Why Is Coffee Called Java? http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-coffee-called-java/ Have you ever wondered why some people refer to coffee as java? For that matter how the expression a cup of Joe come about? The reason for why coffee is called java is clear and the reason we ask for a cup of Joe is questionable. Let’s go back in time to the era called The Age of Exploration which lasted from the 15th to 17th century (1400 to 1600) and before. Trade with the East Trade between the Far East and Europe took place over the Silk Road, an ancient network of roads extending from China and India through Asia and the Middle East. The European connection was the Western capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople (now Istanbul). When Islamic armies gained strength in the late 1300’s they cut off the supply of silks, spices and other goods that flowed through Constantinople into the Mediterranean Basin. Half a century before the fall of Constantinople ship owners and traders from Italy took their skills and boats and set up shop in Portugal and Spain. From there they explored and set up trade routes along the coast of Africa eventually rounding the continent and sailing to India in 1497-99. The Spanish and Portuguese colonized South and Central America and the British and French soon followed. However, it was the Dutch traders who first colonized Australia, the East Indies and even New York (New Amsterdam). The Dutch are responsible for finding the coffee plants in East Africa and planting them on their island colonies including the Indonesian island of Java in the 1500’s. Until a coffee leaf rust plague wiped out most of the plants on Java in the 1880s it was a global supplier of coffee, thus the name Java. Calling coffee Joe is a different story.

1. Why Is Coffee
Called Java?
By
www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org

2. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Have you ever wondered why some people
refer to coffee as java? For that matter how
the expression a cup of Joe come about?

3. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
The reason for why coffee is called java is
clear and the reason we ask for a cup of Joe
is questionable. Let’s go back in time to the
era called The Age of Exploration which
lasted from the 15th to 17th century (1400 to
1600) and before.

4. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Trade with the East
The Silk Road

5. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Trade between the Far East and Europe took
place over the Silk Road, an ancient network of
roads extending from China and India through
Asia and the Middle East. The European
connection was the Western capital of the
Roman Empire, Constantinople (now Istanbul).
When Islamic armies gained strength in the late
1300’s they cut off the supply of silks, spices
and other goods that flowed through
Constantinople into the Mediterranean Basin.

6. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Half a century before the fall of
Constantinople ship owners and traders
from Italy took their skills and boats and set
up shop in Portugal and Spain.

7. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
From there they explored and set up trade
routes along the coast of Africa eventually
rounding the continent and sailing to India in
1497-99.
First European Voyage to India

8. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
The Spanish and Portuguese colonized
South and Central America and the British
and French soon followed. However, it was
the Dutch traders who first colonized
Australia, the East Indies and even New
York (New Amsterdam).

9. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
The Dutch are responsible for finding the
coffee plants in East Africa and planting
them on their island colonies including the
Indonesian island of Java in the 1500’s.

10. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Until a coffee leaf rust plague wiped out
most of the plants on Java in the 1880s it
was a global supplier of coffee, thus the
name Java. Calling coffee Joe is a different
story.

11. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Why Do We Call It
Joe?

12. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
The most credible origin for calling coffee
Joe is that it started as a combination of
Java and the drink that you find in a coffee
house, Mocha.

13. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Dating back to the 1930’s some people
used the expression jamoke for a mixture of
coffee and chocolate. As is the nature of
slang expressions they get shortened over
time and Joe came into being.

14. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
There are several theories but unlike the
very clear origin of calling coffee Java the
cup of Joe story is lost in time.

15. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Can You Get Coffee
from Java Today?

16. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
The old colonial plantations producing
Arabica coffee on Java are shadows of their
former selves producing only fraction of
Indonesian coffee output. The main coffee
coming from this part of the world is
Robusta which is leaf rust resistant and the
source of coffee for virtually all non-coffee
caffeinated drinks.

17. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
How about a Cup of
Mocha?

18. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
Mocha is a coffee, milk and chocolate drink.
Start with espresso and add steamed milk
followed by chocolate syrup.

19. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
This drink should not be confused with
Ethiopian mocha beans which are coffee but
with a chocolate flavor.

20. http://buyorganiccoffee.org/1512/why-is-
coffee-called-java/
And no matter what the origin of Java and
cup of Joe, enjoy your coffee, preferably the
healthy organic variety.