15 Coffee Trivia Questions (with Answers)
By: Alyssa Sybertz (Readers Digest)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
It's no secret that Americans love drinking coffee. But if there is anything we love more, it's stumping our friends with mind-blowing facts that they don't know. That's why we've compiled a list of some of the best coffee trivia around.
Fun facts about coffee and its origins? Check. Interesting facts about the coffee industry today? Check. Coffee trivia that will teach your friends about the history of java and how it was enjoyed in the past? Check. We've even included coffee facts that touch on a few of the most famous coffee lovers over the years, some of which we're sure will surprise you.
So what are you waiting for? Read on for 15 coffee trivia questions you'll love.
Where does the word cappuccino come from?
-
- The drink's resemblance to the brown cowls worn by Capuchin monks
- The similarity in color to the fur of Capuchin monkeys
- The Italian puccino , meaning "light brown one"
- The size of the cup in which it's commonly served
What does espresso literally mean?
- Speed it up
- To go
- Pressed out
- Black and intense
What country produces most of the world's coffee?
- Ethiopia
- Colombia
- Vietnam
- Brazil
Kopi Luwak, which sells for hundreds of dollars per pound, the world's most expensive coffee. What makes it so special?
- It is only processed during a full moon
- It is brewed only with solid gold pots
- It is made from coffee beans eaten and then excreted by a Sumatran weasel
- It is only made from every tenth hand-picked coffee bean
What is an ibrik?
- A South American tool for grinding coffee beans
- A long-handled copper pot for making Turkish coffee
- A Middle Eastern coffee house
- The Turkish word for barista
Why was drinking coffee punishable by death in 16th-century Istanbul?
- People were gambling in coffee shops
- Coffee was only bought and traded on the black market
- Coffee drinking was suspected of encouraging dangerous thoughts and social unrest
- Drinking coffee was illegal unless you were a noble or a royal
What country drinks the most coffee per capita?
- Finland
- Norway
- Iceland
- Denmark
Which two U.S. states grow and produce coffee?
- Hawaii and Florida
- Arizona and Florida
- Hawaii and California
- California and Florida
Coffee beans aren't actually beans. What are they?
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Weeds
- Fruits
How much caffeine is in decaf coffee?
- None, it's decaf!
- Up to 12% as much as caffeinated coffee
- 50% as much as caffeinated coffee
- The same amount as in caffeinated coffee—decaf is just a marketing ploy
How many new coffee shops opened in the US in 2024?
- 40
- 400
- 4,000
- 40,000
Which of these things can you repurpose used coffee grounds for?
- You can use them to exfoliate your skin
- You can put them at the bottom of a trash can to reduce odors
- You can use them as natural fertilizer for plants
- All of the above
Which of these animals drank coffee every day?
- The world's oldest cat
- The world's oldest monkey
- The world's oldest tortoise
- The world's oldest dog
Which famous composer only drank coffee brewed from precisely 60 beans that he counted out himself?
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
What do coffee companies do with the caffeine they remove from coffee to make decaf?
- Sell it to supplement companies to make caffeine pills
- Throw it away
- Sell it to soda companies to make caffeinated soda
- Sell it to drug companies to make painkillers
Sources
- Merriam-Webster: Where Does the Name 'Cappuccino' Come From?
- USDA Foreign Agricultural Service: Production - Coffee
- Kaya Kopi: What is Kopi Luwak?
- NPR: "Drink Coffee? Off With Your Head!"
- World Atlas: The Top Coffee-Consuming Countries
- California Grown: Coffee From California? Sip Happens!
- National Coffee Association: Lifecycle of Coffee
- National Coffee Association: Decaf Coffee
- Greenwell Farms: Cats and Coffee (no, Really, It's a Thing!)
- KQED Food: Caffeine for Sale: The Hidden Trade of the World's Favorite Stimulant
Author Alyssa Sybertz Alyssa has been writing about health, wellness and lifestyle for more than 10 years. She covers food, cooking and science for Reader's Digest, as well as Allrecipes, Southern Living, Woman's World, Parents, Food and Wine, Verywell Family, CNN and Time. She was the editor-in-chief for numerous special-interest bookazines on intermittent fasting, thy... Read More
Remember the Golden Rule, be a good human. We're here to relax and chat, so let's keep it civil and fun. Please, remember to quote the person(s) you are replying to as a courtesy so everyone can follow the conversation. Grossly derogatory comments, blatantly inflammatory comments, excessive trolling, mean-spirited taunting and insults, scamming, spamming, and off topic comments may be removed in compliance with the site's Terms of Service and the Code of Conduct. The moderators have the final word and may remove comments at their judgement (or lack thereof).
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Comment at your own discretion. The owners of the site, the owner of this group, and the moderators are not responsible or liable for any stupid thing you do. You break it, you buy it. No shirt, no shoes, no service. Don't poke the bear. Mind the gap.
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
Who is online
95 visitors