Well, I never ever thought I’d be asked “where was the first cappuccino brewed?” The answer is obvious, right?
Everyone knows that the first cappuccino brewed was in Italy…right?
Well, perhaps not!
The Austrians have a very legitimate claim to having brewed the very first cappuccino drink. Keep reading to find out why and what their claim is as we dig down into the history of cappuccino.
What Is A Cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a very popular coffee drink that you will find in every coffee shop. There is not a coffee shop that exists that does not make a cappuccino coffee – I even had my first cappuccino in a country that no longer exists – Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia (now Croatia).
A cappuccino is made with equal proportions of espresso, steamed milk and micro foam and topped with cocoa powder. Variations include a bone dry cappuccino, which is the previously described wet cappuccino without the steamed milk.
It is not uncommon to see a cappuccino made with whipped cream on top or thick dairy cream instead of milk. Cinnamon is also used in some variations of the classic coffee drink.
To brew it perfectly, dark roasted coffee beans are needed.
Read: Cappuccino Vs Espresso
Where Was The First Cappuccino Brewed?
This is where it gets slightly complicated. The accepted birthplace of the modern cappuccino as we know it is, of course, Italy, where it was first brewed in the early 1900s and gained popularity.
A cappuccino is said to have evolved from the Austrian Kapuziner, a very popular coffee that to describe it clearly is a bone dry cappuccino that is made with whipped cream instead of micro foam. It is a strong shot of espresso served with whipped cream on top.
That, to me, is a perfect description of a Cappuccino and therefore makes Vienna and Austria as the legitimate birthplace of where the first cappuccino was first brewed.
Read: Instant coffee Vs Ground coffee
How Did The Term Cappuccino Originate?
The name cappuccino is a variation of Kapuziner which was a popular coffee drink in Viennese coffee houses from the 18th century. An early 1805 description of it is as a “coffee with cream”. A later variation dated in 1850 has spices (unnamed, unknown) to the Kapuziner recipe.
The color of the drink was very similar to the Kapuzin (Capuchin) friars of Vienna and the robes worn by them. “Capuchin” is an Italian word that translates to hood, and was the reason for the name of the Capuchin monks – because of the hooded robes that they wore.
It is easy to see where the name Kapuzin, Capuchin, developed into Cappuccino.
The History Of Cappuccino – How Cappuccino Evolved
After the second world war coffee brewing started to undertake a lot of developments and improvements to the existing brewing techniques and drinks. Espresso machines, which had been rare prior to the war, became more commonly available in coffee shops and coffee houses all over Italy and the rest of continental Europe and eventually making their way across the Atlantic.
The age of crema came about when steamed milk and espresso became the drink of choice. The modern cappuccino, a 1:1:1 mix of espresso, steamed milk and milk froth on top, gained popularity for the silky smooth texture, caffeine hit and the rather elegant looks and the great taste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where Was The First Cappuccino Brewed
When Did Cappuccino Come To England?
The cappuccino arrived in England in the mid 20th century. With steam and pump driven espresso machines arriving in the United Kingdom in years after the second world war, espresso drinks and cappuccino became popular and common in cafeterias in England.
Why Do They Put Chocolate On A Cappuccino?
The sprinkled chocolate is put on top of a cappuccino partially to make it taste slightly sweeter. You will also notice the texture a little more as you enjoy spooning the foam and sipping the coffee.
What Is A Double Cappuccino?
It is as it sounds: double shot of espresso, double the amount of milk and twice as much foam on top as a single cappuccino. No matter how many shots are used to make a cappuccino, the ratios of 1:1:1 are still adhered to.
Is Cappuccino From Italy Or Austria?
Rather surprising to many coffee lovers is that what is considered as the iconic Italian coffee, a cappuccino, was not invented by Italians nor was it first created in Italy. The origin of a cappuccino comes from coffee houses of Vienna, Austria.
Which Country Is Famous For Cappuccino?
Despite not having its origins in Italy, it is Italy that is famed for the Cappuccino coffee beverage.
Does Spain Have Cappuccino?
Yes, in total I have spent 14 years and counting living in the Iberian Peninsula and I can absolutely reassure you that you will have no trouble at all getting this popular coffee in Spain.
Was The Cappuccino Invented In Austria?
Yes, a cappuccino, known as Kapuziner was invented and created in the 1700s in Vienna, Austria.
Is A Cappuccino Italian Or French?
A cappuccino is neither French nor Italian; it is a coffee beverage that originates in Austria, more specifically the city of Vienna.
Pro Tip: while in France order a café crème, and you’ll get the same drink, order a cappuccino, and you’ll likely be charged a little more, the tourist price as the French never ask for a cappuccino.
Frappe-Ing It All Up – Where Was The First Cappuccino Brewed?
The first modern cappuccino as we know it was indeed first brewed in Italy but an earlier version that is an espresso shot with a good portion of whipped cream on top known as a Kapuzin was brewed in Vienna, Austria before the Italians modified it.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article about where was the first cappuccino brewed and found it to be highly informative.
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Derek Marshall
Coffee is love, it's more than love — it's a passion of mine. I've had the luck to have travelled and enjoyed the most exotic of coffee's and unique flavors, brewing methods and techniques of making the perfect coffee from Thai hill tribe coffee to Indonesian volcanic coffee, Malaysian coffee that comes in a tea bag and the array of flavors in Vietnam, from Vanilla to Orange to Coconut to Avocado to even salt coffee and the famous egg coffee. The best part of my coffee adventures is getting to mix with the locals over a nice brew and learning how they make it! I'm cited and referenced on Google Scholar for the topic of coffee.
