A few rather peculiar stories about coffee have done the rounds over the years. Some of them sound very outlandish, but are any of them true?
Water Microwaved for Coffee or Tea can Explode
Semi-True
An email has been circulated from time to time, apparently from a woman whose 26-year-old son decided to have a cup of instant coffee but, instead of boiling the water in a kettle, he heated it up in the microwave. It is unknown how long he microwaved the water for, however, when he removed the water it supposedly blew up in his face due to the build up of energy. The woman goes on to describe how her son suffered 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face. He is also said to have lost partial sight in his left eye. Furthermore, her email states that the attending doctor claimed that this is a fairly common occurrence.
It sounds absolutely bizarre, it can’t possibly be true – right? Wrong. Although the details of this specific story are somewhat hazy, the possibility of something like this happening is not altogether out of the question. Scientists agree that something like this is entirely possible. The explanation is quite complicated. Some of the water in the cup is superheated, meaning that the liquid temperature is actually slightly above the boiling point, where it would normally form a gas. In this case, the boiling is hindered by a lack of nucleation sites needed to form the bubbles and thus release steam. When the superheated water does eventually release steam, it may be at an explosive rate. However, contrary to the story described above, this is a highly uncommon occurrence. To find out more, go here.
Kopi Luwak Coffee is Made From Cat Poop
True
Yes, you read correctly. Coffee from cat poop – well, a small civit variety of animal called a Paradoxurus to be exact. The small Indonesian island of Sumatra is well-known for its coffee. This part of the world is also home to the Paradoxurus, commonly known as a luwak by the island’s inhabitants. These animals live in trees and eat ripe coffee cherries, bean and all. The beans are said to undergo chemical treatments and fermentations while in the digestive system of the Paradoxurus. Once the beans have exited the digestive system, they are collected from the forest floor, cleaned and roasted in the same way as other coffee beans.
The taste of the Kopi Luwak coffee is said to be like no other – rich and earthy with hints of chocolate. The strange method for making this type of coffee obviously prevents it from being produced on a large-scale. On average, only 500 pounds of these unique beans are harvested per year. Because they’re such a rarity, Kopi Luwak beans are expensive too. To purchase this faecal delicacy, you’re looking to pay around $300. If you want to find out more, read here.
Decaffeinated Coffee has no Caffeine in it
False
Decaf coffee and tea does contain trace amounts of caffeine. Through the process of decaffeination, most of the caffeine is removed, but trace elements still remain. Read more about the decaffeination process here.
Urban legends do their rounds from time to time, and the best thing you can do to avoid being duped is check out a website called www.snopes.com. If for no other reason than to have a few laughs, go read through some of the urban legends documented. For more coffee related urban legends, go here.
Do you know of any coffee-related urban legends that weren’t listed? Add them in the comments section below.
