The Science of Making a Great Cup of Joe: a True Coffee Experience Science of Everything Book

Coffee is one of the few substances on Earth that can transform a human being from a confused, slow-moving organism into a functioning participant in civilization within approximately three minutes. This alone should qualify it as a technological achievement. Every morning, hundreds of millions of people perform a small ritual that would have seemed magical to earlier generations. They take dried seeds from a tropical fruit, roast them until chemistry reorganizes their entire molecular structure, grind them into fragrant particles, pour hot water over them, and somehow produce a beverage that smells like caramel, chocolate, toasted bread, citrus, smoke, earth, and occasionally something suspiciously like blueberries. It is a ridiculous process when you think about it. Yet the result has built cities, fueled revolutions, launched businesses, sustained artists, and prevented countless workplace tragedies caused by unfocused morning meetings. Coffee is not just a drink.