Why Is Coffee Called a Cup of Joe? | Reader's Digest

Why Is Coffee Called a Cup of Joe? Dirt. Mud. Jitter juice. Java, pick-me-up, and of course, a cup of Joe. Coffee has many nicknames—you may know it as the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning—and they’re all pretty straightforward, especially if you take your coffee black. Whether you make it at home, haunt your local coffee shop, or duck into the nearest chain for a stamp on your loyalty card, coffee is a convenient and delicious way to feel more alert and kick-start your day—and these are the only tricks you need for a perfect pot. But all the brain juice in the world can’t solve this mystery: why is coffee called a cup of Joe? Coffee wasn’t always a cup of Joe Like happiness, coffee comes to us from many places, and in many forms. Latte, cold brew, or drip: they all started on the ancient Ethiopian plateau, when a goat-herder noticed his goats eating a berry that made them so energetic, they couldn’t sleep at night (if you’ve ever had coffee after 3 p.m., you can relate). The local monks found that the berries enabled them…

Where Did the Term “Cup of Joe” Come From? – The Roasterie

Where Did the Term “Cup of Joe” Come From? For most of us, coffee is a good friend (to some people, perhaps a best friend!). And like any friend, we’ve given it a few nicknames—battery acid, bean juice, brain juice, brew, A Cup of Juan Valdez’s Best, java, jitter juice, jet fuel, morning mud, liquid energy—the list goes on and on. But if one name had to stand out from the rest, it has to be “Cup of Joe”. Cup of Joe is, without a doubt, the nickname that comes to mind when it comes to coffee.  But where did this term come from? Was there a guy named Joe who made really good coffee?  Or is “Joe” a bizarre shortened version of Java?  In short, we don’t know.  No one does for sure. The origin of the term is as cloudy as creamer. Thankfully, the thorough folks at Snopes.com did some research. Cup of Joe Origin Here are the three leading theories on the origins of the term “Cup of Joe”. Secretary of the Navy in 1913, Josephus Daniels, prohibited alcohol aboard naval vessels leading to more coffee consumption….

Why Is Coffee Called “A Cup of Joe”? – Wonderopolis

Why Is Coffee Called “A Cup of Joe”? ARTS & CULTURE — Food Have You Ever Wondered… Why is coffee called “a cup of joe”? Why is coffee called java? Which Indonesian island was the source of the world’s first coffee? When you wake up in the morning, do you ever awaken to the wonderful aroma of something brewing in the kitchen? Hearty and rich, the smell of a freshly-brewing pot of coffee can bring you to life and lift you right out of bed. Are you ready for a big cup of joe? How about a hot mug of java?Coffee is a beloved drink of millions of people around the world. It is so loved that it has spawned all sorts of endearing nicknames. Two of the most common are “java” and “cup of joe.” So how did coffee come to be known by these interesting nicknames?When it comes to the nickname java, the…

Why is coffee called a “cup of joe”?

Why is coffee called a “cup of joe”? When anyone thinks of slang terms for coffee, “cup of joe” is almost always the first thing that springs to mind. As you may have guessed, the term originates from America in the 20th century, sometime between WW1 and the early 1930’s. The exact source is not strictly known, although there are quite a few ideas out there on where the phrase was first used. Here are a few of the leading theories on where the term comes from and how it became so widespread across America, and eventually the world. The Josephus Daniels theory This is the one that is most often presented as the source of the term, although many experts think it’s not likely to be true. The tale goes that during World War 1 Josephus Daniels was secretary to the Navy under president Woodrow Wilson and was well renowned for…

Why is coffee called a “cup of joe?” – Driftaway Coffee

Why is coffee called a “cup of joe?” – Driftaway Coffee A “cup of joe,” is one of coffee’s most common nicknames — and one of it’s most puzzling. Unlike “java,” which refers to a specific coffee-growing region, the origins of “cup of joe” are unknown. The term first started appearing in print in the 1930s, with the first occurrence of it in a book coming in 1936. Here’s a few theories, two historic and two linguistic, that might explain what gave rise to the term “cup of joe” at this time. Martinson Coffee was Joe’s Coffee Martinson Coffee has trademarked the term “cup of joe,” suggesting that the slang term comes from the company’s early years. Founded in New York in 1898 by Joe Martinson, who reportedly had a “bigger-than-life personality,” coffee may have locally been called “Joe’s coffee” or a “cup of joe.” As the company grew, “cup of joe” could have expanded from a local nickname to a more widely used term by the 1930s. (Many people today aren’t familiar…

Why We Call Coffee a “Cup of Joe” – Allrecipes

Why We Call Coffee a “Cup of Joe” According to a 2020 report from the National Coffee Association, Americans are drinking more coffee than ever. Beginning the day with a cup of joe, as the modest drink has long been called, is so habitual for many people that the comprehensive survey describes the caffeinated brew as “essential to daily lives coast-to-coast.” Though we’re quick to reference the morning brew as a cup of joe, it’s unlikely anyone who utters the idiom truly know where it comes from, or eve what it means. Read on to find out the meaning of cup of joe and its potential origins. Where Did “Cup of Joe” Come From? The theories for the catchy moniker are about as numerous as the ways to consume the beloved beverage — that is plentiful, and no one way is the correct one. The phrase is so universal, in fact, it has spurred countless creative iterations in the name of coffee shops around the country. In New York City, for instance, Joe Coffee Company, Cup of Joe Coffee Company, Java Joe Coffee Tea & Spice Merchant, and Bread and Joe all peddle…

Why coffee is called “joe” – Quartz

Why coffee is called “joe”Say hello to Josephus Daniels, former secretary of the US Navy and namesake of the proverbial cup of joe.Joe is, of course, short for Joseph. And in American English, “joe” can refer to an average guy, a soldier, or—somewhat strangely—coffee. A popular chain in New York, for instance, is called Joe the Art of Coffee.As it turns out, the use of joe as slang for coffee dates to the World War I era. It was then that Daniels, who started his career as a newspaper publisher in North Carolina, became secretary of the Navy under president Woodrow Wilson. As recounted in a new biography, Daniels tried to imbue the navy with a strict morality. He increased the number of chaplains, discouraged prostitution at naval bases, and, most controversially, banned the consumption of alcohol.“As a substitute, stewards increased their purchases of coffee, among other beverages,” writes Lee Craig in the new book, “and Daniels’s name became linked to the daily drink of millions around the world. A cup of coffee became disparagingly known…

The Man Named Josephus: Why We Call Coffee “A Cup of Joe”

The Man Named Josephus: Why We Call Coffee “A Cup of Joe”SaveCommentsWe independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. Have you ever wondered why the slang term for coffee is a cup of joe? The phrase has been in use since World War I, but the original term, coined by sailors in the Navy, was actually a cup of Joseph Daniels. And it was meant as an insult. Josephus Daniels was secretary to the Navy under president Woodrow Wilson. Looking to impose stricter moral standards on naval life, he made changes like increasing the number of chaplains, cracking down on prostitution at naval bases and banning alcohol. In his biography of Daniels, author Lee Craig explains how this last decision led to the creation of the slang term. “As a substitute, stewards increased their purchases of coffee, among other beverages,” writes Lee Craig in the new book, “and Daniels’s name became linked to the daily drink of millions around the world. A cup of coffee became disparagingly known as ‘a cup of Joseph Daniels,’ and as legend has…

cup of joe – Wiktionary

cup of joe – Wiktionary Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary Jump to navigation Jump to search English[edit] Alternative forms[edit] cup o’ joe cuppa joe Etymology[edit] Of uncertain origin. Possibly a shortening of “cup of jamoke”, from java + mocha: this origin was given in a military officer’s manual from 1931, around when the term first appeared.[1] Alternatively, perhaps a use of joe (“fellow, guy”), signifying that coffee was the drink of the common man. Another theory suggests that US soldiers in World War I (1914-1918) referred to a serving of instant coffee made by the G. Washington Coffee Refining Company (founded in 1910) as a “cup of George”, and that the common abbreviation of the name “George” (“Geo.”) was then read as “Joe”.[2] Another theory derives the term from Josephus Daniels (1862-1948), the Secretary of the U.S. Navy who abolished the officers’ wine mess and thus made coffee the strongest drink available on ships. Snopes considers this is unlikely because it says there is no attestation of the phrase “cup of joe” until 1930, 16 years after the 1914 order banning the wine mess.[3] Confusingly, some other sources consider the…

Why Is Coffee Called a 'Cup of Joe'? – HomeGrounds

Why Is Coffee Called a ‘Cup of Joe’? Home » Why Is Coffee Called a ‘Cup of Joe’? Fancy a cup of Joe? Where does the term cup of joe come from? Of all the nicknames to grace the drink world, “Joe” has to be the strangest. If you happen to have an overactive imagination like me, you may wonder: why is coffee called Joe? As you may have already expected, there is no single answer to that question. As I break down the multiple explanations, I’ll let you decide which makes the most sense (or sounds the coolest). Just A Cup Of Joe Please – An Association Of Averages If you see coffee as the everyman’s drink, then the secret to its nickname isn’t that hard to guess. “The average Joe” is a common American reference to the everyday man, and coffee is one of the most common beverages, regardless of social class. The association is simple: an average drink for the average man. Some nameless buster walks into your diner (yes, we’ve reverted back…