There are many different slang words that you may have heard for coffee, popular ones including joe, mud, brew, and bean juice. The slang words for coffee often come about due to either what coffee looks like, what it’s made from, how it’s made, or the fact that people use it to wake them up.
Here we will explore the different slang words for coffee and where they originated from.
What Are Slang Words for Coffee?
- Joe
- Java
- Brew
- Bean juice/bean water
- Mud
- Dirt
- Worm dirt
- Cuppa
- Black eye
- Wake-up juice/wakey juice
- Go juice
- Brain juice
- Liquid gold
- Liquid energy
- Liquid lightning/cupped lightning
- Jitter juice
- Rocket fuel
- High octane
- The fix
- Perk
- Morning jolt
- Leaded
- Unleaded
- C8H10N4O2
What is the Origin of the Word Coffee?
The word coffee originated into the English language from the Dutch word koffie in around 1582. It is suggested that the first origins of the word coffee could be from the Kingdom of Kaffa in Ethiopia, as this is where coffee beans are from. The Arab word for power and energy is quwwa, which could also be an origin.
Why is Coffee Called Joe?
Coffee is often referred to as a ‘cup of joe’. Coffee began being referred to as Joe in the US Navy. A Navy secretary named Josephus Daniels banned alcohol from Navy vessels in 1914 and the soldiers had to drink coffee instead, making the drink incredibly popular onboard. They named it Joe after him.
In New York City in the 19th century, there was a well-known coffee roasted called Martinson Joe. People speculate that the phrase cup of joe could be referring to the coffee that he made.
Coffee is also referred to as joe due to it being seen as the average joe, or working man’s, drink.
Why is Coffee Called Java?
Java is one of the most popular slang words for coffee and originates from the island of Java in Indonesia. Coffee from this island was called java, but the term spread to mean the drink itself rather than just the specific beans from this island.
Why is Coffee Called Brew?
Coffee is often referred to as brew, as the process of brewing or steeping is used to make coffee.
Why is Coffee Called Bean Juice or Bean Water?
Coffee is referred to as bean juice or bean water in a more literal sense, since coffee is made from beans and turned into a drink made with hot water. Dirty bean water is the name given to unfiltered coffee.
Why is Coffee Called Mud?
Mud is similar to the slang dirt and is another bad term for coffee. It refers to coffee that tastes bad and has grounds in it.
Why is Coffee Called Dirt?
This is a derogatory word for coffee, used to describe coffee that is not filtered well and has sediment in it.
Why is Coffee Called Worm Dirt?
Similarly to the slang mud or dirt, worm dirt describes extremely bad tasting coffee with a thick amount of coffee grounds and a darker color like black dirt.
Why is Coffee Called Cuppa?
‘Cuppa’ is British slang, which usually refers to a cup of tea, but can also be used for coffee. It is short for ‘cup of’.
Why is Coffee Called Black Eye?
If coffee is called black eye it is a strong, dark coffee made with two shots of espresso.
Why is Coffee Called Wake-up Juice or Wakey Juice?
Coffee is called this as it either wakes people up first thing in the morning or keeps them awake.
Why is Coffee Called Go Juice?
Coffee is referred to as go juice as it makes the brain and body go, or start to work, through the hit of caffeine.
Why is Coffee Called Brain Juice?
Coffee is called brain juice as it is drunk to wake people up in the morning for work, or for students to stay up late studying.
Why is Coffee Called Liquid Gold?
Coffee which is of high-quality, speciality, or expensive, is referred to as liquid gold.
People who enjoy coffee may also fondly refer to it as this.
Why is Coffee Called Liquid Energy?
Coffee is called liquid energy as the caffeine instantly wakes you up and gives you energy.
Why is Coffee Called Cupped Lightning or Liquid Lightning?
This term is used to describe the feeling of coffee hitting you like lightning as the caffeine wakes you up.
Why is Coffee Called Jitter Juice?
Drinking a lot of coffee can make you jittery and anxious, and a high amount of caffeine can give you the shakes.
Why is Coffee Called Rocket Fuel?
This term is for really strong coffee that contains a lot of caffeine and sugar and gives you a big rush when you drink it.
Why is Coffee Called High Octane?
Coffee is referred to as high octane when it is very powerful, with high amounts of caffeine and sugar.
Why is Coffee Called a Fix?
You will hear people saying that they need to get their ‘fix’ of coffee. People will say that they cannot function in the morning until they have had their dose or ‘fix’ of coffee to wake them up and get their brain going.
Why is Coffee Called a Perk?
Coffee can be referred to as a perk as it is something that people drink to perk them up and make them feel more awake.
Why is Coffee Called Morning Jolt?
People drink coffee to wake them up in the morning, and therefore coffee gives them a morning jolt of energy.
Why is Coffee Called Leaded?
Very strong and highly caffeinated coffee is called leaded, in reference to leaded gas or fuel, as strong coffee fuels the drinker.
Why is Coffee Called Unleaded?
Unleaded coffee is the opposite of leaded and is used to describe decaffeinated coffee.
Why is Coffee Called C8H10N4O2?
This is the chemical name for caffeine, and though not a common way to refer to coffee, people have been known to call it this.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.
