White House’s Classified Coffee
April 3 - 2021
Coffee Geography Magazine
People
always notice coffee mugs and cups in front of the presidents and their aids in
the Oval office or elsewhere in the White House during meetings or press
conferences. But the White House has
such historical secrecy not to reveal their favorite blend or coffee beans. The
Obama administration had shared the wine lists served during the state dinners,
but not the coffee used.
It has
always been said that the West Wing is proud to have all American. That is not
actually true when it comes to wine and cheese preference. Best Vintages and
well matured French and Italian products are noticed by dignitaries without
going to far for questioning where they came from. What about the coffee which is often asked
but never properly answered to the media?
In an
environment where hectic schedules make the powerful decision makers stay up
late at night and some times miss their whole sleep, caffeine is the handy
substance to keep them floating for the next day.
Look at
almost any photo of a meeting inside the Situation Room from the killing of
Osama bin Laden to preparations for a hurricane and coffee cups are spread
around the table. When foreign dignitaries come to visit, they are offered
coffee.
But what
is served in the residence? Or when the White House pulls out all the stops for
a state dinner? And is the First Lady a loyal coffee drinker?
Presidential
candidates show their affection to the coffee by visiting local diners in New
Hampshire and Iowa by grabbing the big cup as a common sacrament at the
primaries. Once he becomes president, the coffee mug is the first to notice
during the morning briefings. However, the White House is hushed on his
preferences over the years during different administrations.
“It was
enjoyed every day,” said John Moeller, who served three presidents working in
the White House kitchen from 1992 to 2005.
Moeller is
honest as history tells us the behavior of all U.S. presidents on coffee
consumption.
Imported
beans from East and West Indies were stocked in Thomas Jefferson’s cellar at
Monticello. Tea as the common hot drink for the British royals, he honored the
coffee for “civilized world” without mentioning the “Tea Party” gathering.
The Boston
Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at
Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists, frustrated and
angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped 342
chests of tea, imported by the British East India Company into the harbor. The
event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists.
It showed Great Britain that Americans wouldn’t take taxation and tyranny
sitting down, and rallied American patriots across the 13 colonies to fight for
independence.
Franklin
Roosevelt preferred to brew his coffee himself by having dark French roast
brought to him on a tray. Teddy Roosevelt’s exceptional choice Maxwell House
was phrased as “Good to the last drop,” by the president what would become the
coffee company’s catch-phrase.
In 1997,
the White House brought bigger espresso machines for use during large events.
“We were
making espresso drinks for the first lady. Both Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Bush
enjoyed a nice latte in the afternoon. It wasn’t unusual getting a call at 1 or
2 in the afternoon: ‘Time for a latte.’ ” said Moeller, a chef for the Clinton
and both Bush administrations.
In the
residence, Moeller said, there was a Mr. Coffee drip machine, while downstairs
there was a larger machine to serve the masses. Several French press devices
were kept nearby, but were rarely used.
If there
is the only common thing what President Obama and Trump agree to, that would be
their discontent to the coffee.
Obama almost always has a cream-colored, gold-trimmed porcelain cup in front of him. But inside those cups, aides say, is almost certainly tea (his favorite is Black Forest Berry made by Honest Tea) in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, inside the Situation Room.
President Obama tasted Yigra Cheffee coffee during his visit to Ethiopia in 2015
“Very
honestly, I do not recall him drinking coffee ever,” said Arun Chaudhary, his
former videographer.
“Obama’s
not really a coffee drinker,” said Jon Favreau, who is the president’s former
speech writer and most definitely a coffee drinker, often grabbing a cup of
Dunkin’ Donuts on his way into work. “I’ve seen him order tea quite a few times
but never coffee.”
The same
is true about President Trump’s habit in regards to hot drinks. Once he has
been spotted sipping espresso in Miami in public as if that was his first time.
The billionaire stopped by the local restaurant Versailles and ordered a
cafecito espresso drink to accompany his croquetas and empanadas, according to
the Miami Herald. He lifted the small cup of Cuban coffee briefly to his lips
long enough to be caught on camera, afterward declaring it "strong."
His staff in the White House has never seen
him having one other than tea. What is his secret to wake up in the middle of
the night to twit and able to do his morning duties just like every one of us
without any Kick from the Caffeine?
During
their terms, the White House was reluctant to announce the source of its
coffee. Maybe the Obama White House relies on Intelligentsia, the roaster from
his hometown Chicago? (Company officials say no, but the president was known to
visit one of their stores before he ran for president). What about Blue Bottle,
the buzzy brewer out of California? (They insist no, although they once served
Michele Obama a French press brew during a breakfast fund-raiser in Berkeley).
What about
Black Rifle Coffee, a proud coffee for veterans with AK47 on its bag whom
President Trump praised it simply “fantastic.” The company denied their
involvement with the White House.
Lyndon
Johnson was proud to have only American wines to be served at official
functions. So if the White House wanted to ensure the same for coffee, they
could only rely on two places to grow their coffee: Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
So a brief
research was needed to find out the facts where WH coffee come from.
A
plantation in Puerto Rico was reached by The State Department to order beans in
a small batch.
The White
House could have access to that order. There is also some hint where the coffee
brewing takes place. Kona Rainforest Farm, a four employee, 12,000 tree- farm
in Captain Cook in Hawaii, turns out the source of coffee for the first family.
The White
House has ordered from the farm four times, for Independence Day, for a total
of about 50 pounds. They always get the same brew: the Extra Fancy Blend, which
goes for $45 per pound.
“Initially
they were buying pretty frequently. And our coffee’s not cheap,” said Robert
Barnes, the owner.
The White
House sommelier, Daniel Shanks, also told them the White House doesn’t serve
caffeinated coffee after noon, and asked where he could get some Hawaiian
decaf. Barnes turned him toward nearby Pele Plantations and Shanks once ordered
about 25 pounds of it, according to the plantation owner, but hasn’t ordered
since.
But here’s
the thing. While we’ve tracked down the only known supplier of White House
coffee, there is no way it is the only supplier. With about 50 pounds of
regular, and 25 pounds of decaf, on the books, that would not be enough to keep
the building going over the years.