple bacon coffee which would be perfect for breakfast.

For whiskey lovers, Jack Daniels coffee would be ideal. It has a distinct whiskey flavour but it is not too overpowering.

These are just a few of many tastes which make coffee so popular.

Quirky & Unique Cafés

Apart from the coffee itself, the place where you drink it is also a big factor in its popularity.

If a café is appealing, a person will be more willing to enter it.

There are some interesting ones out there, for example, ‘Attendant’ has several branches across London but the first one in Fitzrovia is a disused Victorian public bathroom.

They have three branches but the company’s mission was to create a different experience from store to store.

Another Littlehampton-based café was trying to fight against graffiti that was a huge problem in the past.

They decided to eliminate flat surfaces that were almost like an invitation for the vandals, so they broke the building into ribbons that resemble contours of a map.

And let’s not forget about the cafés that give you the chance to play board games. It’s a perfect way to bond and drink some good coffee.

There is no denying that the popularity of coffee continues to grow, however, at the same time, so does the competition.

Experts are trying their best to stay relevant, mainly by introducing new methods or new and unique tastes.

While the drink is popular, people are coming up with new ideas to attract coffee-lovers. Only time will tell as to what the next innovative creation will be and if it will contribute to the popularity of coffee.