How many cups of coffee do Austrians actually drink and, above all, how do they drink the coffee? We have 10 facts about coffee and Austrian coffee house culture that you didn't know yet.
What the Italians can do, we Austrians have been able to do for a long time. We only drink an average of 2.9 cups a day, but like our neighbors, we like to do that outside of the home. Whether in the top gastronomy, the hip coffee bar, the barista shop or in the classic coffee house - we love coffee. Every year Jacobs and Falstaff look for the companies that celebrate the best coffee enjoyment and award them the "Golden Coffee Bean". In the course of this, the following facts, curiosities and interesting facts were researched.
1
The more the better
Austria is characterized above all by the wide range on offer. There is hardly any other country that offers so many different coffee creations as our home country. On the drinks menu there are 40 different compositions from which Mr and Mrs Austrians can choose. In addition - who is surprised - Austrians are also into alcoholic coffee, as Fiaker, Pharisee & Maria Theresa coffee prove.
2
The absolute long-running hits
But what do Austrians prefer to drink? The Italian cappuccino has been in first place for years with 58 percent, followed by the caffé latte (38 percent) and the extended (32 percent). Espresso is in fourth place with 30 percent and the Austrian classics, the small and the large brown, bring up the rear in the same place Top 5.
3
Vienna is different: Melange
There is one exception, by the way - in Vienna. While the classic Viennese melange is only the 6th most popular coffee beverage in Austria with 27 percent, it is number 1 in its hometown. Around 200,000 cups of these are served daily in Viennese coffee houses.
4
Milk or no milk - that is the question ?
Austrians also like to drink their coffee with milk. In Italy it is different in that you are not allowed to drink "milk coffees" after 11 am without being recognized as a tourist.
5
Coffee as a trend product
The latest trend on the coffee market is the "rainbow coffee", which comes from a barista in Las Vegas and which also triggered an absolute hype in this country. Based on latte art, the fresh milk foam is mixed with food coloring and then the espresso is decorated with a rainbow. This trend product will certainly have to wait a long time in the classic coffeehouse of Vienna, but many a barista is already trying his hand at rainbow art.
6
The Viennese coffee house as a world cultural heritage
The Viennese coffee house as a gastronomic facility is a typical Viennese institution and tradition. Viennese coffee house culture has been a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage since 2011. The reason for this "award": "The Viennese coffee house is a place where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is on the bill." In other words: In Viennese coffee houses it is not surprising when you come for a coffee and spend a few hours with several magazines and newspapers.
7
When the espresso came to Vienna …
In 1984 Vienna had its first espresso machine in a coffee house and since then it has been a popular drink, whether in the morning, after dinner or for those who are in a hurry.
8
The color is important
At the beginning of the coffee house culture, people did not order coffee with milk or an espresso, as they do today, but chose according to color. This means that the waiter handed you a color palette on which the different shades of coffee were applied, from black to milky-white.
9
The east vs. the west
According to WKO there are around 40,000 active catering establishments in Austria, 10,000 of which are assigned the names "coffee house", "coffee restaurant", "espresso bar" and "coffee pastry shop". There are around 2000 such establishments in Vienna and Lower Austria, closely followed by Styria. Incidentally, Vorarlberg brings up the rear in terms of "coffee houses" with just over 300 establishments.
10
Awards
The golden coffee bean is awarded to those companies that can score points in the categories offer (range), visual impression (crema, color), coffee quality (taste, smell, temperature), and service. It is selected from the classic Viennese coffee house, pastry shops, hotel bars, restaurants or the third wave coffee house.
