Good Morning - Tuesday, Jan 21, Welcome to Just the Drip! Your ultimate guide to living the caffeinated lifestyle, where coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a way of life. In this newsletter, we’ll take you on a flavorful journey through coffee culture, sharing industry insights, brewing tips, origin stories, gear reviews, and spotlighting some of the best coffee shops and roasters around the world. Whether you're a casual coffee drinker or a full-on coffee connoisseur, we're here to inspire, educate, and fuel your love for all things coffee. Pour yourself a fresh cup and let’s dive in!

This weeks grind:

• More Caffeine Please: Less people are consuming more caffeine

• Extract, Drip, Press: Top 3 brewing techniques for home brewers

• When to Drink Coffee: Time of Day = Longer Life?

Less Drinkers, More Caffeine

49,000 people participated in a new study highlighting evolving trends in caffeinated beverage consumption across the United States. While fewer people are drinking caffeinated beverages overall, those who do are consuming moderately higher amounts, with average intake still below the FDA-recommended limit of 400 milligrams per day. Coffee remains the dominant source of caffeine,

• 70% Coffee - Smart Folks

• 15% Soft Drinks - You Diet Coke Lovers

• 9% Tea - Gross

• 6% Energy Drinks - Time to Grow Up and Drink Coffee

Researchers partially attribute the rise in caffeine consumption to the growing popularity of specialty coffees and the proliferation of energy drink brands, which have almost doubled in the past decade.

How Consumption Changed

Compared to data from 2010-2011, coffee’s contribution to total caffeine intake has increased by 15%, while contributions from soft drinks and tea have dropped by 27% and over 50%, respectively. Notably, though fewer people are drinking tea, those who do have nearly doubled their caffeine intake from it. The study also cataloged 970 beverage brands across various categories, up from 559 brands a decade ago, underscoring the expanded choices for caffeine consumers. These findings, published in Food & Chemical Toxicology and supported by IAFNS, provide essential insights for regulatory bodies, the beverage industry, and public health initiatives to understand and address current caffeine consumption patterns.

How Do You Brew?

From the clean, nuanced profiles of a Pour Over (5-8% of coffee drinkers), where hot water gently cascades over coffee grounds in a slow, deliberate process, to the rich and full-bodied results of the French Press (4-6%), where steeping coffee grounds in hot water allows for bold extraction, each method offers something special. And let’s not forget the innovative AeroPress (2-3%), a favorite among coffee enthusiasts for its versatility and ability to produce a smooth, concentrated brew in just a few minutes. Whether you’re chasing complexity, craving robustness, or seeking speed and control, there’s a brewing method to match every palate and lifestyle. Let’s explore these techniques and elevate your coffee game!

Make no mistake. These methods will produce a better full flavored cup of coffee when put head-to-head with your Daily Drip Machine (45-50%). Nespressos and K-Cups (25-30%) are convenient and quick, but they also do not come close to the extraction of flavor with these 3 methods. It’s not wrong to use these quick methods for coffee, but if you’re paying $20+ for 10oz of coffee then you’re going to want to pull out as much flavor as you can in each cup.

For water ratios and more details on switching your morning coffee routine click on any of these methods above and it will take you thru a full run down to enhance your inner barista!

Sip Your Way to Longevity: Morning, Noon, or Night?

Scientists in the UK seem to have plenty of time to dive into fascinating research, and they’ve taken a particular interest in studying Americans—probably because of how much we love our coffee! A study published in the European Heart Journal examined over 40,000 adults, focusing on how much coffee they drank, what time of day they consumed it, and how it might impact their longevity.

After following participants for over 10 years, researchers found that morning coffee drinkers were 36% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Of those surveyed, 36% were morning sippers, 16% drank coffee throughout the day, and 48% didn’t drink coffee at all. Interestingly, the study also noted that the amount of coffee consumed in the morning may play a role in promoting longevity. However, the research didn’t address one key factor: how people take their coffee. If your “coffee” is more sugar and caramel than actual brew, it’s probably not the coffee that’s keeping you going. So, if you’re masking your cup with sugary concoctions, it might be time to upgrade your beans and embrace the real flavors of great coffee!

Random Coffee Bits

• Coffee Boom: Brazil reported 41% increase in coffee exports

• Air into Water: Kara Pod wizard water produces 13 cups of water via magic.

• 1,000 Lines of Cars: Dutch Bros is opening their 1,000th location.

• TGL for Baristas: Barista League is here. 20 top baristas battle in a 1-Night-Stand