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Not only water (22 March), but coffee also has its fixed day in the calendar. 1 October is dedicated to coffee. In Austria, thanks to an initiative of the Austrian Coffee and Tea Association, this day has existed since 2001. Among our German neighbours, coffee has been a national theme on this day since 2006. In March 2014, the International Coffee Organization (ICO), founded in 1963, also declared 1 October as "International Coffee Day" (ICD). By the way, International Tea Day is on 21 May.
Naturally, there are numerous books about coffee and tea, one of each being presented below. Both books offer comprehensive overviews from a global perspective, and both rightly feature the adjective "groß" in their title.
Who would have guessed? "Coffee Nation Germany" is the title of the first chapter of the book published by the German Coffee Association in the summer of 2026. To back this up, here are a few facts and figures: our neighbours import more than one million tonnes of green coffee per year, placing them second in the world behind the USA. No wonder, as annual coffee consumption stands at 163 litres per capita. 93 per cent of all adults drink coffee. When it comes to home brewing, the filter coffee machine dominates at 42 per cent, in other words "Melitta coffee". These details, along with the announcement "We are world champions in decaffeination", can be found on page 19.
The book explores the lesser-known world of coffee, starting with the plant (page 34) and moving through its harvest, processing, and treatment to storage. Naturally, space is also dedicated to trade, roasting, grinding, and preparation. Decaffeinated coffee (page 182) is followed by coffee refinement (page 194), instant coffee, and finally the "art of coffee preparation" (page 214). Of course, topics such as quality assurance as the basis for excellent coffee, as well as chapters on "Coffee & Health – Pleasure with an Effect" (page 274) or "The Coffee Rules – from global laws to unspoken commitments", are not missing either. Finally, it addresses "Coffee in Transition – Pleasure, Ritual and Individual Diversity" (page 294).
Easy to read, richly illustrated, and interspersed with numerous colourful info boxes ("Did you know?" and "Fun Fact"), the book unites a wealth of knowledge. The team of authors succeeds in conveying this wealth of information in well-measured, easily digestible portions, thanks in part to the relaxed layout.
Anyone wanting to make coffee properly and well starts with the preparation. For instance, the brewing water should be fresh and rich in oxygen, with total hardness ideally ranging between 4 and 8 °dH (= German hardness) and a pH value between 6.5 and 7.5. Water should not be used boiling, because at 100° Celsius the delicate aromas burn. The ideal temperature is between 88° and 96° Celsius. As a rule of thumb: after boiling, allow the water to cool for about 30 to 60 seconds.
A word on milk. On page 236, we learn: "Milk buffers acids – ideal for sensitive palates. And: milk fat slows down the absorption of caffeine. The effect therefore sets in later, but lasts longer." This example illustrates, representative of the entire book, how thousands of facts, experiences, and long-standing traditions from the world of coffee can be explained comprehensibly in simple terms.
Austria is also mentioned in the chapter "From Fika to Flat White – How the World Loves Coffee" (pages 253f). "Hardly any country cultivates its coffee culture as devotedly as Austria. [...] From an exotic 'gift' (it dates back to coffee sacks left behind by Ottoman troops in the 17th century), it became a cultural asset – and the Viennese coffee house became a place for thinking, writing, and debating."
Rainer Schmidt – described in Welt am Sonntag (10 December 2000) as Hamburg's "tea pope" – has for decades been one of THE great tea experts. He has written three tea books for the publisher Braumüller Verlag. The focus here is on the ultimate classic: "Das große Teebuch".
The importance of tea is undisputed: "After water, tea is the most consumed product worldwide," he notes in the preface, continuing: "Tea, however, has spread across the entire globe with its healthy properties and pleasantly calming effect, and reaches back thousands of years historically; hardly any other drink has accompanied humans through their evolution for as long as tea."
The book begins with the evergreen tea plant (pages 12ff): it belongs to the genus Camellia, has taproots several metres long, and inconspicuous blossoms. Tea is cultivated from seed or from cuttings; the former can live to be very old (over 500 years), while the latter are replaced with new plants after 25 years. Harvesting is traditionally done by hand and – depending on the growing region – every two to three weeks or only two to three times a year. What is picked is always "two leaves and a bud", two leaves and a leaf bud.
When it comes to tea production (page 20), all steps, which also include fermentation, are clearly explained for black and green tea. The book stands out for its comprehensive coverage; for example, in the leaf designations of green tea, between sencha ("long, straight, light to dark green, flat-pressed leaf, tea from the summer harvest") and matcha ("powdered green tea leaves from the first flush, April harvest"), there are nine other varieties. The differentiation of black tea goes even further; letters and letter combinations, as sometimes found on exquisite teas, are explained on pages 47 to 51.
For preparing black tea, the rule is to use freshly boiled water, avoid using too large a dose, do not exceed a maximum brewing time of three minutes, and remove the tea leaves immediately afterwards. The expert has one more piece of advice for us: "The tea infuser belongs in the nearest museum! Please avoid using them and, if possible, also dispense with tea tongs – the leaves cannot unfold properly inside them and release significantly less flavour." (page 61).
The right teaware and the quality of the water (hardness) are examined and illustrated with pictures just as tea ceremonies are, whether in Japan (pages 102ff) or in China (pages 112ff). For those who did not know already: there is also an East Frisian tea ceremony: "Three cups are a must" (page 120).
The main part of the book (pages 140 to 301) is dedicated to the regions. On one page each, the tea, the brewed beverage, and a map of origin are depicted, accompanied by information on harvest time, leaf characteristics, flavour, quality, preparation, brewing time, cup colour, and shelf life. 143 teas follow this format, with herbal and fruit infusions also included here.
Conclusion: Both "Das große Buch vom Kaffee" and "Das große Teebuch" impress as comprehensive, well-written overviews containing a wealth of information, including their respective cultural histories, which anyone – whether preferring coffee or tea, or loving both beverages – will enjoy reading. (Thomas Hofmann, 1 October 2026).