Beethoven and coffee – a duo with no written coffee preferences, but we're pretty sure he was into it. Growing up, little Ludwig was surrounded by music and partying, thanks to his not-so-great dad who loved a good shindig. Music, food, drinks – wine, punch, and of course, coffee in Bonn.
When did Beethoven first taste coffee? No clue, but the earliest coffee mention is in his 1792 Vienna visit journal. His shopping list screams priorities: "wig-maker, coffee, overcoat, boots..." – you get the drift.
Vienna in Beethoven's time had a society divided by class, each with their own joints. Beethoven, a commoner loved by aristocrats, had access everywhere. Coffee houses were the chill spots due to not-so-fancy housing in Vienna.
Coffee shows up again in his diary during lessons with Haydn: "22x, chocolate for Haydn and me... Coffee, 6x for Haydn and me." Regular coffee sessions with Haydn – big deal for the young music sensation!
At the end of his life, Dr. Braunhofer prescribed a diet sans wine and coffee due to Beethoven's illness. The internet loves the tale of Beethoven counting exactly sixty beans for his coffee, orient-style. Cool story, but no solid proof.
