National Coffee Day 2023: Cool Deals + Get Free Coffee!
Did you know coffee was partially responsible for the changes in our workforce during the Industrial Revolution? Because of caffeine, workers could shape their day around the 9-5 workday and the time clock. This helped us move from the agrarian lifestyle to the modern industrial one.
In a way, we have coffee to thank for all our modern creature comforts. And what better way to celebrate the humble coffee cherry and the people who work to bring it to our cups than by celebrating National Coffee Day?
How to celebrate National coffee day?
You can celebrate the National Coffee day in different ways. Most usually, roasters and coffee retailers offer National coffee day deals, while some announce a full free coffee day. Let's take a look.
1. Treat Yourself (or gift someone) with Cool Coffee deals
Available from September 23 BUT of limited quantity.
Hurry up!
DRIFTAWAY NATIONAL COFFEE DAY BOX
This year, Driftaway Coffee is doing something different, designed to appeal to coffee nerds rather than bargain hunters. To celebrate the Coffee Day, they’re releasing a limited edition coffee box set in collaboration with famed specialty coffee producer Luis Alberto Balladarez.
The box contains THREE COFFEES + VIRTUAL TASTING.
Selected coffees (8 oz) are processed in three ways: washed, honey and natural. You can sample the coffees on your own OR sign up for a virtual coffee tasting led by World Coffee Champion James McCarthy.
2. Buy discounted coffee gear
Seattle Coffee Gear: Solis Barista Perfetta Espresso Machine
Offer: 26-30 September
Get this beautiful compact espresso machine as a present for National Coffee Day. You will save $50, which is a great deal from Seattle Coffee Gear.
$479
$429
Seattle Coffee Gear: Solis Scala Zero Grinder
Offer: 26-30 September
You can now buy this coffee grinder on a discounted price – by saving $20. A grinder is a cool present for a coffee lover.
$129
$109
3. Enter a cool contest
HOMEGROUNDS LATTE ART SWEEPSTAKES
Our very own Instagram competition you DON'T WANT to miss! Why not win a FREE YEAR OF COFFEE from Atlas Coffee Club? Yes, Atlas guys were so cool to parter with us in a competition that's ending this week.
How to enter? First, follow @homegroundsco and @atlascoffeeclub on Instagram (if you don't already). Then, post a photo or video of your latte art using a hashtag #latteartweek4. Only one pour is allowed per day, and make sure it's a new one because nobody likes old coffee. But you can practice and post your latte art every day to increase your chances. This is ‘sweepstakes' in a sense that winners are chosen randomly. So, no judging of your latte art, everyone is welcome to enter – the more the merrier!
Now go and give your latte art a try!
TRADE COFFEE CONTEST
Tag #NationalCoffeeDay and win a year of Trade coffee!
Share a video of some of the unique ways you are celebrating with coffee on National Coffee Day and tag @tradecoffeeco on Instagram with the hashtag #NationalCoffeeDay.
Trade's favorite submission will get one year of free coffee (a $500 Trade credit)!
4. Get Free Coffee
Trade Coffee's New Subscriber Deal
On September 29, all new Trade subscribers can get $25 worth of coffee for free – that’s 27 cups of coffee, or over 25% off their subscription.
Seattle Coffee Gear gives $25 in free coffee
From September 26 to 30, Seattle Coffee Gear is giving a $25 worth of coffee on all orders over $200. This is automatically applied at checkout, so don't worry about the procedure, if you've spent the necessary amount.
National Coffee Day History
While the origins of this special coffee day aren't entirely clear, the origin of coffee itself is.
In the middle of the 1400s, Ethiopians had already harvested coffee cherries and traded them across the Red Sea (1). Then, in the late 1400s, Sufi devotees began drinking coffee to stay awake and alert during their late-night, religious rituals.
By 1511, coffee had made its way to the Islamic holy city of Mecca, and from there, it rapidly spread across North Africa, through the Middle East, and to India. Even during its early history, coffee was integral to Islamic society.
Finally, in 1651, Europe's first coffee house opened in Oxford, where it became the beverage of choice for students and professors alike. Then, starting from the late 1600s, coffee cultivation and consumption exploded throughout all the European colonies and the Americas—where it became an important trade commodity and fuel for the Industrial Revolution.
Here in the States, coffee or tea was placed during the 1700s. Since then, some of the largest coffee companies—like Folgers and Maxwell House—have taken America and the world by storm (2).
How about espresso?
We have Dr. Angelo Moriondo to thank for his patented espresso machine back in 1884.
People were looking for a faster way to brew their coffee, so he used the power of steam to hasten the coffee-brewing process.
But as James Hoffmann notes, this steam-powered coffee was no modern espresso (3).
This was not a new recipe..a new type of drink. This innovation was about small cups of filter coffee at speed.
But it wasn't till 1948, when the Gaggia Gilda was invented, that we got our first taste of pressure-extracted espresso.
Curious to see a vintage Gaggia Gilda in action? Check out this video of a Gaggia Gilda pulling a ristretto shot.
When Is It?
So, when is National Coffee day? While the world celebrates International Coffee Day on October 1st, National Coffee Day is celebrated on September 29th. To celebrate, why not try out some of the best coffee subscription services, treat yourself to some coffee gifts, or embrace your inner coffeeholic by scrolling through some hilarious coffee memes?
FAQ
On National Coffee Day, people from all walks of life drink, talk about, remember, and celebrate the families, workers, and baristas who work hard to bring us that perfect cup every morning.
You can get free coffee on National Coffee Day. While your mileage may vary, most large chains offer free coffee drinks or great coffee deals and/or merchandise every year on this day. Check back at Home Grounds for the latest coffee deals and freebies.
To celebrate National Coffee Day at work, start by stacking some chocolate-covered espresso beans in a lockbox at your desk.
Seriously, though, it's an excellent opportunity to educate your co-workers on the importance of Fair Trade coffee and supporting those roasters and farms that provide their workers with liveable wages and sustain healthy ecosystems.
References
- Coffee, 1400-1800. (2012). Ucsc.edu. https://humwp.ucsc.edu/cwh/brooks/coffee-site/1400-1800.html
- Neha Vermani. (2021, May 14). Early modern coffee culture and history in the Islamic world. Shakespeare & Beyond. https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/2021/05/14/islamic-history-of-coffee/
- Hoffmann, J. (2019). The Birth of Espresso [YouTube Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8uStVXNf0M
