Do you ever find yourself continually thinking about coffee? Wanting an accompanying cup of coffee to almost every daily task? Do you consume more than two cups of coffee a day? Can’t function properly without it? If you’ve answered yes to the majority of these questions, don’t worry you’re not insane. Coffee is amazing! Not only is this delicious drink a wonderful brain tonic, but it provides us with numerous health benefits. If you think that you might have an addiction to coffee, don’t worry you’re not alone! Some of the most influential geniuses were driven by this enchanting beverage! Below I’ve listed some of the most famous coffee addicts in history. These guys not only drank coffee, but they also lived and breathed it.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
When we hear the name Beethoven, we automatically think about the famous composer and pianist with the crazy hair that wrote some of the most iconic symphonies in classical music. But did you know that Beethoven was just as crazy about his coffee as he is about his music? According to his biographer, Beethoven was a coffee fiend that would count out 60 coffee beans by hand each morning for his daily cup of coffee. Now to think of it, who knew that years later a regular cup of coffee would be measured at 70 coffee beans. Beethoven was ahead of the game! Talk about being precise!
Johann Sebastian Bach
Just like Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach was a coffee addict. Consuming over 30 cups of coffee a day, Bach knew he had to display his love for coffee in some way, so he did! He wrote Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht (Be still, stop chattering) also known as the “Coffee Cantata” in 1732, this miniature comic opera tells the tale of a woman trying to overcome her coffee addiction, during a time when coffee was looked down upon.
Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet)
Voltaire the famous french philosopher and writer, reportedly drank over 40 to 50 cups of coffee a day. He was an avid coffee drinker that loved to drink it with class. It has been said that Voltaire was so obsessed with coffee that he would start drinking coffee as early as 5 am and would consume it heavily until 3 pm. He would take a short break, and then resume back to drinking coffee during his outings in the evening. Voltaire loved to drink his coffee with a mix of chocolate, being quite the expensive luxury back in the day!
Søren Kierkegaard
The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard loved his coffee so much that he even had his very own coffee ritual. According to one his biographers, Søren Kierkegaard had quite a peculiar way of making his coffee. He would fill up his coffee mug with sugar, filling it over the rim and forming a pyramid, and then he would slowly pour the black coffee over it, watching it dissolve. Owning around 50 coffee mugs, he was very keen on his ritual and would frequently ask his secretary to fetch him a mug for it, followed by a philosophical explanation for each choice.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America loved his coffee so much that during his time in London he would spend most of his time in London coffee houses. Franklin used coffee houses to hold his meetings and engage in intellectual conversations and would even play chess at times. He even notified his sister to send him some mail to one of his favourite coffee shops.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States of America, was one hell of a caffeinated president. It has been said that Roosevelt consumed about a gallon of coffee a day! Not only is that a ton of coffee but he would add five to seven lumps of sugar into each cup! Eventually swapping out the sugar for saccharine. Roosevelt’s son would describe Teddy’s coffee consumption as “more in the nature of a bathtub.”
Frank Baum
The American author that was famous for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, loved his mornings. His daily routine consisted of waking up at 8 am where he would consume a hearty breakfast and wash it down with five cups of coffee with sugar and cream. He would then spend the rest of his morning in his garden before he would start writing after lunchtime.
Margaret Atwood
The Canadian poet loves her coffee so much that she decided to lend her name to Balzac’s Coffee Roasters. Creating the Atwood Blend, her “Bird Friendly” coffee is in support of Canada’s Pelee Island Bird Observatory. Atwood’s blend is a mixture of South and Central American varietals that emits notes of cocoa and caramel, with a nice balance of acidity and body.
David Lynch
If you’ve ever seen a David Lynch production, then you can understand how much Mr Lynch loves his coffee! His love for coffee is shown with the constant references in his TV shows and movies, he’s genuinely obsessed. So obsessed that he even wrote up his own blog post for the Huff Post about his obsession. He also has his own signature organic coffee from Allegro Coffee!
Napoleon Bonaparte
The French statesman and military leader loved his coffee so much that he took it to the grave with him. Supposedly, one of Bonaparte’s last requests on his deathbed was to have a spoonful of coffee, sadly his request was denied by his doctor due to his dying condition. An autopsy later revealed that he had succumbed to stomach cancer and they did, in fact, find coffee grounds in his stomach.
King Louis XV
The King of France who reigned in the 18th century was quite the coffee connoisseur. He loved his beans so much that he grew them in the greenhouses at the palace of Versailles. He would personally handpick his crop, roast them and ground them, and serve his delightful brew to his guests.
Marcel Proust
The French novelist Marcel Proust kept his at home diet fairly simple. According to his caretaker Celeste, the writer would wake up in the late afternoon and would indulge in two large bowls of black coffee, hot milk and two croissants. This would set him straight until the late evenings where he would indulge a gluttonous feast.
Honore De Balzac
Last but not least on this list, one of my favourite famous coffee addicts of all time, Honore De Balzac. He loved coffee so much that he even wrote about his addiction in “The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee“. It has been speculated that Balzac would consume over 50 cups of coffee a day, he had a military schedule where he would go to bed at 6 or 7 pm, wake up at 1 am and work until 8 am. At 8 am he would nap until 9:30 am and then work and consume coffee until 4 pm. After 4 pm, he would take a bath and go out, have his dinner and then be back in his bed by 6 pm. He developed such a high tolerance for his coffee that he began to consume the coffee grounds for his fix. His coffee habit has gotten so bad that it started to affect his health negatively. He would experience constant headaches, stomach pains, and twitches. He eventually fell victim to high blood pressure and died from heart failure at the age of 51.
So now that you’re familiar with a few famous coffee addicts, having two cups of coffee a day doesn’t seem so bad! The next time you feel the need to indulge in some coffee keep some of these famous coffee addicts in mind! Just remember everything is good in moderation!
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