Few things make life better than a fresh mug of steaming coffee on a cold winter morning, or a sweating glass of crisp cold brew on a warm summer day. Coffee is more than just a boost of caffeine—it’s a decidedly social drink. People around the world come together over a cup of coffee to chat, relax, and enjoy the moment.

Thrive Market’s Organic Whole Bean Breakfast Blend is a medium roast coffee with flavors of dark chocolate, toffee, and a caramel sweetness. A smooth and mild cup of this blend has clarity with lively undertones, minimal acidity, and a sweet finish. Our coffee is made of high-quality Arabica beans ethically sourced from Peru, which are roasted fresh daily in California in small batches and tightly sealed to ensure freshness.

Why do we all love coffee so much?

There's a reason so many of us feel like we can't start our day without a cup of coffee. Scientists tell us that the caffeine in coffee prompts the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that gives us a sense of wellbeing, and even makes us feel slightly euphoric.

With that said, it's no surprise that caffeine is the world's most commonly consumed psychoactive substance—and coffee is a quick and easy way to get it. Harvard School of Public Health estimates that more than half of American adults drink coffee every day, maybe that’s because many of us feel that we aren't quite ourselves without an awakening cup of joe.

Coffee in world history

The story of coffee is one of inexorable progress from country to country until it had conquered the globe.

Expansion of coffee

From its origin in Ethiopia, coffee reached the Arabian Peninsula in the 15th century. This lead to the first historical record of sustained coffee drinking in Sufi monasteries. By the 16th century, cultivation and trade had brought the beans to North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire.

Next, coffee reached Malta, Italy, and finally the rest of Europe. Dutch traders secured live coffee plants from Yemen, planted them in Amsterdam’s botanical gardens, and transported them to the East Indies and to the Americas. In the United States, coffee consumption skyrocketed after the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when drinking tea was seen as unpatriotic. Thomas Jefferson even called coffee "the favorite drink of the civilized world."

Coffee production

By the middle of the 19th century, Brazil had become the world’s biggest coffee producer and still holds that status today. Since the 1950s, however, other countries like Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Vietnam have increased production and are all massive coffee producers.

How to brew coffee

There are many methods for making the perfect cup of coffee, but some of the most common are using a coffee maker, doing a pour-over, and brewing with a French press.

Coffeemaker

Most drinkers use a home coffee maker, and it couldn’t be easier. Here are the steps to follow:

Fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir carafe with water to the desired level. A serving size is six fluid ounces.
Measure your desired amount of ground coffee into the filter. Use about one tablespoon for every six fluid ounces of water. To make it particularly strong, use 2 tablespoons per six fluid ounces.
Put the filter basket in its spot, close the lid, and turn the coffeemaker on.
Enjoy.

Pour-over

The best way to do a pour-over is to get a brew cone that can hold a filter right above your mug. If you don’t have one, you can simply place a paper filter on top of the coffee cup, or you can also use a clean cloth or a sieve if you don’t have a filter. Here are the steps:

Boil water and then let it cool for 30 seconds.
Rinse the filter with some hot water and place the filter in your cone or atop your cup.
Measure a tablespoon of coffee into the filter, moisten the grounds, then wait for at least 30 seconds.
Pour half-a-cup of hot water slowly, taking about 30 seconds.
Fill the rest of the cup with hot water, in three or four small pours over the grounds.
Enjoy.

French press

A French press uses an immersion technique—you pour water over the grounds, then after waiting a few minutes while it seeps, you push down on the filter and pour. You can do this even if you don’t have a French press; just use a pitcher or other large vessel. For this method, use a coarser grind, so it looks more like sea salt than sand. Here are the steps:

Boil water and then let it cool for 30 seconds.
Measure out a tablespoon of coffee for each cup you plan to make and place the grounds at the bottom of the French press.
Moisten the grounds with a bit of hot water and wait for 30 seconds.
Pour the rest of the water in—measured out according to the number of cups you’re making.
Let the coffee brew for 4-5 minutes.
Press the plunger down to trap the grounds at the bottom and then pour the coffee out into your cup. If you are using a pitcher, simply pour very slowly and stop before the grounds start flowing out.
Enjoy.

More about Thrive Market products

At Thrive Market, our mission is to bring you the highest quality organic goods at truly affordable prices. That's why we've gone directly to the source to develop our own line of premium products made from the very best all-natural ingredients at a fraction of the usual price.

Finally, you don't need to choose between cost and quality, taste and health, value and your values. If it has the Thrive Market seal, you can trust that you're getting the highest quality product possible at the best price possible. Shop our premium, organic, and fair-trade certified virgin coconut oil, spices, nuts and dried fruit, tomato sauces, ghee, and sprouted grains today!

Thrive Market, Breakfast Blend Coffee, Regeneratively Grown Organic, Whole Bean, Value Size