Coffee tattoo meaning and symbolism

Coffee is an extremely popular drink worldwide. It is so widely known that it even gets featured in movies now and then, helping the general public learn the many things coffee can represent. One of those meanings is energy.

Since caffeine gets absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly, people often perceive themselves as being very energetic after drinking coffee.

Love for coffee isn’t something new though, people have been drinking it even before the time of Ancient Egyptians. The popularity of this drink certainly influenced its symbolism and associations with many things.

coffee arm tattoo
coffee arm tattoo @ norapruyser

So, what’s the meaning behind Coffee tattoos?

  • Energy and Hard work

Since coffee is very commonly associated with energy, tattoos featuring this drink are often interpreted as an expression of one’s ability to stay up late and work for long hours.

This meaning can also be interpreted as one’s ability to stay focused no matter what, due to the caffeine that’s inside.

  • Self-reliance and driven

Self-reliance is another association with coffee tattoos, for example people who are heavily addicted to coffee may consider it their only way of staying awake while dealing with long hours of monotonous work.

People who have chosen a career they don’t particularly enjoy but still manage to remain focused and driven may also start considering coffee tattoos as something that reminds them of their strength & self-reliance.

  • life

Coffee is bitter, yet sweet, just like life itself. Gaining appreciation for the taste of coffee takes some time, but once you get there, it just makes you appreciate this wonderful drink even more.

Gaining appreciation for life also takes some time and once you’ve gained that appreciation, you can easily notice how sweet life is when things go right.

Who usually gets a Coffee ​tattoo

People that appreciate a cup of coffee

This answer seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? People who have grown up drinking good quality coffee and have learned to truly enjoy drinking it.

Coffee drinkers are generally very active people, but they still manage to remain relaxed and calm whenever needed. They often seek new ways to stay healthy and energetic for as long as possible.

People who have an affection towards coffee are often very creative, but they generally prefer being calm and collected rather than being loud & flashy.

Coffee addicts are usually very insightful individuals with a sharp sense of humor, so they always help their friends whenever needed.

Coffee tattoo designs and their meanings

As mentioned before, coffee tattoos are very commonly associated with being energetic and self-reliant. 

There are many designs that can be chosen when it comes to coffee tattoos but there are some that seem more popular than others.

Those would be tattoos featuring coffee beans, mugs of coffee, or even just naked women holding a cup of coffee.

The first two designs are quite self-evident since they’re portraying exactly what the tattoo is about; good quality black coffee.

Coffee bean tattoos usually feature an outline of a single coffee bean ( sometimes with some parts shaded depending on the tattoo’s design) or a whole bunch of coffee beans.

Mug tattoos are generally pretty simple, only featuring the handle & mug itself, sometimes with some steam coming out of it. Although they can be designed in much more complex ways as well.

Another tattoo design that’s very popular when it comes to coffee tattoos is the one with sexy women holding a cup of coffee.

This design only has the upper half of a woman featured, sometimes with her face cut out so you can see what she looks like while enjoying your drink.

coffee wrist tattoo
coffee wrist tattoo @ acousticink.ca

What color should you get for your Coffee tattoo?

Since coffee is dark brown in color, most tattoos that feature it are also black.

Where should I apply my Coffee Tattoos?

Coffee tattoos can be placed pretty much anywhere on the body. The most common placement is somewhere on the forearm, shoulder or chest.

Females tend to prefer having them on the ribcage and ankles while males go for arms and legs.

How can I make my Coffee tattoo more beautiful?

You can achieve this by adding some sugar cubes, honey or cream to the mix to represent sweetness. However, you should be careful not to overdo it with these since too much icing sugar or honey may affect coffee’s meaning.