The basics

A cup of Joe; rocket fuel; an early morning pick-me-up. Whatever you call it, chances are you drink coffee pretty regularly — in fact, the average Canadian drinks almost three cups daily. As university students, we tend to depend on a fresh mug of java more than most to get us through those late night study sessions and eight-in-the morning lectures. But have you ever thought about where this magical beverage comes from, or how it’s made? Look no further, folks. The Peak has got you covered.

You probably already know that coffee is made of ground beans, harvested from the seeds of a plant named Coffea. The caffeine in coffee beans actually evolved as a defense against predators — thankfully, death by coffee is reserved for animals a heck of a lot smaller than us. These plants tend to grow close to the equator in an area we refer to as the Bean Belt. Nations in Central Africa, South America and Southeast Asia are the main exporters of coffee, although India and Hawaii are also notable bean growers.

Once harvested, usually on plantations, coffee beans can be divided into two categories. Arabica is the most common variety of coffee bean, making up roughly 80 per cent of the world’s coffee. Originally indigenous to Ethiopia, these beans have a soft, sweet taste with hints of fruit and a high acidity.

Robusta beans, on the other hand, are less common than arabica, and tend to be considered inferior. The beans have almost double the caffeine, and the taste is generally harsh and grainy with a hint of peanut. However, some of the best brews in the world are made with robusta beans — they just tend to be few and far between.

Once they’re processed and ready to go, coffee beans are exported across the globe. The biggest coffee drinkers per capita might not be the countries you expect: Finland, Norway and Iceland make up the top three coffee consumers, with Canada coming in ninth place — 17 spots above our neighbour to the south.

A brief history

The word “coffee” can actually be traced back to the Arabic qahwa, a term originally applied to wine. European coffee drinkers even came to know the drink as “the wine of Islam.” The story goes that this Abyssinian guy named Kaldi noticed one day that his goats were jumping and dancing — what a sight that must have been! Being the Sherlock he was, Kaldi decided to investigate the reason for his goats’ strange behaviour. This led him to discover some red berries the goats had consumed.

After giving them a try himself, he noticed their energizing effects and rushed to tell his wife, and the rest is history. So the next time you drink coffee, make sure to thank Kaldi (or maybe his goats) for their amazing discovery. As it usually happens with myths, no one really knows if this story is true or not, however, this is only one of the many incredible stories behind the history of coffee.

Another version of its discovery credits Sheik Omar, a Yemeni recluse who could cure the sick with prayer, for discovering the coffee bean. He was exiled to a desert cave and was starving to death when he discovered the same red berries as Kaldi’s goats. Since they were bitter to the taste, he roasted them and found they hardened. He then decided to boil them down to their liquid form, which led to him discovering coffee as we know it today. It is said that he then took his “energy drug” back to his hometown, where they made him a Saint.

Whether you believe the myths or not, history suggests that the Arabic people were the earliest coffee drinkers. One of the reasons may be that Islam, the most widely followed religion in Arabia, prohibits the drinking of any alcoholic beverage. As any university student will tell you, coffee is about the best alternative there is to a stiff drink.

Types of coffee

The first type of coffee is, naturally, the father of all others: espresso. (Not expresso.) I’ve always wondered what the difference between drip coffee and espresso was — turns out that espresso is made by forcing hot water under high pressure through powdered coffee beans, whereas drip coffee is made from more coarsely ground beans brewed with less pressure. Due to the concentration of the brew, espresso shots tend to be quite small. Don’t let the size fool you, though: pure espresso packs a punch.

A caffè Americano, on the other hand, is one third espresso mixed with two thirds hot water. American soldiers in the Second World War would add hot water to their espressos, finding straight espresso shots too strong. They were mocked by British and French soldiers, and the name “Americano” stuck.

A cappuccino has an espresso shot or two at the bottom, topped with equal parts steamed milk and milk foam. In the first half of the 20th century, cappuccinos were made differently all over Europe; however, in the post-war era, espresso machines became more widely available and baristas worldwide began to make them with the recipe we know today.

A caffè latte is similar to a cappuccino, although it cuts down on the foam by about half. This drink is almost always an essential part of an Italian breakfast. One fun fact is that many people nowadays spell it incorrectly as latté or lattè.  If you’re one of those people, please stop making the Italians mad!

A caffè mocha is a variant on the standard latte: it’s topped with a healthy dollop of whipped cream, and a layer of chocolate syrup separates the espresso shot and steamed milk. The name “mocha” can be traced back to a Yemeni town named Mocha, formerly a famous exporter of coffee. Who would have known that the caffè mocha you ordered from Starbucks the other day got its name from a tiny Arabic village?

Another amazing invention the Italians came up with is the affogato, which is basically an espresso shot poured over the top of a scoop of ice cream or gelato. People recommend vanilla ice cream, since it mixes well with the flavour of the espresso — but if you’re really a badass, try strawberry or mango gelato.

Last but not least — considering many of us drink one at least once a week — is the macchiato. There are two types of macchiatos. A caffè macchiato is an espresso shot with a little bit of steamed milk added to “stain” the shot. A latte macchiato, on the other hand, is basically an upside-down latte, with the steamed milk first and an espresso shot on top. Caramel macchiatos are the most popular variant of this drink, but maple, chocolate and vanilla macchiatos are equally tasty.

Where to find the perfect cup

We may be “no fun city,” but we sure know our Joe. There are many different brewers of coffee in Vancouver who provide us with amazing coffee, day after day, late night study session after late night study session.

One of these brewers is Forty Ninth Parallel, who use custom roasted coffee beans which are produced all over the world. This is my personal pick for the best coffee that Vancouver has to offer — it’s tasty, packs a punch, and it’s available pretty much everywhere in the city. The company also practices fair trade, which is awesome. I hope you’re listening, SFU.

Matchstick coffee roasters, on the other hand, are the new kids on the block. Their coffee is sold in shops across the city, and their main location is in a particularly cozy corner of Mount Pleasant. The shop itself is on the small side, but it makes up for its size with a generous helping of quirky charm. It’s a little out of the way if you don’t live in the city, but if you’re in the area, make sure to check it out.

JJ Bean is worth a visit, too. Originally one of many small, adorable coffee joints on Granville Island, the shop has since expanded to Main Street, Commercial Drive, Yaletown, and even the Downtown Eastside. This coffee is basically gasoline — if you’re new to the brew, you might want to avoid JJ Bean, as they boast one of the strongest cups in the city. If you’re feeling adventurous, though, this place is among the best stops in the city. And their muffins are heavenly.

With locations on Broadway Street and another in the heart of Kitsilano, you can’t go wrong with Elysian Coffee. Their baristas are some of the most talented in Vancouver, they’ve always got great music playing, and their coffee prices won’t break the bank. If you’re a film buff, head to their Kits location before catching a flick at the Fifth Avenue Cinemas.

Caffè Artigiano also deserves a mention, if only for how cool their place actually is. It’s an Italian-style cafè that has great artsy stuff on their wall that would definitely want hanging up in your living room. There are lots of locations around Vancouver, so do drop in — not just for the coffee, but for the ambiance.

One of my favourite lesser-known spots is Innocent Coffee. Even though I’ve only been there once, the way it’s designed reminds me of a special cafè back home in Karachi, Pakistan named The 2nd Floor. They have great coffee, and are located a stone’s throw away from Granville Island.

The last place you’ll definitely want to check out is Little Mountain Coffee on Main Street. A few of my friends are regular customers there and, not only does this place have outstanding coffee and baked goods, it also boasts one of the friendliest staffs in Vancouver. If you stop by, let them know how awesome they are, for me.

Is it good for you?

There are two camps when it comes to the issue of health benefits and coffee: either it’ll stunt your growth and offset your sleep schedule, or it’ll prolong your life and stave off depression. Though most people seem to fall into one camp or the other, the truth is that coffee, like anything else, has its upsides and downsides.

Oddly enough, the health risk that coffee has most often been associated with — heart disease — can be either increased or decreased by coffee consumption. It all depends on a gene called CIP1A2. This gene tells your liver how to wuickly process caffeine. If you metabolize the caffeine quickly, studies have shown that your risk of heart disease can decrease. If your CIP1A2 tells your body to process the caffeine more slowly, however, your risk of heart disease can increase.

Coffee can also be damaging to the lining of your intestines and stomach, and doctors advise patients with ulcers, gastritis and colitis to keep their coffee intake to a minimum. High consumption rates of coffee — we’re talking six or seven cups in a single day — can lead to restlessness, insomnia, anxiety and irritability. Pregnant women generally keep to a two-cups-a-day maximum, as high levels of caffeine intake have been linked to miscarriages and children with low birth weights.

But the news isn’t all bad. Because caffeine blocks the Adenosine neurotransmitter, it leads to increased neuron firings in the brain, which might actually increase your memory, vigilance and general cognitive function. Coffee has also been linked with lower rates of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It’s also got its fair share of essential nutrients and antioxidants — in fact, in the Western world, it’s our number one source of antioxidants, beating out fruits and vegetables combined.

The takeaway? Coffee can be both good and bad for you, depending how you drink it and how your body processes it.

Conclusion

T.S. Eliot once famously quipped, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” It turns out most Canadians can sympathize: coffee plays an important role in our mornings, afternoons and nights, whether or not we spend much time considering it. As any seasoned coffee snob will tell you, a cup of Joe can bring people closer together, and help them achieve anything they set their mind to.

This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but with an espresso shot.