Thats where arabica coffee beans originated; theyre native to both Yemen and Ethiopia. Pop the kettle on; lets have a coffee! Now, if you order a Mocha in the average coffee shop, youll probably get a caff mocha, a chocolate-flavored latte that has nothing to do with Yemen or the port of Mocha. So as the story goes, cup of jamoke was shortened to a cup of joe, and the rest is history. Why is coffee called a cup of joe? Why is Coffee Called Java? Currently, Java is a general term used to refer to coffee, not just coffee exported from the island of Java. Josephus Daniels banned. This theory does not place its bets on either history, fiction, or lore. Just like Java, Mocha was a name for beans from this region that became largely synonymous with coffee itself. It is a part of American culture. The term cup of Joe only appears in writing for the first time in 1930long after the Navys ban on alcohol. This is likely because tea was more expensive, and coffee was considered a lower-class drink. Thats our best guess as to why a cup of coffee is also called a cup of joe. I hope you enjoyed a cuppa today, and I hope that it was more unicorn than sludge. It debuted in 1995 with a cup of coffee as the icon. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. In the 1930s and 1940s, coffee was becoming more popular, and coffee became a regular drink among military men. So it doesnt make sense that it generated a slang term that wasnt popular until the 1930s. Sam is the vice president of ACES, The Society for Editing, and is the managing editor of Tracking Changes, ACES' quarterly journal. What did the coffee lover name her son? Coffee drinkers can enjoy just a cup of coffee, or they can add all sorts of flavorings to it. As a result, mocha spread along the trade routes. Why Is Coffee Called Joe? Answer (1 of 4): Cup Of Joe Meaning: A nickname for a cup of coffee. The port of Mocha is no more. Unfortunately, there is no one clear answer. Accessed September 23, 2019. The common man theory may also have a military aspect to it. It wasn't long before the angry sailors began referring to the hot drink as Joe or cup of joe, a nod to the Navy . General Order 99 stated that: The use or introduction for drinking purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any navy yard or station, is strictly prohibited, and commanding officers will be held directly responsible for the enforcement of this order. From kids to cars, cats to coffee roasters (the chimps call ours Rosie), we give pet names to all the bits and bobs we hold dear. To clarify, the joke here is that "Joe mama" sounds like "yo mama," which is . Whether you make it at home, haunt your local coffee shop, or duck into the nearest chain for a stamp on your loyalty card, coffee is a convenient and delicious way to feel more alert and kick-start your dayand these are the only tricks you need for a perfect pot. During the 1930s, mocha and java were also becoming popular coffee terms. Another theory suggests that the term originated during World War II when American soldiers were introduced to espresso by their Italian counterparts who called it "caff." The first usage of this phrase was found in a Reserve Officers Manual in 1931. Its given this name because the coffee grounds (Reusing Coffee Grounds several times Can I do that?) Afinal theoryis that the first time the word Joe was used concerning coffee was in 1775 in a publication called The Pennsylvania Gazette. Fortunately, there is lots of coffee slang, nicknames for coffee, and coffee synonyms to choose from. Of course, sailors were not too happy about being denied their favorite drink, so they began calling coffee a cup of joe in a mock salute to Secretary Daniels. Another common nickname for coffee is cuppa, which is the short form for a cup of. January 19, 2009. It could have stemmed from anything from a Navy joke to simple evolution or linguistics. Cup of George: Yet another theory is that the term was derived from the individual servings of instant coffee included in the rations given to service members. These funny coffee jokes, latte puns and espresso puns will kick-start your morning with enough energy to last all day . Joe is slang for coffee and dates all the way back to the World War I era. Deriving from this is phrases like ''Lucky Joe'', or ''Average Joe.'' Weirdly, it can also refer to a steaming hot cup of coffee. The most likely explanation is that coffee became known as Joe because it was seen as a drink for the average man. Another school of thought has it that the cup of Joe was named after Joe (short for Josephus) Daniels. You'll find jokes about coffee, espresso, cappuccino and more. We first heard it in an old (the 1940s) movie, used by blue-collar type characters. I figured that since Joe is such a common name, that someone many years ago just decided to name coffee a common and often used name. The origin of the phrase cup of Joe remains uncertain as there are different stories around it. In return, the sailors sarcastically named the drink after him. I will try to teach you everything I know about making AMAZING coffee. The first of the two theories is that "Joe" is a bizarre shortened version of two other slang terms for coffee: java and jamoke. Not One-Off Britishisms. At first, only coffee from that island was referred to as Java. Jamoke is a slang term for coffee and comes from two coffee-related words: java and mocha. After this, the common people also started calling the coffee the cup of Joe. Coffee has a lot of nicknames: java, joe, dirt, mud, brew, cuppa, daily grind, lifeblood, tar, rocket fuel, even worm dirt. Why Is Coffee Called Joe? Your email address will not be published. Well, there are a couple of reasons. There are a few reasons for this. However, the company no longer exists, and the Nestle Corporation now owns the trademark. They probably used the term java to refer to coffee beans grown on that island. Jamocha is another name for jamoke; hence, it originates from the same combination of the words Java and Mocha. The two are some of the most popular coffee-growing areas in the world. When Arabians got to know about the plants potential, they took it back with them to Yemen. Even though coffee is not as commonly referred to as java now, the name hearkens back to how it became such a popular drink. As a result, many Americans started drinking coffee instead of tea. In conclusion, lets cheers to another cup of coffee! A daily ration of grog was once normal on Navy ships, but an 1862 edict put that practice to rest. Joe was a people person, loved by locals for his charming personality and great coffee. Ill go into more detail on each of these names in the next sections. The real answer is that were not quite sure, but there are some theories. Out of anger and to poke fun at the secretary, sailors began calling coffee "cups of Joe.". Java and mocha refer to the Indonesian island of Java, where coffee is widely grown, and Mocha, the ancient Yemeni port which was the first to export coffee. Have you ever sipped coffee in a contemplative mood and wondered why coffee got the name joe? . Its possible that people referred to Martinson coffee as a cup of joe, due to the fact that the owner was named Joe Martinson. Ordering a cup of Joe in any coffee shop or restaurant will get you want you want! It wasnt long before Java became a primary supplier of the worlds coffee, leading the name to become linked to the drink itself rather than just beans from that one source. All the coffee issued to Amry men were from the G. Washington Coffee Refining Co. Brooke Nelson is a tech and consumer products writer covering the latest in digital trends, product reviews, security and privacy, and other news and features for RD.com. Even with the ban sailors may not have been affected much. Coffee has many nicknamesyou may know it as the thing that gets you out of bed in the morningand theyre all pretty straightforward, especially if you take your coffee black. Heres four reasons. Coffee Jokes For The Whole Family While you're grinding your coffee beans, enjoy these coffee jokes: Why did the coffee file a police report? Each country has its own name for coffee. Interestingly enough, there are some holes in this story. We like the sound of that. The concept behind this nickname is not that different from why its also called rocket fuel. Coffee goes by so many other names such as cuppa, rocket fuel, and more. Joe was commonplace. This company was founded in New York City in 1898. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The third reason is that there are many different types of coffee, and each type has its own name. We like to give nicknames to our favourite things. 4 Theories on Why Coffee is Called Joe 1. Jamoke A nickname make from the combination of Java and Mocha. Required fields are marked *. It is still being referenced today. (2). Today, we often refer to coffee by the way its made: drip coffee, press coffee, moka pot coffee, instant coffee, and siphon coffee, for example. Why is coffee called a cup of Joe? In 1914, Navy Secretary, Josephus Daniels banned alcohol on all his navy ships. So how did coffee get its name? We first heard it in an old (the 1940s) movie, used by blue-collar type characters. Their determination saw them steal a couple of coffee plants, which they took back to Indonesia, which was then a Dutch colony. One theory is that its named after Josephus Daniels, a U.S. Secretary of the Navy. This joke functions similarly to "ligma" and "bofa.". (4). 22. Navy sailors began drinking coffee every day and called it their daily cup of Joe to mock their superiors decision. One of the more likely explanations of why coffee is called Joe is this one. (5). Joe used to refer to it as "Joe's coffee" or simply "a cup of Joe.". The second theory is that as coffee became so common, people associated a common name with it. For example the new company Joe and the Juice. In 1930, the most common names for coffee was mocha and java. Jamoke is derived by combining the words java and mocha.. Mocha, on the other hand, is a port on Yemens southwestern coast, and it borders the Red Sea. The true origin of the name, though, has been lost to history. There, the Turkish ambassador to France, Suleiman Aga, helped to make coffee the it beverage in the court of Louis XIV. In other words, its interesting to know that an island in Southeast Asia would become the nickname for good coffee and a programming language! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The iconic nickname, a cup of Joe, has several origin stories. At the same time coffee was being produced in Indonesia, it was also being produced and traded in Yemen. You are technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. Coffee has been Americas drink for centuries, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Kids may not drink coffee, but they can still enjoy these clean coffee jokes. Daniels wished to enforce a stricter morality in the Navy(America has a history of strongly Puritan values). Coffee, the peoples drink. The ban happened in 1914 so we are skeptical about this theory. Locals may have referred to Joe's coffee as a "cup of joe" when it was first introduced in New York in 1898 by Joe Martinson, who was said to have a "bigger-than-life personality.". Above this, the beverage causes adverse effects, one of which involves jittery sensations. Since the terms "java" and "mocha" became widely used themselves, it is easy to see how these terms could have been shortened and combined into "Joe." In the 1800s, the island of Java was one of the world's biggest producers of coffee beans. The expression has been used in the American Northeast and Industrial Midwest primarily, especially among the veterans. In 1914, he banned alcohol from being served on Navy ships. In this book, Rauwolf wrote about his experience traveling through the Middle East and tasting coffee for the first time. He installs Java! Well explore all of these theories, and you can decide which one you believe. Here, coffee was grown on several islands such as Sulawesi, Sumatra, and, you guessed it, Java!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'dripped_coffee-box-4','ezslot_5',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-dripped_coffee-box-4-0'); Java became the main island and source of coffee exported to other parts of the world. (3), Americans have borrowed the British expression a cuppa, referring to a cup of tea, and now use it willy-nilly to refer to a cup of coffee. Sure, these might not all apply to every cup of coffee, but we use them universally anyway. Furthermore, how did a plant that started in Ethiopia end up being called a cup of Joe? How Much Caffeine Is in Redline Princess? Your email address will not be published. 2023 Breakdown, How Much Caffeine Is In Breinfuel? And why do we call you up every time we fancy caffeine? The reason coffee is called your average male American name may just be a prolonged joke originating from disgruntled WWI sailors. But no matter where it came from, the phrase has been persistently used for decades and likely will be for decades to come. If the local coffee shop has awarded you "Employee of the Month" and you don't even work there, you may be drinking too much coffee. 2023 Breakdown, How Much Caffeine Is in Loud Energy Drink? It was discovered in a humorous way Legend has it that a goat herder discovered the coffee plant in the 9 th century. Bonus points if you tell me where the name comes from. The most prevalent story behind why coffee is referred to as joe comes from World War I. Joe is short for Joseph, or in this case, Josephus Daniels, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Nowadays, Java no longer refers to the island, but the coffee itself. The post Why Is Coffee Called a Cup of Joe? *Third party tested for mycotoxins, heavy metals, acrylamide, pesticides plus 400 other toxins. There are several different theories! Let's start our investigation with a trip to The Big Apple, where Joe Martinson founded Martinson Coffee in 1898. Remember how I said that coffee was exported from North Africa and the Middle East starting in the 1600s? Your email address will not be published. Jamoke is another combination of the slang words java and mocha. Joe. Lets do some digging. It is known to most Americans, especially the coffee drinkers. 1. The average joes morning beverage People may have associated coffee with a common name such as Joe as it became readily available and popular. Id love for some of my international readers to comment below with the best coffee slang from your country or language. First, alcohol was already hard to obtain on military ships, so its doubtful that Josephus Daniels men were affected by the ban. Another military-based theory may be from U.S. The phrase ''cup of Joe'' became popular around 1940. So, from these early written records, we can see that coffee was first consumed in the Middle East and then spread to Europe. I have to get my daily cup of coffee in by whatever beans necessary. The origin ofqahwahis harder to determine. Joe is related to coffee because his family owns a coffee plantation. As a result, the sailors started drinking coffee at an increased rate. Of course, there is the chance the word coffee comes from the Arabic word or qahwa which means wine. This is because coffee was first consumed in Arabia and was seen as an alternative to alcohol. Phrases and words have been formed this way before in history, and theres a chance it happened with this nickname as well. A company called the Martinson Coffee Company was the first to trademark the phrase cup of joe.. Furthermore, this occurred in 1914, and the phrase cup of Joe did not become part of common language until the 1930s. Their research points to jamoke as the origin of the phrase. Sometimes the best names are right under your nose. During World War II and the Korean War, many men served in the military. This made coffee the most popular drink on these ships. Like happiness, coffee comes to us from many places, and in many forms. The American Revolution was fought over many things, including taxes on tea. For starters, Congress abolished the spirit ration in 1862, meaning it would be very difficult for sailors to get their hands on U.S. navy ships anyway. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Jamoke Theory (Shortened version of Java + Mocha) One popular theory for why we call a cup of coffee a Cup of Joe is based on linguistics. Some people have described this feeling as being hit by lightning, which is why coffee is sometimes called cupped lightning. It was something that everyone could enjoy, regardless of social class. 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