Why Do People Show Off Coffee Knowledge?

A netizen recently asked online whether people usually drink office, a typo for coffee that spread quickly and drew jokes. The slip opened a wider discussion about coffee culture, including people who mix up SEO with SOE or claim to follow pour-over competitions they know little about.

Coffee moved from an aristocratic exclusive to an everyday drink, and as specialty coffee spread, so did the urge to treat it as capital for showing off. Knowing what is the study of coffee called, or how single-origin espresso differs from a filter brew, is useful, but the point is enjoyment rather than status.

Recently, a netizen who returned to China posted asking, "Don't you guys usually drink office?" This slip of the tongue, mistaking "coffee" for "office," quickly sparked heated discussion and jokes among netizens. Starting from this little incident, let's talk about some interesting phenomena in coffee culture—some people confuse SEO with SOE, and some are confident they understand pour-over competitions despite knowing little about them. Drinking coffee is supposed to be an everyday trivial matter, but why do some people always treat it as capital for showing off? Let's review the evolution of coffee from an aristocratic exclusive to a common beverage, and explore what kind of mindset we should have in understanding and enjoying coffee today, as specialty coffee culture becomes increasingly widespread.

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A while ago, a netizen's post instantly ignited heated discussion among office workers.

The netizen who posted said he had just returned to China recently and felt that the quality of life domestically was truly worrisome—on the whole street there were only unhealthy drinks like milk tea. Then he sincerely asked: "I want to ask, don't you guys usually drink office?"

So netizens followed along and launched a round of replies that could be called god-tier:

I have to say, everyone's reaction speed was truly astonishing! They immediately understood that the posting netizen meant "coffee" but accidentally typed "office." This also reminded me of some amusing stories recently shared by baristas in the group. "I want a SEO." - Sorry, we don't have SOE here. "I don't want SOE! I want SEO." - We really don't have espresso made from single-origin coffee beans here. "What single coffee? I want Single Espresso Omakase!" (omakase refers to a menu-less meal, usually where the chef decides the day's dishes and prices based on seasonal ingredients.) "And you call yourselves professionals! You don't even have SEO."

"Did you watch Sasa's pour-over competition this year?" - Yes, yes, it's such a pity he didn't make it to the finals for WBC. "What nonsense, it was just an extra ice stone, and still using carbonic maceration beans. I could do that too. If he was the champion, it would be unscientific." "It was just long fermentation, and then using some materials that can quickly cool the coffee without diluting it. With stainless steel ice cubes and that Yunnan bean with 480-hour anaerobic natural process, I could go compete too! And having to go all the way to Panama is such a hassle."

From ancient times to the present, drinking coffee and understanding coffee has been regarded as something that can elevate one's status, and it has been "passed down" from generation to generation. Starting in the 15th century, coffee entered Europe from Africa as an imported product. For several centuries, only royalty and nobles could drink it, and even then it could not be bought with money. The rumor that coffee had a captivating aroma also made people who had never tried it full of anticipation.

In fact, in that era when there was no emphasis on coffee flavor at all, coffee smelled good, but the taste was certainly not satisfying. Sugar was even rarer than coffee at the time. But since coffee was so hard to obtain, and also considering face and refinement, those who drank it would show through noble and elegant manners that they knew how to savor it. Later, coffee beans gradually flowed into the general public, and wealthy merchants could also buy them, so they began drinking coffee in front of common people to show off their noble temperament and wealth.

Starting from the end of the 19th century, the cafe industry gradually took shape, but the prices were not cheap. Although ordinary people could drink it, it could not be a daily expense. Therefore, at that time, drinking coffee once could be something to show off for a long time. But now times are different! Drinking coffee is a very everyday matter, available anytime and anywhere, just like drinking tea or water—nothing more ordinary. Thus began the contest of knowledge and professionalism. As specialty coffee culture gradually deepened, although not everyone has an in-depth understanding of professional coffee knowledge, those who open coffee shops or work as baristas more or less have some understanding of coffee basics.

If it was just a slip of the tongue, correcting it is enough. If you received wrong information during learning, you can actually chat with a barista, or everyone can look up materials and discuss together. You can learn new knowledge and make new friends. Every barista who participates in competitions has put in effort and hard work behind the scenes that is not as simple as it looks on the surface, and they are indeed outstanding. In front of truly skilled people, showing off often makes the scene incredibly awkward.

Coffee itself is highly inclusive—you can drink it in an exquisitely decorated shop or at a roadside stall. It is just an ordinary crop, just a beverage, and does not need to be treated as capital for showing off. Truly capable people are often not loud, yet have their own voice. More and more people are studying and understanding coffee, which is something very worth being happy about. But even if one's knowledge base is already rich, one should still aim for lifelong growth and keep learning humbly.

Image source: Internet

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.