Coffee Culture: Irish & Russian Coffee
Written by: Meraleigh Queener
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
The Culture of Coffee:
Remember our talk last week about coffee beans and the cultures of coffee exploring ways to try Vietnamese, Japanese, Italian and Turkish brews? And about our Lola Beans? If this is all a blur to you, be sure to check out our blog exploring the basics of coffee beans and Part 1 and 2 of the Coffee Culture blog series to continue this piece on Part 3!
We discussed the beauty, history, and nature of various types of coffee beans, where they come from, and how they taste. The four primary types of coffee beans are Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica each individualized with their own story, upbringing, and taste! Well, guess what? We're taking that convo to the next level deep-diving into the culture of coffee. We can take the knowledge we've gain regarding the various types of coffee beans and apply them to the global world of coffee acknowledging the ways coffee is made in different countries.
There are so many ways coffee is made and it's exciting to see how other people and places cultivate the traditions and practice of coffee creation! Maybe you can pick up a new technique or style of coffee to try this week!
Our lovely world of coffee ranges from Irish Coffee, Vietnamese Coffee, Japanese Coffee, Turkish, Italian, with Irish and Russian brews being today's topic of exploration.
Irish Coffee:
History & Culture:
Coffee is a culture and has been growing in recent years among the Irish. 75% of the population shared that coffee is a part of their daily lives. However, tea is still preferred over coffee in its nature as many tend to be health-conscious. The first coffee house opened in Dublin during the reign of Charles II (1660-1685) as the coffee-consuming pub shop trend thrived popularly with wealthy, fashionable men at the time. According to Atlas Coffee Club,
"More men started meeting at coffee houses (starting what they called, “Gentleman’s Clubs”), rather than taverns, to partake in cigars and political debate over coffees late into the night. Soon enough, coffee houses gained a reputation for an affable atmosphere that garnered widespread appeal" - Atlas Coffee Club
But the Irish like it strong. Food52 says,
"In 1943, Irish flying-boat-base chef Joe Sheridan greeted stranded passengers with warm mugs of a drink of his own invention—Irish coffee. When asked for the recipe, he provided it in—yes—limerick form: Cream rich as an Irish brogue / Coffee strong as a friendly hand / Sugar sweet as the tongue of a rogue / Whiskey smooth as the wit of the land" - Food52