Why coffee is called "Joe"

#1: Post by **dpiette** » May 28th, 2013, 1:23 pm

Yes, there was a Joe. Josephus Daniels.

Quartz (The Atlantic's business blog) did a short article about it here.

#2: Post by **yakster** » May 28th, 2013, 3:23 pm

My niece just asked me this question last week. Now I have an answer.

#3: Post by **Intrepid510** » May 28th, 2013, 4:27 pm

I would certainly prefer a cup of Jack too.

#4: Post by **MerleApAmber** » May 28th, 2013, 4:38 pm

I liked the follow on, linked story as well: http://qz.com/59922/heres-what-you-need ... -workplace

#5: Post by **TomC** » May 29th, 2013, 2:24 am

The link doesn't elaborate the history, but it was somewhere in one of the coffee books I've read, basically stating that our navy had a daily allotment of spirits, a certain (large) volume, per man, per day. It might have had as much to do with the fact that it was safer to drink than most water sources than just sheer pleasure. His injected "morality" changed all of that.

#6: Post by **MerleApAmber** » May 29th, 2013, 2:26 pm

I wonder when steam-vacuum desalination became standard equipment aboard Naval Fleet vessels. The intersection of this technology could have been an enabling factor toward relieving the stress the officers felt keeping a surly crew under hand.

#7: Post by **Eastsideloco** » June 1st, 2013, 8:56 pm

I thought I'd try and verify the origins of this phrase in Mark Pendergrast's book Uncommon Grounds, and found no reference to Josephus Daniels. However, on p. 205 in Chapter 12 "Cuppa Joe," Pendergrast posits that the term dates from WWII due to coffee's close association with American soldiers in general, GI Joes.

See also:

http://www.snopes.com/language/eponyms/cupofjoe.asp

#8: Post by **MerleApAmber** » June 2nd, 2013, 12:38 pm

thanks David!
It appears we'll have to await the development of time travel and a researcher fixated on all things coffee to tickle out the true origins here. Still, interesting take toward the average individual and the uptake of a regional language designation to spread throughout the "english" speaking population.

#9: Post by **joegsapp** » June 11th, 2013, 9:15 pm

yakster wrote:My niece just asked me this question last week. Now I have an answer.

I'm asked this surprisingly often....my name is Joe.

Historically, people also ask me where I'm going with that gun in my hand, or tell me about my job in a button factory.

I knew the origin of 2 out of the 3 for years. Now I know all 3. Thank you!