TIME Coffee The Culture. The Business. Your Health

Coffee isn't just a beverage: it is now a part of our culture and has become as ingrained in our lives as food and water. It has been known as "the best part of waking up," and "good to the last drop," and of course there's the always-apt "but first, coffee!" From the first steaming cup in the morning, to the afternoon break that helps push us to the end of our days, it is never far from hand. And, the varieties are now endless, whether you're purchasing in a store, boutique coffee shop, or making in the office pantry: Whether topped by foam, mixed with a splash of milk, blended with ice and caramel syrup, or knocked back as a shot of espresso, how we take our coffee is as personal as the music we listen to, the books we read, or how we dress.