🧠 Coffee Quiz

Green coffee beans are actually seeds inside the coffee cherry fruit — the roasting process is what transforms them into the familiar dark brown beans and develops their distinctive aroma and flavour.

The word 'espresso' shares its Latin root with the English word 'express', reflecting both the speed of preparation and the idea of the flavour being pressed out of the coffee grounds.

A traditional Italian cappuccino is named after the Capuchin friars, whose brown robes and white hoods were said to resemble the drink's layers of espresso and frothy milk.

The flat white debate is so fierce that both Australia and New Zealand have made formal cultural claims to the drink, with New Zealanders pointing to a 1989 Auckland café menu as early evidence.

Crema is formed when hot water emulsifies the coffee's oils under high pressure, and baristas often use its colour and thickness as an indicator of a well-pulled espresso shot.

Kopi luwak can sell for over £50 per cup, as the civet's digestive enzymes are said to break down proteins in the beans, reducing bitterness and creating a smoother flavour.

The first commercial decaffeination process was developed by German merchant Ludwig Roselius around 1903, and his product was marketed under the brand name Kaffee HAG in Europe.

The 'first crack' is caused by steam and CO₂ building up inside the bean until the cell walls rupture — the sound is similar to popcorn popping and marks the transition into drinkable light roast territory.

Yirgacheffe coffees are prized for their distinctive jasmine and bergamot notes, and the region is often credited with producing some of the world's most complex and aromatic washed coffees.

Coffees scoring between 80 and 84.99 are considered 'specialty', while those scoring 85 and above are classed as 'outstanding' — only a tiny fraction of the world's coffee ever makes the specialty grade cut.