Beethoven's Coffee Ritual Was Alarmingly Tedious

Colombian author Nathan Wolf once called coffee the "nectar of the gods," per goodreads, and if you have ever had to wake up far too early after far too little sleep, you probably agree. Coffee, according to many, is a miracle drink that helps you get going each morning. In fact, the National Coffee Association (NCA) says that 62% of Americans drink coffee every day, with the average coffee drinker consuming a little over three cups per day. That's a lot of people waking up and "smelling the coffee" each morning.

With its popularity, though, the NCA says there's no clear data available on who first discovered that amazing little bean. Of course, there are many legends, like an Ethiopian tale that says a goat herder discovered coffee beans after he witnessed his goats becoming energetic after they ate them. Wherever it came from, one thing is certain — coffee is "the favorite drink of the civilized world," according to Thomas Jefferson.

Coffee may be considered a great unifier, at least according to author Mason Currey (via Slate). Truck drivers stopping at truck stops enjoy coffee after a long drive. Parents driving kids to school in minivans make pit stops at Starbucks for their favorite iced coffees. Celebrities grab coffees on their way to and from events. And even some of the world's most famous historical figures loved coffee. Take, for example, the iconic composer Beethoven. He enjoyed coffee so much that he made a specific and tedious ritual of how he prepared it.

According to Currey, Beethoven's breakfast was coffee. The composer made it with 60 beans per cup, which he often counted out one by one. Talk about being thorough. In case you're wondering, there are approximately 6 milligrams of caffeine in one roasted coffee bean, according to Coffee Affection, which means that one cup of Beethoven's coffee contained 360 milligrams of caffeine. The average 8-ounce cup of coffee from Starbucks contains right around 155 milligrams of caffeine, according to Reader's Digest.

Of course, the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee all depends on the different coffee drinks. For example, Medical News Today reports that decaf, despite its name, does contain some caffeine — about 2 milligrams per 8-ounce cup. Regular coffee brewed at home typically has 80–100 milligrams of caffeine. Cold brew coffee can contain between 153–238 milligrams of caffeine per each 12-ounce cup, and a 1-oz shot of espresso contains around 63 milligrams of caffeine.  

That can change per coffee brand, though. For example, one espresso shot at Dunkin' has 98 milligrams of caffeine, while an espresso shot at Starbucks has 75, according to Coffee at Three. Based on that information, one cup of Beethoven's coffee contained nearly the same amount of caffeine as five shots of Starbucks espresso. The Food and Drug Administration says that healthy adults can consume around 400 mg of caffeine a day — or about four or five cups of coffee — without any adverse side effects.