CNBC QUIZ: The World Of Coffee

Quiz: The World Of Coffee

America's passionate obsession with coffee is a $30 billion industry, and most adults drink coffee in some form or fashion. But just how much does the average consumer know about coffee? From its origins to its caffeine kick and even how it got to your local retailer, we're offering you the chance to test your java knowledge in our quiz.

Posted 21 September 2011

Which country produces the most coffee in the world?

1. Colombia
2. Brazil
3. Costa Rica
4. Kenya

Brazil is the largest coffee producer, and is responsible for 30 to 40 percent of total world output.

Source: Heritage Coffee Company

True or false: Coffee is the second most-traded commodity in the world, surpassed only by oil.

1. True
2. False

World coffee production is estimated at 110 to 120 million bags per year and is surpassed only by oil as a traded commodity.

Source: Heritage Coffee Company, CoffeeStatistics.com

How many pounds of coffee beans can an acre of coffee trees produce?

1. Up to 10,000
2. Up to 20,000
3. Up to 40,000
4. Up to 60,000

As much as 10,000 pounds of coffee cherries can be produced from an acre of coffee bushes. There are two coffee beans contained within each cherry. This yields approximately 2,000 pounds of beans after processing. Which translates to about 400 pounds of coffee beans after roasting. It takes a lot of coffee trees, and vast amounts of acreage to produce the volume of coffee consumed each day.

Source: Coffee Statistics.com

True or false: A German housewife invented the world's first coffee filter.

1. True
2. False

The first coffee filter was invented in 1908 by Melitta Bentz, a housewife from Dresden, Germany. She created the filter using blotting paper. Bentz and her husband, Hugo, started the Melitta Bentz company that same year. The Melitta brand is synonymous with coffee filters to this day.

Source: Source: Melitta Co.

Which has more caffeine, a shot of espresso or a cup of brewed coffee. ?

1. Espresso
2. Brewed Coffee
3. About the same

One 12 ounce cup of drip coffee has more caffeine than a one ounce shot of espresso.

Source: CoffeeStatistics.com

True or false: Instant coffee was invented by Nestle.

1. True
2. False

In 1938, Nescafé instant coffee was comercially introduced in Switzerland by the Nestlé company. But instant coffee was invented in 1881 by Dr. Satori Kato, a Japanese scientist living in Chicago. He introduced his creation during the Pan-American World Fair in 1901 and patented the process in 1903 in the U.S. Nestlé later improved the process and began mass selling the product.

Source: US Patent Office

Which of the following is the largest retail seller of coffee by the cup in America?

1. Dunkin Donuts
2. Starbucks
3. McDonald's

Dunkin Donuts holds that distinction, selling an average of 1 billion brewed cups per year.

Source: DunkinDonuts.com

People who buy coffee primarily at drive-through windows on their way to work will spend how many hours per year waiting in line?

1. 25
2. 30
3. 45
4. 50

These consumers spend as much as 45 hours a year waiting in line.

Source: Heritage Coffee Company

Your score:

• 6-8 correct. You're a hot, steamin' cuppa joe.
• 3-5 correct. You could use a stronger brew.
• 0-2 correct. Maybe you should stick with tea.