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The best coffee gifts for 2020

This list really got me in the mood to go make some coffee. If you need coffee gift suggestions, this is a great place to start.

Coffee with the Queen

Two great things about 2020? More time at home with those we love, and more time for enjoying the small moments that bring joy and comfort to our day, including the time to make a delicious cup of coffee. Today, we are translating results from Mintel’s, Minetta’s, and Melitta North America’s 2020 coffee trends studies into thoughtful, useful coffee gift ideas for this holiday season. From coffee brewing newbies to budding baristas, we have gifts that will please all your favorite coffee lovers.


The coffee shop convert

According to the 2020 Mintel study1, individuals in their 20s and 30s, who traditionally consumed most of their coffee in and / or from a coffee shop are turning to home brewing. The study goes on to state that many of these coffee drinkers enjoy high-quality coffee, are brand-neutral, and seek sensory experiences. For these newbies, we recommend:

Sampler (variety) packs:

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Drink Coffee, Be Happy: Coffee drinkers are less likely to be depressed

Coffee and health is forever an ongoing topic: this piece is an interesting look at the benefits regular coffee consumption has on depression. There are links to scientific sources that figure out how certain antioxidants in the brew offset what’s missing in a depressed brain.

That said, there was a great opportunity here to look at how decaf coffee is healthy for people with anxiety, too, but…decaf jokes, amirite?

National Coffee Association Blog

New research out of Harvard Medical School shows coffee drinkers are less likely to be depressed than non-drinkers.


“Don’t talk to me till I’ve had my morning coffee.”

In the times we find ourselves living in, it’s no surprise that reports of anxiety and depression are on the rise. Between the constant barrage of negative news headlines and very real concerns over the health and well-being of our loved ones, the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t exactly lend itself to good cheer and contentment. National Mental Health Month couldn’t have come soon enough.

But America’s favorite beverage could help with that. The results of Dr. Leviton’s independent research shows that coffee drinkers are less likely to be depressed than non-drinkers – and that the more coffee you drink, the less likely you are to be depressed, with the benefits peaking right around 13 oz. each day. That’s slightly more than your…

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child coloring
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Explore Coffee From The Comfort Of Home: Loring’s Roasting Coloring Book

As an illustrator and a coffee enthusiast, I appreciate this on several levels.

Loring, a coffee roaster manufacturer based in California, recently crafted a coffee roasting coloring book to keep people occupied during the pandemic. Not only is it a good way to keep children occupied when phone time’s up, it’s a neat look into the ins-and-outs of roasting facilities. It’s stuffed with all sorts of lineart illustrations, from the beans to the machines. It’s currently available for download on their website and can be perfect for digital painting or filling in with marker. If you’re in need of a little therapy, look no further.

Painting is one of my most reliable forms of calming down and cooling off. Has been for most of my life. Something I love about this idea is not just the clever way of keeping people in touch with their local coffee businesses, but the unabashed appreciation of fun. Miserable news circulates more consistently than the air we breathe: inviting people’s artistic spirit is a pitch-perfect idea that will leave a positive impact.

galaxy
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Star Wars And Coffee Go Together Like Java And Jawas

Something that might not be readily apparent with this blog is the fact I’m a huge geek. A raging one. An unapologetic nerd so massive as to simultaneously create and inhabit my own black hole, of which no movie quote or videogame-related TED Talk shall ever escape.

Imagine my delight when I came across this fun list linking Star Wars characters to certain types of coffee. It’s funny, because I’m not even that big a fan of the franchise, having only recently found interest with the new trilogy as well as the stunningly well-crafted The Mandalorian. That said, I’ve seen all the films and know enough to appreciate how spot-on these are. I’m glad I wasn’t drinking my morning brew when I read the Yoda post.

There are spoilers for the new trilogy in this piece, though, so proceed with caution (and the only reason I’m not arguing about how very uninteresting those spoilers are is because this is still a beverage blog). Speaking of which, I’ll have to start thinking which coffee drink personifies me best. I’m thinkiiing…a frothy brown sugar latte in a cup the size of Middle Earth. Maybe a decaf dalgona in the shape of the statue of David.

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‘Death before decaf’? If you still believe this, it’s time to refresh your data.

As a strict decaf drinker, seeing posts like these warms my heart. Decaf is so often treated as a lesser form of coffee, when in fact there are plenty of other reasons to enjoy the brew besides an energy rush. Take a look at this if you want to know how decaf is made and how to do it yourself at home!

Coffee with the Queen

Decaffeinated coffee can be organic, naturally-processed, and delicious! Long gone are the days when the sole option to remove caffeine from a bean was chemical decaffeination. Long gone should be the days of decaf bashing. To understand decaf, it is necessary to understand why offering a non-caffeinated coffee is important. Caffeine is a powerful, natural chemical that can remain in your body for up to 15 hours. For the caffeine sensitive, it can create jitters, exacerbate heartburn and acid reflux, worsen headaches, make it difficult to fall asleep, and increase anxiety and restlessness. Decaffeinated coffee offers all of the health benefits of caffeinated coffee without the side-effects. The key is finding a flavorful, naturally decaffeinated coffee. To learn more about the Mills and TheQueenBean decaffeinated coffees, scroll down to the end of this entry.

How is coffee decaffeinated and is it safe?

There are four primary methods of decaffeination: Carbon…

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Bird friendly, Organic, Fair Trade…coffee has a lot of certifications. Here’s what they mean.

While it’s always important to be critical of whether or not companies actually renew these certifications, this is a useful compilation of what these qualifications actually entail.

Coffee with the Queen

Good for the earth? Good for the workers? Good for the ecosystem? Good for all? Coffee certifications are numerous, diverse, and given to you with little or no explanation. Today, we are going to remedy that. Keep reading to learn more about coffee’s primary environmental and social certifications.


Bird Friendly

Bird Friendly is a certification created and monitored by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Established in 1996, this unique certification was created to preserve migratory bird’s, including the beloved songbird’s, natural habitat, which is vital to their survival. Without the large forest canopy trees, may of these migratory birds would face persistence threats, including extinction. Bird Friendly certification is the only certification that requires coffee be organically grown under a natural shade canopy.

Primary focus: Migratory birds; indigenous shade trees.

Certification criteria: Farms must be Certified Organic with healthy soil and no pesticide use. Certified farms…

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