International coffee cultures

Some countries are known for their love of coffee. My homeland of Brasil comes to mind. To the west, Colombia also comes to mind. Across the ocean, we think of French coffees and cafes lining the streets. Ditto with Italy where we envision people casually talking over coffee throughout the day.

Naturally, we think of the U.S. and how people simply can’t start their day without a cup. It’s become such an addiction that people blame their lack of coffee for blunders early in the day. (Hey, I’m not complaining now that I’m in the coffee biz!)

There are other countries with a fascinating coffee culture and I had no idea about them until I started researching different roasts for Buff Boy Brewing Co.

I didn’t realize that coffee and a cigarette was a morning ritual for people in Greece. I’ve often seen people in North America have a coffee in one hand and a smoke in the other. It was practically a cultural activity in Greece. With fewer and fewer people smoking, however, it’s turned to coffee and some kind of food. (Hopefully whatever the food, it’s healthy than a cig.)

Turkey is another country that takes seriously its coffee. Much like some baristas in the U.S. take pride in their artisanship atop a coffee cup, Turkey is known for its java presentations. And their cups are much more stylish than the bland white ones in a restaurant or the throwaway paper kind you get from coffee shops. Turkey has flashy drinkware for its coffee.

And, shoutout to the Aussies who have a growing coffee culture. We in North America think Australia is such a hot climate that coffee would be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind there. Wrong. In fact, the coffee biz is similar to that of the U.S. with its trendy shops and cafes scattered about and people leisurely sipping a fresh roast any time of day.

The great fun of coffee is that it’s such an international drink that exploring different flavors gives it endless possibilities.