coffee

Introduction & Top Questions
History
Processing the bean
- Grading
- Decaffeination
- Roasting
- Grinding
- Packaging
Using coffee
- Brewing and drinking
- Instant coffee
- Cooking with coffee
Health effects

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

Paper bags filled with roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, and instant coffee granules arranged closely together.

Close-up of a cappuccino in a white cup with latte art on milk foam, resting on a saucer with a spoon on a cafe table in Rome, Italy.

A Guatemalan boy wearing a cap carries a large sack on his back while walking through rows of coffee plants with red berries on a plantation.

Branches of a coffee plant with clusters of green and red coffee cherries among large, glossy leaves.

Is cold- or hot-brewed coffee better for you?

Barista in a brown apron pours hot water from a metal kettle over a drip coffee filter into a glass beaker filled with ice, with a jar of coffee beans on the wooden table.

At a Glance

coffee summary

Quizzes

Fruit. Grape. Vitis vinifera. Blauer Portugieser. Wine. Wine grape. Autumn. Grape leaves. Two clusters of Blauer Portugieser grapes on the vine.

Drink to This

Related Questions

At what elevations can Robusta coffee grow?
How are Arabica and Robusta coffee plants different?
How are coffee cherries formed on coffee plants?
How did Sufi monks use coffee in southern Arabia?
How did coffee become a substitute for alcohol in parts of the Muslim world?
How did coffee cultivation spread from Ethiopia to Yemen?
How did coffee reach Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries?
How did instant coffee affect the production of Robusta beans?
How did the Ottoman Empire help spread coffee?
How do Arabica and Robusta coffee beans differ in shape?
How do the dry and wet methods of coffee processing differ?
How does a French press make coffee?
How does caffeine increase alertness in people who drink coffee?
How does coffee compare with tea in caffeine content?
How does the caffeine content of Robusta compare with that of Arabica?
How does the grind size affect brewed coffee?
How is moderate coffee consumption linked to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes?
How much rainfall do Arabica coffee plants need?
What activities took place in Ottoman coffeehouses?
What changes happen to coffee beans during roasting?
What is a peaberry coffee bean?
When did coffee cultivation begin in Hawaii?
When did coffeehouses first appear in Constantinople?
When did coffeehouses first appear in Mecca?
Where was most of the world’s coffee grown before the end of the 17th century?
Which countries were leading coffee producers in 2023?
Which regions produce most Arabica coffee?
Which regions produce most Robusta coffee?
Why are coffee beans roasted before brewing?
Why are coffee seeds called coffee beans?
Why can drinking too much coffee interfere with sleep?
Why can overroasting coffee beans reduce their flavor and aroma?
Why did Brazil become a major center of coffee production?
Why did some Islamic authorities oppose coffee drinking?
Why do coffee plants grow best in the Coffee Belt?
Why do some coffee farms use irrigation?
Why is Arabica coffee usually more expensive to produce than Robusta coffee?
Why should espresso be served soon after brewing?
Why were early coffeehouses called schools of wisdom?
Where is coffee grown?
Where did coffee originate?
Why does coffee make you poop?
What is the early history and religious significance of ghee?
How was ghee regulated in ancient India?
How was ghee used in Mughal cooking?
How is ghee traditionally made in India?
Is lager different from beer?
What are the steps in making beer?

Entertainment & Pop Culture Food

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External Websites

PBS - The History Kitchen - The Caffeinated History of Coffee
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - Coffee
Verywell Fit - Coffee Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
WebMD - Health Benefits of Coffee
National Coffee Association of U.S.A. - The History of Coffee
Healthline - 9 Unique Benefits of Coffee
The Ohio State University Pressbooks - A Bitter Brew - Coffee Production, Deforestation, Soil Erosion and Water Contamination
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - CoffeeÂ’s Impact on Health and Well-Being
Cleveland Clinic - This should perk you up: The surprising health benefits of Coffee
The Spruce Eats - The Origin of Coffee

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

coffee - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
coffee - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

coffee

beverage

Written by

Nathan Myhrvold

Dr. Nathan Myhrvold is chief executive officer and a founder of Intellectual Ventures, a firm dedicated to creating and investing in inventions. In addition to stimulating the invention of others, Myhrvold...

Nathan Myhrvold

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

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Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026 •History

coffee, beverage brewed from the roasted and ground seeds of the tropical evergreen coffee plants of African origin. Coffee is one of the three most popular beverages in the world (alongside water and tea) and one of the most profitable international commodities. Though coffee is the basis for an endless array of beverages, including espresso, cappuccinos, mochas, and lattes, its popularity is mainly attributed to its invigorating effect, which is produced by caffeine, an alkaloid...

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