10 Reasons We Are Thankful for Coffee!

During this Thanksgiving Holiday, I want to share why we are so thankful for coffee here at Sagebrush.

1) Coffee Brings People Together

Getting coffee with friends has become a cultural norm. If you're having guests over, offering coffee is also very common. Some of the best conversations we've had with friends have been over coffee. Since you can drink it however you like it, whether you're a purist who wants black coffee with nothing added or a sweet coffee drinker, coffee can be something anyone enjoys. It's not always about the caffeine rush to keep us going throughout the day; it's about the friendships built around this delicious drink.

2) It Helps Us Start Our Day

For those of us that need a specific morning routine, coffee is often a part of it. Coffee has been a part of our mornings for so many years that it's hard to imagine starting our day without it. While we're sure the caffeine helps us wake up in the morning, it's more the routine we enjoy. It helps us start our day with one of our favorite things in the morning. We love coffee. We love the smell and taste. So having one every morning provides comfort to our routine that helps us look forward to the rest of our day.

3) It Connects Us to Humanity

We live in a world with a lot of conflict and angst. But if you think about the world and what makes us humans alike, one of those things is coffee. Almost every culture drinks coffee. With so many differences in the world, drinking coffee is one thing that many people do for enjoyment. It may be different from culture to culture, but whether you're in Ethiopia, Turkey, England, the U.S., Brazil, or Guatemala, so much of our lives can revolve around coffee. To drink coffee is to be human.

4) Drinking Coffee is an Experience

We love to sit and read or think about our day and make plans as we drink coffee. In addition to our morning pick-me-up, we often have an afternoon cup of coffee, and this is when we love to sit, think, read, or plan. It's usually a time when we pause our day after a busy morning and before the afternoon business begins. 

5) It Tastes So Good

As we've said before, coffee is not just about the caffeine kick, it's an experience, and one of the best experiences when drinking coffee is tasting and enjoying different coffees from different regions. Now that there are so many new ways of processing coffee, there are many flavors to experience. Coffee has come a long way. It used to be that people didn't know where coffee came from and how it was processed. But you no longer have to settle for the mass-produced, bitter, and over-roasted coffee. You can now even roast how you like it or visit a specialty coffee shop like Sagebrush that roasts just how you like it. 

6) Coffee Brings Back Good Memories

When we think about what makes us human, we think about our tendency to remember the past and remember the good things longingly. Nostalgia is a powerful desire to relive a good memory and can bring with it strong emotions. We have all experienced a song, a street, a sound, or a smell that takes us back to a place we wish were again. Coffee does that for us.

7) It Keeps Us Going

While coffee is an experience to be enjoyed and savored, there are those days when we need something to keep us going. What better than something like coffee? It's a drink we love with the caffeine kick that keeps us energized. Whether we're chasing after kids, or going here and there from activity to activity, coffee keeps us on the go. Some people reach out for energy drinks, but why go for something with artificial ingredients and artificial caffeine when you can reach for a cup of coffee that tastes great and is naturally caffeinated?

8) It Helps Us Know More About the World

Before Sagebrush, I knew a lot about coffee. I knew a lot about coffee regions and different flavor profiles. Now I research and write about coffee for a living, and it's clear that there is still a lot to learn. I hope to share what I learn with our customers to help increase their knowledge about coffee and how it impacts the world. It's fascinating to learn about what the farmers in Ethiopia have experienced for us to taste their coffee in the U.S. It has been a tumultuous experience for them. Rwanda is no different. Life is hard for some of the farmers and workers that provide the best coffee in the world. Getting to know their plight has enhanced my worldview to better understand the challenges people face. 

9) Coffee Helps to Provide Work for Farmers Worldwide

Coffee farming is hard work. Some of the best mountains for growing and harvesting coffee are in underdeveloped countries. For some, their very survival is dependent on successful coffee harvests. Coffee has become so much more accessible now, which increases demand, which means that farms need workers. They need workers to pick the coffee cherry from the trees. Since the terrain is often too high and steep for machines to work well, farmers rely on manual labor to pick coffee. Once the coffee is picked and taken to the mill, depending on the process, coffee may be manually processed in order for it to be washed, dried, and de-pulped. The more coffee the farmer has to sell, the more work is available for local people. 

10) It's Easy to Take With Us Wherever We Go

Coffee might be the easiest drink to take with you everywhere. In its purest form, all you need is hot water, a filter, and something to pour the hot water over the grounds. You can brew it easily, even if you're camping, backpacking, or in a hotel. There's nothing better than sipping a cup of hot coffee when you've reached the summit of your favorite hike or spending days camping at the beach.  

Thanksgiving Recipes

As a thank you for reading this blog and supporting us here at Sagebrush, here are some coffee-related recipes for you to use this Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Maple Extract
• Whipped Cream
• Chopped Pecans
• Hazelnut Syrup
• Sagebrush Coffee of your Choice

Instructions:

1. Stir together chopped pecans and brown sugar.
2. In your mug, start by adding the syrup and maple extract.
3. Pour your coffee over the syrup.
4. Top with whipped cream, chopped pecans, and brown sugar.

Ingredients:

• Your choice of sweetener. (ex. Simple Syrup, Sugar, Honey, Agave Syrup, etc.)
• 2 shots of Espresso or Drip Coffee
• 1 tsp Maple Extract or Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Pecan Extract
• Steamed Milk
• Ground Cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Pour the maple, pecan extract, and sweetener into your mug.
2. Add espresso.
3. Add steamed milk.
4. Top with milk foam and ground cinnamon, if desired.