When a terrorist is planning to destroy the world, it is probably over a cup of coffee. When the president of a country is figuring out counter moves, this again is probably over a cup of coffee. When a girl weeps over a broken heart and wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, she calls her friend and asks her to ‘do coffee’.

Having a coffee is one of the most legitimate reasons for people to meet up and discuss things, whether it’s politics, fashion or the man who never calls when he says he will. And coffee as such, may even not be consumed. Just sitting in a café seems to make it worthwhile; because it gives people the chance to think they are rubbing elbows with the in-crowd or the intelligentsia.

Of course there are some of us who love this drink, perhaps because of its taste, perhaps because it gives us some sense of identity, perhaps because we need it to surface from the nether regions of sleep or fatigue.

Coffee drinkers of the world can probably be separated into two categories. In the first are the caffeine addicts; people who wake up in the morning and make a cup of instant or brew a quick pot with their machines.

These people repeat this ritual as soon as they come in to work and fly into a rage throughout the day if they happen to see the coffee pot empty. Nor do they care too much about ‘roasts’ or ‘grind’ or ‘brew’; caffeine is their drug of choice and if tree bark had any caffeine in it, they’d strip it, suck on it and say it did the trick.

The second group of people think that the first group are a sacrilegious lot and should be hung by their plebeian necks until caffeine withdrawal sets in. They worship coffee and actually read literature on the subject, compare the different tastes of different beans and hunt down small shops in small alleys looking for the perfect brew.

Whichever group you happen to be in (even if you’re floating in between), the gods of coffee have now smiled upon you.

In the past year and a half, at least a dozen outlets from about four major franchises have opened up throughout the city of Jakarta (plus about a half a dozen of the local lot in on the action too). Most look and feel like they have been transplanted straight out of Seattle – sofas mixed with chairs, small tables and ‘cool’ music playing out of slim speaker systems, but then there are the local ‘wannabes’ who spice things up with ethnic décor and uniforms. The common factor: they all sell an unbelievable variety of coffee and coffee products.

As a result, more and more people in Jakarta no longer bother making their own coffee, whether it be the 3-in-1 variety or something more sophisticated. Instead they go to these coffee boutiques to delight and tantalize their taste buds. And why not! Sure, some may feel like they’re ‘selling out’ when they go into the glitzier, more upmarketed places - but goodness! - doesn’t that coffee taste sooooo good . . .

I say ‘selling out’ because some people think it’s just not coffee to ask for a ‘Hazelnut iced moccachino with choco sprinkles’ and then pay up to three times the price of regular coffee you can lovingly brew at home or get from any street vendor or even a fast-food restaurant. But perhaps these people should throw off ‘good form’ or take out a loan and try one.

For those who don’t know, coffee drinking originated in the Middle East and the Arabs (hence Arabica coffee) drank it for centuries as black, sweet and monopolized as possible. This monoply was broken after a young Dutchman ‘tea-leafed’ a few coffee beans and smuggled them back to Holland where they, or their ancestors, found their way into the rich, fertile soils of Java. Hence, a cup of Java and the beginning of the original coffee wars. Eventually high demand saw people take this simple bean and complicate things by planting it in different areas, roasting it at different temperatures and grinding it to different textures. They started drinking it with milk and cream and steamed milk and making it with hot milk, adding spices and flavours, hot and cold. Three hundred years later, you can now drink it in a multitude of different ways, in mugs and glasses and paper cups, with toppings thrown in for good measure.

It is a generally accepted fact that Starbucks pioneered the global spread of coffee bars. This company started selling coffee & coffee products in 1971 and after a visit by their director to Italy, decided to imitate the Italian coffee bar in their hometown of Seattle. The idea did the trick and after conquering America, they spread their wings across the seas and are now in the process of conquering the world (including right here).

Starbucks is not alone. A family business called Gloria Jean’s Coffees started doing what Starbucks did in 1979 and they also grew and branched out globally. As you can expect, each has done its outmost into getting more people to drink their coffee, rather than the others and so, without you realizing it, the Jakarta Coffee War has begun.

The two major forces are by no means the only participants. Although Starbucks has 17 outlets in and around Jakarta and Gloria Jean’s Coffees has 5, we must not forget The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf outlets along with the Café Tators, Café Excelsos and Jl Bangka’s own Tornado Coffees.
All of the above profess to offer excellent coffee and excellent service. They all insist they have the best-trained staff and the best atmospheres. From a ‘civilian’ point of view, I can honestly say that I haven’t made up my mind just yet.

The good thing is, you and I can try all of their delicious coffees and decide when we’re good and ready. The Jakarta Coffee Wars may well be in progress but it’s the coffee drinkers who’ll come out on top!