92 percent of Austrians drink coffee

Nine out of ten respondents take their coffee in the workplace.  In 36 percent of Austrian businesses, coffee is provided by the employer free of charge, according to the press release from MindTake Research.

41 per cent like to drink their cup of java in cafes or restaurants. Around a quarter prefer Cappuccino, while 14 percent each order a Verlängerter or Latte Macchiato. The latter is particularly popular among women (21 percent, with only six percent of men indulging.)

Men tend to prefer a Kleinen Schwarzen (12 percent) or Großen Schwarzen (11 percent, which is popular with only six percent of women).

In Austrian households 29 percent prefer the capsule coffee machine, followed by 26 percent whose coffee comes from automatic coffee maker (the Vollautomat).

Around 14 percent like the filter coffee maker, while 12 percent use a Percolator – or automatic drip coffee maker (the Kaffee-Pad-Maschine). 12 percent remain loyal to the classic Espresso from the Espresso machine.

True purists, such as those from Italy, will use a French Press.  They also never drink Cappuccino after 11am, and never allow coffee to fit in anything larger than an Espresso cup.

First, you should know that you can’t simply order ‘a coffee’ in Austria. Tourists attempting to do so will earn a derisive sneer worthy of a Parisian waiter, because coffee exists in more than a dozen variations, even in the smallest cafes.

Coffee beans in Austria are typically roasted until they are very dark, almost black. This is called the “Italian” or “French roast” and is the most common colour for coffee beans. Here’s a list of the more common varieties from an Austrian tourist site, so you know what to expect.

Cappuccino: What is sold in Austria under that name is NOT the Italian (thus not the international) version of a cappuccino, but a regional variation made from coffee and whipped cream rather than frothed milk.

Einspänner: Strong, black coffee typically served in a high glass with a dash of whipped cream.

Eiskaffee: Cold coffee with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and whipped cream – served typically in the summer months, and ideal for the hot season. Only ice tea is more refreshing.

Fiaker: Named after horse-and-carriages, the Fiaker is a not-so-common coffee with a shot of Austrian rum and whipped cream.

Kleiner Brauner and Großer Brauner: Means “little brown one” or “large brown one” and comes close to what people consider to be ordinary coffee: black with a bit of milk, yet typically not filtered, but steamed like espresso.

Konsul: An even less common creation than the Fiaker, a black coffee with a small spot of unwhipped cream.

Kurzer or Espresso: In recent years the Austrian term “Kurzer” (meaning “short one”) has begun to disappear and these days, the international “Espresso” is more commonly found on menus.

Mazagran: A cold Fiaker-variation, coffee, ice, a shot of rum – and possibly a bit of sugar. A wonderful boost of refreshing energy in the summer.

Melange: The king of coffee, a mix of frothed milk and steamed coffee similar to the Italian cappuccino, but consumed at any time of the day.

Milchkaffee or Café Latte: A large coffee with frothed milk, has been around for a long time, but recently gained popularity probably due to its fancy Italian name that sounds much cooler than “Milchkaffee”.

Schwarzer or Mokka: Strong, black coffee, normally consumed with a lot of sugar, but served without.

Türkischer: Meaning “Turkish one” and it’s just that – finely ground coffee boiled for a long time in water, sugar is added and it is served as a very hot, strong coffee with the grains still in the cup.

Verlängerter: A diluted and thus weaker but larger version of the Großer Brauner, typically served with milk. Means “extended one”.