Coffee: The People’s Beer
You say barley, I say beans.
Fort Collins is known for its beer, and understandably so. There are more than 20 craft breweries in the city, with more arriving each year, and the beer culture here becomes more and more unique with every new addition.
Colorado in general is a hotspot for beer fanatics. Denver has over 60 breweries, and Boulder, where I grew up, is hovering around 20 like Fort Collins. Boulderites are loyal to their favorites just like their northern neighbors (Fort Collies. Forties. Collinites. I’m working on it), but to me, the conversation about beer up here just feels… different, somehow.
It’s like people are more invested in their booze or something. People love to compare and contrast new bars and brewery tours, and everyone seems to have their favorite spot.
I do not have a favorite spot.
It’s no fault of the ‘spots’ themselves; it’s just that I’m under 21. And frankly, I’m feeling left out.
I can’t partake in the latest creations from Odell or New Belgium. Technically, I could do a tour, but I don’t think my ego could handle the keen sting of not being allowed to sample anything.
This brings me to coffee.
While I know nothing about drinking beer, I’ve been drinking at least one cup of coffee every day since I was 14. I know my way around a French press. I’ve been in more coffee shops than I can count. The first thing on my shopping list when I moved into my freshman dorm was a Keurig.
I have fairly extensive coffee experience and I’m bitter about being excluded from the beer narrative. Thus, I’ve decided that while there is nothing inherently wrong with beer, coffee’s better. By association, coffee culture wins.
At its most basic, coffee is more inclusive than beer. Consider the environments associated with each one. They’re both pretty social- perhaps a bar more so than a coffee shop. I know bars aren’t a monolith; there are sports bars, dive bars, pubs, the aforementioned craft breweries, and many more.
Coffee shops are just as varied, though! There are loud ones, calm ones, cheap and cheerful ones… you get the idea. Fort Collins has all of the above, by the way; check out this list if you need help choosing one.
Another great thing about coffee shops is that they’re more welcoming than bars. There’s never a cover charge to get into a coffee shop. Nobody gets turned away from one because they’re too young to go inside. Both of these things happen at bars all the time, but coffee? Coffee is for everyone.
There are even health benefits to coffee. Studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption can reduce a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Like coffee, beer can also reduce risks of Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes; unlike coffee, beer can give you cirrhosis. I doubt anyone’s been issued a DUI for driving with too much coffee in their system… and is there even such a thing as a coffee hangover?
The bonuses don’t stop there. Beer doesn’t wake you up. Beer doesn’t give you energy to start your day. I didn’t sit down and have a warm, comforting mug of steaming beer before sitting down to write this article.
As I said, there’s nothing inherently wrong with beer. But if you’re looking for something comforting to drink, something that can be enjoyed hot or cold, something that you can have at any hour of the day (or at any age!)… reach for a cup of joe.
