'Venti double mint mocha. Whip. For here.' If you can fire off that coffee order perfectly, you are probably one of the thousands who frequent Hong Kong's coffee shops day and night.
Coffee is fast becoming the beverage of choice in the city, displacing its traditional rival, tea. Nestle, which produces instant coffee as well as the popular Nespresso capsule coffee machines, puts the per capita consumption of coffee in the territory at 60 cups a year. While two-in-one and three-in-one 'cuppas' are a staple at home, more are flocking to coffee house chains such as Starbucks and Pacific Coffee for fancier picks.
The dark, bitter brew that is coffee is made from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, and has a history dating to the 15th century. Coffee is grown commercially in more than 70 countries worldwide, with the main species cultivated being C. arabica. From this, arabica, the creme de la creme of coffee beans, is obtained.
What gives coffee its kick is caffeine, a pesticide found naturally in the seeds, leaves and fruits of plants such as kola nut, yerba mate, guarana berries and the yaupon holly.
The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee depends on the strength of the brew, the brewing method and the type of coffee blend used. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, coffee made using the drip method contains an average of 115 milligrams of caffeine per 150ml cup, while percolator coffee has 80mg. A cup of instant coffee usually contains about 65mg of caffeine.
Contrary to popular belief, decaffeinated coffee still contains a small amount of caffeine. Researchers at the University of Florida have found that some drip-brewed decaf brands can contain up to 13.9mg of caffeine per 473ml.