Josephus Daniels became Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. These coffee jokes are especially popular on International Coffee Day, which is September 29th in the United States. Bonus points if you tell me where the name comes from. However, where did this slang come from? Over time, weve come to know coffee by a bunch of different terms. The true origin of the name, though, has been lost to history. It was made from coffee, sugar, and water. Our insight is it might be a combination of many of these theories. Wake up on the right side of the bed with our coffee puns and barista jokes. Above this, the beverage causes adverse effects, one of which involves jittery sensations. 21 Different Types of Espresso Drinks (with Pictures), How To Make Coffee While Camping (10 Easy Methods). . We first heard it in an old (the 1940s) movie, used by blue-collar type characters. In some parts of the world, coffee is also referred to as mud. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There also the theory that since coffee took on the nickname . This theory revolves around Josephus Daniel, a U.S. Navy secretary from 1913 to 1921. Today, coffee is thankfully available with fair trade growing practices from about eighty countries. This spread from all the navy officers to many of the port cities. A company called the Martinson Coffee Company was the first to trademark the phrase "cup of joe." It's possible that people referred to Martinson coffee as a cup of joe, due to the fact that the owner was named Joe Martinson. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink. The name is derived from the nickname Martinson gave himself and his coffee. Sometimes, and this is one of those cases, this leads to whole new meanings for words. Currently, Java is a general term used to refer to coffee, not just coffee exported from the island of Java. Since so many people travel to and from New York, the phrase could have spread this way. He was known to drink up to 12 cups of coffee a day! Freshly roasted & Free 1st class delivery. Two popular slang terms for coffee are java and mocha. Above all, please comment below what you call your coffee and we can add it to the blog! The common man theory may also have a military aspect to it. A cup of go might actually be a long-forgotten form of advertising for a coffee company. The first usage of this phrase was found in a Reserve Officers Manual in 1931. While many legends are surrounding the coffee plants origin, what is certain is that it was first discovered in the Ethiopian plateau. I'm passionate about exploring the world of coffee and finding another great roast to experience. He installs Java! Working men stopped by diners for their morning coffee, and when enough average joes were drinking coffee, coffee became a cup of joe. Shortly and most commonly, the answer to the question "why is coffee called Joe?" is, a person named Josephus Daniels, who was also known as Joe Daniels. In June 1914, this Joe banned alcohol on all U.S. Navy ships. (4). Many phrases that come into common language are due to marketing. Percolator vs Drip Coffee Maker: Which Is Right for You? They all started calling their daily coffee cups of Joe to make fun of their superiors decision. The name Coffeehas been used since about 1582 when the word entered the English language from the Dutch wordkoffie. January 19, 2009. A company called the Martinson Coffee Company was the first to trademark the phrase cup of joe.. Dripped.Coffee is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. The ironic thing is that 'jamoke' was already a combination of 'java' and yet another slang word, 'mocha'. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Shab is the Chief Caffeine Officer at Coffee Brewster. We've found several theories explaining why coffee is called joe. Why Coffee is Called "A Cup of Joe" The term "a cup of joe" is slang for the term Jamoke . Since the terms "java" and "mocha" became widely used themselves, it is easy to see how these terms could have been shortened and combined into "Joe." Why is coffee called a cup of Joe? Another theory from Snopes about the origin of "joe" involves the slang term "joe." Joe is a slang word for the common man, or an "average joe." This slang term has been used to describe the average man in English since 1846. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. We first used the name in this way around 1846 and its still in modern speech today think about it the next time you say Joe Bloggs. Your email address will not be published. Some of these names make sense, like cappuccino (named after the Capuchin monks who originally created the drink) or espresso (named after the speed with which it is made). No matter how you like your coffee, there is a type for everyone. This was because, at the time, coffee was seen as a drink for ladies, and there was a popular belief that men should only drink alcohol. (2) Remember how I said that. She runs Dragonfly Editorial, an agency that provides copywriting, editing, and design for scientific, medical, technical, and corporate materials. Daniels was the United States Secretary of the Navy during World War I, and he instituted a policy that banned alcohol from all navy ships. The history of coffee is long and fascinating, but it passes through hundreds of years without a Joe in sight. The term cup of Joe only appears in writing for the first time in 1930long after the Navys ban on alcohol. The first known printed reference to a cup of coffee as a cup of joe appears in a book from 1936. Navy sailors began drinking coffee every day and called it their daily cup of Joe to mock their superiors decision. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Therefore, cup of Joe could be a euphemism for a common mans drink. As secretary, Daniels tried to instill a sense of morality into the Navy. Joe was a people person, loved by locals for his charming personality and great coffee. It is also interesting to note that coffee was originally seen as a medicinal drink and not something to be enjoyed for its flavor. Joe was a people person, loved by locals for his charming personality and great coffee. A cup of Joe is therefore a way of saying the common mans drink. Maybe thats why all coffee lovers have these things in common. Weve all heard the saying. This phrase spread so much that it became a common language. During the Civil War, both Union and Confederate soldiers would drink coffee to help them stay awake during battle. Joe could have come from the combination of two different names of coffee at the time. 3. In 1930, the most common names for coffee was mocha and java. As we mentioned earlier, calling someone a Joe is a way to refer to them as an average man. Hey, Joe, who actually are you? Of course, most of the beverages that we drink are, but the flavor of the acid is far more prominent in coffee. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. There are many theories behind the origin of the nickname that span different times in history. I cant really imagine how they would have tasted. Coffee is sometimes called high octane. All we know is the nickname has stuck and well continue using it for years to come! As a result, mocha spread along the trade routes. How Is Caffeine In Coffee Affected By Sugar And Cream? I just bring him some coffee. However, the term mocha became popular in Europe via trade routes to Egypt, Malta, Syria, and Turkey. The nickname could have evolved from different terms for coffee. Many people believe that coffee is also called Joe due to this reason. Your information is stored securely and never passed to third parties. Hilariously Funny Coffee Jokes Here we have some funny coffee names and funny coffee jokes, Starbucks jokes, funny barista jokes, and some cafe jokes to help you run through the day with a latte of energy and laughter. Please try again. I figured that since Joe is such a common name, that someone many years ago just decided to name coffee a common and often used name. De-calf-inated! Coffee goes by so many other names such as cuppa, rocket fuel, and more. Why Is Coffee Called Joe? The most likely reason a "cup of joe" means a cup of coffee is that joe is a shortened form of jamoke, which is a combination of the words java and mocha. But no matter where it came from, the phrase has been persistently used for decades and likely will be for decades to come. No, I say. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. However, if you order a cup of jitter juice in a coffee shop, you might get blank stares. The port of Mocha in Yemen played a critical role in the early days of coffees proliferation. In other words, joe has a military origin. The claim is that, because of United States Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and his actions during his reign, coffee is got its reference as a "cup of Joe" or "Joe". It wasn't long before the angry sailors began referring to the hot drink as Joe or cup of joe, a nod to the Navy . Jamoke Theory (Shortened version of Java + Mocha) One popular theory for why we call a cup of coffee a Cup of Joe is based on linguistics. Heres a breakdown of coffees other nicknames: One of the main reasons why people take coffee is because of the energy boost it provides. It is a part of American culture. Answer (1 of 4): Cup Of Joe Meaning: A nickname for a cup of coffee. Not surprisingly, these sailors on U.S. Navy Ships named it a cup of Josephus after Josephus Daniels, which later came to be shortened to a cup of Joe.. I've been drinking coffee my entire life, from a little boy stealing coffee off the counter to an adult (who still steals his wife's coffee occasionally). To understand why coffee is called mocha we have to go back to the origins of coffee. Unfortunately, there is no one clear answer. Ordering a cup of Joe in any coffee shop or restaurant will get you want you want! 5. But have you ever considered why coffee is called java? The most prevalent story behind why coffee is referred to as joe comes from World War I. Joe is short for Joseph, or in this case, Josephus Daniels, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Why is coffee called joe? The iconic nickname, a cup of Joe, has several origin stories. However, the creation cannot be traced to a single point. Martinson Coffee is still popular in New York, Boston and Florida and even made it into an Andy Warhol print in 1962. AlthoughSumatran coffee beansmay be the most popular Indonesian coffee now, Java has left a much deeper cultural mark on coffee drinkers everywhere. 69. After that, coffee would have been the strongest drink allowed onboard. In fact, it is estimated that Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day. Joe was commonplace. Times change, though. Of the many things he banned, one was the consumption of alcohol.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'coffeebrewster_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coffeebrewster_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'coffeebrewster_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',105,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coffeebrewster_com-medrectangle-4-0_1'); .medrectangle-4-multi-105{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. The Average Joe. But have you ever wondered where this phrase came from? Afinal theoryis that the first time the word Joe was used concerning coffee was in 1775 in a publication called The Pennsylvania Gazette. People drink this t. Of course there are! Driftaway Coffee. However, a few facts make this theory unlikely. Nowadays, Java no longer refers to the island, but the coffee itself. Even though weve since learned that caffeine doesnt give energy so much as suppress fatigue, the names and reputation of the brew still stand. Some think that the phrase comes from our usage of joe to refer to the common person. A guy walks into a cafe and orders a coffee to go. Have you ever sipped coffee in a contemplative mood and wondered why coffee got the name joe? Secondly, it can be prepared in a dozen different ways. Coffee goes by many nicknames, bean juice, java, brew, and the most common, a cup of Joe. They were essentially the original advertisers of single-origin coffee. ), Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe (Easy & Tasty! Learn more. The first usage of this phrase was in 1931 in a Reserve Officers Manual. In 1827, a New York coffee merchant named John Taylor wrote a book called The Housekeepers Friend. In this book, he argued that coffee was a healthy and wholesome drink that should be consumed by all Americans. Even President Abraham Lincoln drank coffee. For coffee lovers, by coffee lovers. In 1914, Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels banned alcohol from his ship and wouldn't allow his sailors to drink it. This is why they rebranded it, and the bags of coffee transported back to the Netherlands were marked "Java." They also began creating Kopi Luwak, or 'cat poop coffee'. On this day, Secretary of the Unit-ed States Navy Josephus "Joe" Daniels imposed a general ban on serving any alcoholic beverages aboard United States Navy ships. In the following post, well explain the origin of this term, and other nicknames given to coffee. Joe is slang for coffee and dates all the way back to the World War I era. Evenlow-acid coffeesare more acidic than water. One theory on cup of joe's origin goes like this: In 1914, a ban on alcohol on U.S. Navy ships imposed by the Secretary of the Navy Josephus "Joe" Daniels meant that the strongest drink available aboard the ship was black coffee. As a result of this book, coffee became known as the American drink. This is because it was seen as a symbol of democracy and equality. dont dissolve entirely in water; hence, leaving a grainy mixture that resembles mud. We recommend our users to update the browser. The Martinson coffee company was one of the oldest coffee companies in the US, having been around since 1898. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The second reason for this is that coffee has a long history, and it has been around for centuries. Ground, Grounds, Grounded: Ground coffee beans in place of basis, earth, punishment, Getting in on the ground floor. There are many theories about how this popped up. Coffee is the ordinary persons drink, and a fair few people think that this is why coffee is called joe. Even if his name was Kaldi, not Joe. every morning.Coffee puns are great whether you're a barista trying to make a customer smile or just a person who can't go a day . 4 Theories on Why Coffee is Called Joe 1. When the United States was first discovered, tea was the preferred drink of the elites, while coffee was the average drink consumed by common folk (average man). Similarly, Mocha was a generic term of coffee in Yemen. There, the Turkish ambassador to France, Suleiman Aga, helped to make coffee the it beverage in the court of Louis XIV. There are many names for coffee. The local monks found that the berries enabled them to stay alert for long hours of prayer, and coffee eventually spread to the Arabian Peninsula and Europe, and through colonization to Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas, where it was grown by enslaved peoples. So by 1914, the only hard stuff that would have been left was wine served in the officers mess. It was discovered in a humorous way Legend has it that a goat herder discovered the coffee plant in the 9 th century. Coffee Jokes. The real answer is that were not quite sure, but there are some theories. Jamoke A nickname make from the combination of Java and Mocha. The first theory is that coffee was given the nickname Joe in the early 20th century as a way to make it more masculine. Here, coffee was grown on several islands such as Sulawesi, Sumatra, and, you guessed it, Java!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'dripped_coffee-box-4','ezslot_5',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-dripped_coffee-box-4-0'); Java became the main island and source of coffee exported to other parts of the world. The Brits will likely always reserve that word for tea, but we Americans tend to get British slang wrong. *Third party tested for mycotoxins, heavy metals, acrylamide, pesticides plus 400 other toxins. The popularity of coffee spread from Yemen so the did the slang. As a result, the sailors started drinking coffee at an increased rate. What did the coffee lover name her son? The biggest credit for that goes to the phenylindanes, chemical compounds that are released during the roasting process. When they combined the beans from those two countries, they created Mocha Java," also known as jamoke.* And the shortened version of that, of course, is joe. (1). The post Why Is Coffee Called a Cup of Joe? There have been many theories on how coffee got the nickname joe. The second theory as to why coffee is called joe ties back to a slang term that was actually popular in the 30s and one that's still used today: jamoke and java. Pop the kettle on; lets have a coffee! 4. The term cup of joe comes from two other nicknames for coffee: java and mocha. (4). The most likely tale is the second one, that "Java" and "Mocha" made "jamoke," which was then shortened to "Joe." All that's left, it would seem, is to buy the best Coffee beans from The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. It did not take long before Indonesia became a significant exporter of coffee worldwide. The reason coffee is called your average male American name may just be a prolonged joke originating from disgruntled WWI sailors. In the late 19th century back when Mocha still just meant coffee a new word arose: Jamocha. Weve called fake coffee Boston coffee, Canadian coffee, and crumb coffee. These so-called coffees were made in the U.S. after the Revolutionary War, when Americans were abstaining from tea because of high British taxes, yet also suffering from high coffee prices. But other coffee names are a bit more mysterious, like caf au lait (literally coffee with milk in French) or mocha (named after the city in Yemen where coffee was first cultivated). It might trace back to the Kingdom of Kaffa in Ethiopia, where the coffee bean originates. Thats where arabica coffee beans originated; theyre native to both Yemen and Ethiopia. Get our latest coffee deals and articles! Another school of thought has it that the cup of Joe was named after Joe (short for Josephus) Daniels. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), these are the only tricks you need for a perfect pot, coffee lovers have these things in common, Food Quiz: 25 Questions to Test Your Culinary Smarts, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. U.S. ships werent exactly Ibiza on water; there was only a small amount of alcohol before the ban, so its unlikely that the law made much of a difference. Because the term "cup of joe" was initially created and spread through oral means, it's difficult to track it back to a direct source. In our case, this means a cup of coffee. 2023 Breakdown, How Much Caffeine Is In Breinfuel? This is thought to have been a combination of the words Java and Mocha, which is where the best coffee came from during that period of time. General Order 99 stated that: The use or introduction for drinking purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any navy yard or station, is strictly prohibited, and commanding officers will be held directly responsible for the enforcement of this order. In slang, the word is used to refer to a fellow, guy, or chap. As such, people likely called coffee a cup of Joe to refer to a beverage taken by any average individual and using it to describe a common mans drink. This is because the phrase cup of Joe wasnt documented until 1930, long after the prohibition of alcohol consumption in the Navy. Martinson Coffee was Joe's Coffee. (3), Americans have borrowed the British expression a cuppa, referring to a cup of tea, and now use it willy-nilly to refer to a cup of coffee. This post may contain affiliate links. Coffee has a lot of nicknames: java, joe, dirt, mud, brew, cuppa, daily grind, lifeblood, tar, rocket fuel, even worm dirt. As alcohol consumption plummeted, coffee consumption rose. As good as coffee is, inviting your date for a cup of jamoke is sure to kill the mood. Thefirst theoryis that coffee was given the nickname Joe in the early 20th century as a way to make it more masculine. Now, if you order a Mocha in the average coffee shop, youll probably get a caff mocha, a chocolate-flavored latte that has nothing to do with Yemen or the port of Mocha. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'dripped_coffee-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-dripped_coffee-large-leaderboard-2-0'); For such a versatile drink, it comes as no surprise that it has dozens of other nicknames. Im Zak writer, chemist, and proud owner of, Coffee names that require more explanation. Apparently this theory doesnt convince historians. The second theory is that as coffee became so common, people associated a common name with it. So next time you drink a cup of coffee, think about all the history and culture. The Verdict - Why Is Coffee Called A Cup Of Joe? Locals may have referred to Joe's coffee as a "cup of joe" when it was first introduced in New York in 1898 by Joe Martinson, who was said to have a "bigger-than-life personality.". However, the company no longer exists, and the Nestle Corporation now owns the trademark. How Many Calories in Coffee with Semi Skimmed Milk? Welcome to Coffee Brewster. The first time it was written down in English was in a medical textbook called The Physical Dictionary by Nicholas Culpeper. We appreciate your support! Sam is the vice president of ACES, The Society for Editing, and is the managing editor of Tracking Changes, ACES' quarterly journal. ). The next theory on the origins of the phrase cup of joe is that coffee is the common mans drink: the avereage joe. Because he was pressed for time. One of the theories is that one of the most famous music composers, Stephen . By being at a cultural hub in the center of New York City it is possible that this lingo has spread from one coffee roaster in 1898. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. So, we can see that coffees English name is likely derived from the Italian and Arabic versions of the word. For instance, coffee at this establishment was frequently cups of joe or Joes Coffee and was known by this by all the locals. Mud. One theory is that its named after Josephus Daniels, a U.S. Secretary of the Navy. It could come from the Arab word for a lack of hunger (qah) or the word for power or energy (quwwa). Required fields are marked *. Michael Quinion states that the term 'cup of Joe' is a concatenation of the many different names already used to refer to coffee such as "mocha", "java", or "jamoke".