Did you start your day with a cup of coffee? It may come as no surprise to learn that at least two-thirds of adults in the U.S. drink coffee daily, most often at breakfast. Some surveys suggest nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults have a “cup of joe” each day.
What may be more of a surprise is that—during most of the year, anyway—more adults drink coffee each day than any other beverage, according to surveys conducted on behalf of the National Coffee Association. The only exception is bottled water in the summertime.
What Is Coffee Culture?
For some, a cup of coffee is merely a means to an end: It’s a tried-and-true way to either wake up or stay up.
But for others, coffee is to be sipped and savored. Coffee brings people together, whether it’s enjoyed in the kitchen at home, the breakroom at work or the coffee shop down the street.
Meeting for coffee can be an on-the-fly get-together between friends. Or a relaxed scenario where people can get to know each other. Or an informal gathering among colleagues.
Solo sippers might grab a spot at the local coffeehouse and spend an hour or two reading, working or people-watching. It gives them an opportunity to be among other people and the choice to connect (or not).
It’s these shared experiences that collectively form the basis of coffee culture.
More broadly, coffee culture also includes the history of the beverage, the myriad ways in which it’s consumed, and what it means to different people in countries around the world.
Our Very Own Posada Java Supports Arizona’s Coffee Culture
La Posada at Green Valley is much more than a senior living community. We’re like a village within the larger Green Valley community, with shops and restaurants that are open to everyone.
Posada Java, our coffeehouse, does a bustling business for breakfast and lunch. Complimentary Wi-Fi is also available for guests. Friends and neighbors come in for conversation and camaraderie while indulging in something delicious and hot, or cold, depending on their preferences and the time of year.
Our baristas serve up all sorts of satisfying beverages, from our own La Posada blend brewed coffee to cappuccino; chai, matcha and macchiato lattes; espresso; hot chocolate and mochas; juices; and teas.
When the temperatures soar, Posada Java becomes a refreshing oasis, a place to cool down and chill out with a cold brew coffee or one of our iced or frozen blended coffee drinks.
The Posada Java menu offers plenty of delectables as well, from breakfast burritos and baked goods to salads, soups and sandwiches. And while many of our iced drinks are akin to dessert in a cup, we offer a tempting variety of other sweets, too.
Arizona’s Rich and Varied Coffee Culture
Americans drink an estimated 400 million cups of coffee per day. Globally, people drink more than 2 billion cups each day. That makes the U.S. the top coffee market in the world by volume (though not by per-capita consumption—that honor goes to Finland).
As for state-by-state rankings, some surveys place Arizona near the bottom of the list for coffee consumption, whereas others place our state among the top five “most caffeinated.”
Surveys aside, when you look at the number and variety of coffee shops and local roasters in Arizona, it’s clear that we have a robust coffee culture—especially here in Tucson and the southern part of the state.
Along with the ubiquitous Starbucks and Dunkin’s, you’ll find scores of independent specialty coffee shops and roasters throughout Arizona. These are some local favorites:
- Adobe Dregs Coffee (in McNeal, within Cochise County)
- Arbuckles’ (in Tucson; they make our Posada Java special blend)
- Cartel Roasting Co. (in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson, and Palm Springs, Calif.)
- Cultivate Coffee (in Phoenix)
- Firecreek Coffee Co. (in Flagstaff, Phoenix and Sedona)
- Firehouse Coffee Roasters (in Prescott)
- Froth Coffee Roasters (in Phoenix)
- Late for the Train Coffee Roastery (in Flagstaff)
- Lola Coffee (in Phoenix)
- Native Ground Coffee (in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community)
- Peixoto Coffee Roasters (in Chandler, Gilbert and Phoenix))
- Press Coffee Roasters (in Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe)
- Presta Coffee Roasters (in Tucson)
- Old Bisbee Roasters (in Bisbee)
Have You Tried Nitro Cold Brew Coffee?
The Arizona climate makes nitro cold brew coffee a popular choice. If you’re not familiar with what that is, it may sound like something you’d put in your gas tank instead of your coffee mug.
Don’t worry. It’s just cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen gas. The result is a creamy texture and a less bitter taste, so you don’t need to add milk or sugar.
Nitro cold brew coffee is served from a tap, similar to draft beer. Several Arizona roasters offer it on their menus. You can find it at some Starbucks locations as well.
Easy Coffee Drinks To Make at Home
Prefer a steamy brew that’s rich and aromatic? Craving a cold coffee drink that’s sinfully sweet?
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer but you don’t know how to make homemade coffee, fear not. It isn’t hard to get the hang of it, and you don’t even need a fancy machine—unless you feel like splurging.
Homemade Iced Coffee
For iced coffee, you can use brewed coffee that’s been cooled to room temperature or refrigerated. You can also use cold brew coffee or instant coffee. Choose any sweetener and any dairy or plant-based milk (or cream/creamer) you like.
Fill a glass with ice cubes, pour the cold coffee over it and top it off with the milk. That’s all there is to it!
Love & Lemons offers this highly rated recipe, complete with helpful tips.
With this simple recipe from allrecipes, you combine instant coffee, warm water and sugar in a jar, which you then seal and shake until the mixture is foamy. Pour into a glass filled with ice and add milk.
Homemade Hot Coffee Drinks
This blog post from 1961 Coffee offers several hot coffee drink recipes, including an easy, four-ingredient recipe for vanilla honey coffee that doesn’t even require you to froth the milk.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can experiment with flavored coffee syrups and sauces to see which ones bring out the best in your favorite roast or blend.
Eventually, in the spirit of coffee culture, you might want to invite a few friends over for a coffee klatch and let everyone create their own cup (or glass) of coffee-based nirvana.
If You’re in the Neighborhood, Come By for a Cuppa
Who doesn’t love a warm beverage on a cool day, or an icy cold drink on a hot day, right? If you’re in the Tucson area, we invite you to quench your thirst at Posada Java.
Want to know more about our Life Plan Community—and how we’ve maintained such high resident satisfaction scores over the years? We encourage you to call 520-329-5592 and schedule a visit. Or, you can complete our short online form and we’ll be in touch with you promptly.