Go into a coffee shop and see how well they know their product.

• Coffee trees grow at an altitude of 2000-6000 feet and require year round conditions of about 70 degrees. Over 50 countries can provide this environment.
• Coffee trees are grown from seeds in potting sheds and kept for 9-19 months, planted and fertilized for the next 18-24 months.
• The coffee bean is actually the seed of the coffee cherry. Two beans grow face to face with in the cherry. There are about 4,000 handpicked beans in a single pound of coffee.
• Brazil produces about one quarter of the world's coffee.
• Americans stole the Caf� idea from the French, who have places like that in plenty. Students go there to study and drink coffee. Mostly because it's cheaper that soft drinks.
• What is caffeine? It's an odorless, bitter alkaloid found in coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, and coca beans. A mild stimulant.
• Coffees are like wines. Aged coffees have been stored at constant temperatures for a number of years. Unfortunately this doesn't have the same effect as it does with wine. The coffee ends up tasting flat due to loss of acidity. The winy flavor however describes a tangy, highly acidic coffee.
• If you find grounds in the bottom of your cup, call them on it. Grounds make the brew bitter, and they are supposed to filter it properly. Same if you catch the guy making your cappuccino not wiping the wand after he steams your milk. It needs to be cleaned immediately after each use to prevent bacteria from getting into the coffee.
• Chicory is a dried, roasted, and ground root of a chicory plant (a type of turnip) that was popular during the Civil War to add a rich, bitter taste to the coffee.
• The only place in the United States where coffee grows is Hawaii. Particularly in the Kona region in volcanic soil.
• The coffee business is second only to oil as a commodity in world markets.