National Coffee Month is every August in the United States. It’s an unofficial celebration, not a government holiday, that cafés, roasters and coffee brands use to promote new drinks, tastings and deals. It leads into the two big coffee days of the fall: National Coffee Day on September 29 and International Coffee Day on October 1.
There’s plenty to celebrate. About two-thirds of American adults drink coffee on any given day, according to the National Coffee Association, and most of them brew at least some of it at home. Here are 12 ways to make the month count.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| All of August | National Coffee Month (US) |
| September 29 | National Coffee Day (US): the big day for free coffee and deals |
| October 1 | International Coffee Day, set by the International Coffee Organization |
12 Ways to Celebrate National Coffee Month
At Home
1. Try a new brew method. If you always use a drip machine, spend the month with something different. A pour-over gives a clean, bright cup; a French press gives a heavy, rich one; an AeroPress is fast and forgiving.
2. Upgrade your grinder. A burr grinder makes a bigger difference to your cup than almost any other piece of gear. Grinding fresh is the single easiest upgrade.
3. Dial in your ratio. Weigh your coffee and water for a week. Start at 1:16 for pour-over and adjust from there with our coffee-to-water ratio guide.
4. Make a café drink at home. Try whipped Dalgona coffee, cloud coffee or a batch of cold brew for the hot August days.
5. Bake with coffee. Coffee brownies, tiramisu or a mocha cheesecake are easy ways to use up leftover brewed coffee or espresso.
Out and About
6. Visit a specialty café you haven’t tried. Here’s how to find a good one. Order something you’d never usually pick.
7. Tour a local roastery. Many small roasters run tours or public cuppings (coffee tastings), especially around the fall coffee days.
8. Host a tasting. Brew two or three coffees side by side for friends and compare. Our guide to pairing coffee with food has snack ideas.
Explore and Give Back
9. Taste your way around the world. Buy a few single origins and compare them using our guide to coffee flavor by origin. A light roast shows the differences best.
10. Pay a coffee forward. Try the Naples tradition of caffè sospeso: pay for an extra coffee and leave it for someone who needs one.
11. Choose ethically sourced beans. Look for roasters who say where their coffee comes from and what they pay for it. See our guide to ethically sourced coffee.
12. Learn the history. Read up on where coffee came from, or try a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
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Need gear for any of these? Browse AeroPress, pour-over sets, burr grinders and coffee sampler packs, or see our gift ideas for coffee lovers and coffee subscriptions.
Which Brew Method Should You Try?
| Method | Tastes like | Try it if |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Rich, intense, syrupy | You love milk drinks |
| Pour-over | Clean, bright, detailed | You drink it black |
| French press | Bold and full-bodied | You want easy and rich |
| AeroPress | Smooth, clean, versatile | You want fast and portable |
| Cold brew | Smooth, low acidity | You drink iced coffee |
| Turkish coffee | Thick, strong, aromatic | You want something traditional |
A Quick History Worth Toasting
Coffee’s roots are in Ethiopia, and by the 15th century it was being brewed in Yemen. Coffeehouses spread through the Ottoman Empire and reached Europe in the 1600s; London soon had hundreds of them. Read more in our history of coffeehouses.
In 1714 the mayor of Amsterdam gave a coffee tree to King Louis XIV of France. In the early 1720s, a French naval officer named Gabriel de Clieu carried a seedling from that line to Martinique, and from the Caribbean coffee spread across the Americas. Today it grows in about 70 countries, led by Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Coffee Deals in August and September
Big chains and local cafés often run promotions during National Coffee Month, but the biggest deals usually land on National Coffee Day, September 29. Offers change every year and often require the chain’s app or rewards program, so check a week or so ahead.
National Coffee Month FAQ
When is National Coffee Month?
Every August in the United States.
Is National Coffee Month an official holiday?
No. It’s an informal observance promoted by the coffee industry, cafés and fans. There’s no official proclamation behind it.
Is National Coffee Month the same as National Coffee Day?
No. National Coffee Month is all of August. National Coffee Day is a single day, September 29, and International Coffee Day is October 1.
Sources: Daily Coffee News on the NCA Spring 2026 National Coffee Data Trends report.
Former roastery owner and coffee tour operator. Steve spent five years roasting coffee for his own shop and wholesale customers. More about Steve