55 Free Cafe & Coffee Photos

For many, the day hasn’t officially started unless they have at least one cup of coffee. For others, coffee is liquid gold – a form of sustenance they need to have multiple times a day. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a household without any coffee. It’s almost as universal as water these days.

Did you know that:

Only crude oil trumps coffee as the most traded commodities in the world. As per the report done by the USDA, the 2016-2017 worldwide demand for coffee is projected to be roughly 156 million bags. Basically, that’s about 10 million tons of coffee beans that are picked, processed, produced and shipped globally. The majority of coffee consumption from this figure will be in Europe and the USA.

Contrary to what others believe, Colombia is NOT the “coffee capital” of the world. A recent study shows that it’s, in fact, Brazil that produces the most number of coffee worldwide. The second spot goes to Vietnam, known to be the birthplace of coffee. Colombia takes the third rank.

According to historians, coffee first appeared in 850 A.D. in Ethiopia. But, it wasn’t until 1100 when the beverage was popularized. It was transported to Mocha, Yemen and fast became a popular drink. From Yemen, coffee beans were shipped to India. In 1515, Europe finally got a taste of this liquid gold.

The world’s first ever café was opened in Constantinople – now, Istanbul – in 1475. By 1675, there were over 3,000 cafes in England.

There are two primary coffee plant species used for the commercial production of coffee. One is coffee Arabica; the other is coffee Robusta. The former originated in the Middle East while the latter came from Congo. 75% of the world’s commercially produced coffee comes from Arabica trees. They are known for their premium quality. Robusta coffee beans are hardier compared to Arabica. They also contain more caffeine – about 50% more – so they’re often used in instant coffee.

Coffee was officially banned three times in three different parts of the world. The first one happened in Mecca in the 16th century, but without a clear explanation why. The second one occurred in Europe. Charles II banned the beverage in an attempt to find a solution to an ongoing revolution. The third time took place in Germany in 1677. Frederick the Great prohibited his people to drink coffee because he was concerned they were spending an obscene amount of money on the drink.

Thankfully, coffee is no longer banned today. To fix your caffeine craving any time of the day, here are some gorgeous photos featuring the ever-reliable liquid gold – coffee!