TIME Coffee

The Culture. The Business. Your Health.

Coffee isn't just a beverage: it's now a part of our culture and has become as ingrained in our lives as food and water. It's been known as "the best part of waking up" and "good to the last drop," and of course there's "but first, coffee!" From that steaming cup in the morning to the afternoon break that helps push us to the end of our days, it is never far from hand. And now the varieties are endless, whether you're purchasing in a store, boutique coffee shop, or making in the office pantry: Whether topped by foam, mixed with a splash of milk, blended with ice and caramel syrup, or knocked back as a shot of espresso, how we take our coffee is as personal as the music we listen to, the books we read, or how we dress.

Coffee: The Culture. The Business. Your Health., the new Special Edition from the editors of TIME, brews up a rich blend of everything you'd want to know about where your beans are sourced, how they're roasted to suit a wide variety of palates, and what to buy if you're willing to spend $600 a pound. Coffee is no longer just a dollar drink that you buy in a diner or from a street cart (though those that favor them are very loyal), it can also be a gourmet experience crafted by the hands of baristas who are more artists than bartenders, with consumers willing to pay up to $10 for a single cup. TIME Coffee explores the rise of industry giant Starbucks, the resurgence of café culture, and how essential the coffee shop has become in its form as an office away from the office. We also look at the health benefits of the daily grind: what are the perks of coffee consumption and how much is too much? Let Coffee help unlock the culture and business behind the most American of beverages.