Coffee - it’s the one drink that just about connects us all. From the Americas to Asia, the Rockies to the Himalayas, coffee has been helping just about every human function around the world for hundreds of years.
And included in that list of just about every human (you and I as well), are people who have done some incredible things given their place in time. But it’s always fun to step back and remember that us specialty coffee lovers share something in common with some really cool people.
So here’s our list of 10 incredible coffee lovers, just like you and me...
1. Ludwig Van Beethoven
It’s no secret that Beethoven spent countless hours late into the night composing some of the most remarkable music in history - most of which was fueled by coffee. He was meticulous and precise in everything he did, and his coffee routine was no different. For every cup of jo that Beethoven brewed, he would count out exactly 60 beans.
2. Voltaire
Deep thinking needs a lot of coffee. So it should come as no surprise that one of the highest minded thinkers in history was slamming coffee non-stop. Voltaire would drink on average, 40-50 cups a day (we’re not sure what size though…) to power through and produce cult classic literature.
3. Hugh Jackman
Most of us think of Wolverine in X-Men when Jackman is mentioned, but his most recently pronounced love of coffee has morphed into a new career. Jackman launched a coffee company focused on direct buyer relationships that strengthens community development efforts - similar to our efforts in Nepal through our growers at Plantec coffee estate.
4. Shalane Flannagan
Coffee has been touted by endurance athletes throughout history as a secret weapon in the training arsenal. So it’s no surprise U.S. Olympic Marathon runner Shalane Flannagan makes coffee a part of her pre-run rituals, which have helped propel her to record breaking times. Her 2:21:14 marathon time is usually powered by an AeroPress that she notoriously brings to race day.
5. Jackie Chan
We all know Chan for his martial arts expertise and thrilling kung-fu flicks, but the actor is actually a pronounced lover of coffee culture and the human connections behind coffee. In the early 2000s Chan had plans to launch a coffee brand in Asia (it didn’t go so well), but his profound words have held a place in coffee culture since 2006. “Coffee, like music and movies, knows no barriers. Coffee is also a language in itself.”
6. Jerry Seinfeld
There is probably a reason every episode of Seinfeld had numerous scenes at the corner coffee shop or why he launched the new Netflix series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Like Chan, Seinfeld takes a simple, but philosophical approach to coffee that we can all understand.
He said, “I think the answer is we all need a little help, and the coffee's a little help with everything — social, energy, don't know what to do next, don't know how to start my day, don't know how to get through this afternoon, don't know how to stay alert. We want to do a lot of stuff. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup.”
7. Robert De Niro
Young and old, DiNerio’s films have transcended generations. He’s a cult classic, but those script lines didn’t exactly remember themselves. He is notorious for carrying cups of coffee with him anywhere on set, morning or night, and has been known to auction off coffee dates with fans while using the proceeds for charitable causes.
8. Boris Diaw
The man who started the specialty coffee craze in mainstream American sports. This guy earns a spot on our list for a few reasons. The former champion kept an espresso machine in his basketball locker for home games, and even traveled with the machine when his team was on the road. Diaw also commonly persuaded his teammates to try a shot of espresso before games and turned lots of basketball players onto the idea of caffeinating before stepping onto the court.
9. Nick McNutt
Mountain sports and adventure enthusiasts don’t get all their adrenaline naturally, and world class freestyle skier Nick McNutt is one of the sports most vocal coffee addicts. We bring our coffee in from the Himalayas in Nepal, so we understand McNutt when he says being in the mountains is a special place for coffee. Coffee has helped McNutt become one of the most innovative big mountain skiers that is changing the sport through his unique style (they say coffee makes you more creative, eh eh).
10. Adrian Ballinger and Nirmal Purja
Mountaineers are a bit out of their minds, especially the ones brave enough to summit the high peaks of the Himalayas. Ballinger, a lifelong mountaineer, and Purja, a Nepal native and former Gurkha soldier are best known for summiting a series of peaks throughout the Himalayan Mountains, most notably K2 and Mt. Everest. Both guys preach their reliance on coffee to power their climbs and help reduce the negative health effects of spending so much time at high altitudes.