What’s Brewing in the World of Internet Coffee Culture

What’s the secret ingredient behind the internet’s coffee obsession? Spoiler: it’s not just caffeine. It’s the ritual, the customization, and, obviously, the aesthetics.

Over the past 7 days alone, at-home coffee content has racked up over 45 million views. Coffee has become deeply embedded in our daily routines, but it’s even clearer that the internet loves homemade coffee culture. Coffee used to be a quick caffeine fix. Now, with remote work, it’s a lifestyle.

By analyzing data from every at-home coffee video posted in the past week, we found one undeniable truth: WFH coffee isn’t just about making a convenient drink—it’s about creativity, self-care, and culture. And yeah, it really is that serious.

1. The Trend Winners of the Week

There’s always a new viral recipe or hack that has everyone obsessed—remember protein coffee? This week, two trends have dominated the WFH coffee conversation.

🏆 Teddy Graham Latte

This latte concoction features brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon to recreate the nostalgic flavor of a beloved childhood snack. It’s dessert-like, highly aesthetically pleasing, and primed for virality.

The earliest iteration is credited to creator Kadyn Darrow, who posted the first video on the "Teddy Graham Latte" on November 19, 2024. The trend didn’t start to blow up until January 2025, with one of the most viral videos on this topic hitting 2.1M views and 181.5K likes.

Why does this work? Nostalgia sells. We’ve seen it with cereals, ice creams, and now coffee. Teddy Graham-inspired lattes tap into childhood memories while offering a visually appealing experience.

🏆 Weck Jars

What was once just a food storage container has now become the go-to drinkware of choice for at-home coffees. The chubby glass shape and larger size make it both aesthetic and functional, replacing the traditional mug in WFH setups.

Popular food creators like @wishbonekitchen have fueled its recent virality, using the large jar to house their aesthetic drinks. Google search trends even show a spike in interest toward Weck jars, and many creators are searching for affordable Weck jar alternatives at IKEA and Target.

Although Weck jars are having their moment right now, drinking coffee out of jars is not new. Lifestyle and food creators have gone viral for repurposing old pasta sauce and salsa jars, signaling a growing trend: function meets design, and drinkware is just as important as the drink itself.

2. Coffee as a Creative Playground

Social media has proven that with WFH coffee, there are no limits to experimentation and customization. There’s no flavor combination that can’t be turned into a coffee recipe—ube cream latte or lavender cake batter shaken espresso are now mainstream in online coffee culture.

Particularity in coffee preferences isn’t new, but social media has opened up a whole new world of alternative milks, unique syrups, infused cold foams, and more. A standard latte is just the blank canvas; from there, people can create uber-personalized drinks that reflect their tastes and personalities.

3. The Great Coffee Machine Debate

For WFH coffee lovers, the machine is just as important as the drink. But the internet is split between two camps: the quick-and-easy Nespresso crowd vs. the hands-on Breville purists.

Nespresso

Favored by those who prioritize convenience and consistency over a lengthy process and full control. Unsurprisingly, it’s the choice of most at-home coffee makers. Creator data shows positive sentiment toward Nespresso machines, particularly for their quality and ease of use. The pods guarantee a solid brew every time with minimal effort.

Breville

For those who romanticize the barista experience and love hands-on customization. It has a strong fan base, especially among coffee drinkers who prioritize quality and the start-to-finish espresso-making process. The conversation about these machines centers around crafting the perfect espresso shot, from grinding the beans to frothing the milk.

4. Generational Differences: Millennials vs. Gen Z

The majority of WFH coffee content is largely dominated by millennials, but there’s a surprising generational divide in preferences and aesthetics.

• Millennials gravitate toward sweeter, indulgent coffees. Their content features caramel drizzles, extra syrups, and whipped cream on top of drinks, playing into heavy customization with classic flavors.
• Gen Z leans toward matcha over coffee and often prefers fruity and nutty flavor profiles. These differences aren’t mutually exclusive, but they reflect an evolving cultural shift in coffee preferences.

5. Coffee at Home, but Keep the Café

WFH culture has led people to curate full home coffee stations. Gone are the days when the at-home coffee bar was just a tiny corner of the kitchen counter. Now, coffee bars are meticulously designed, complete with syrups, glasses, and tools that mirror the café experience.

With curated, aesthetic spaces, coffee corners are now just as important as the drink itself. Every aesthetic opportunity matters on social media, but beyond the visuals, this trend signals something bigger:

People don’t just want coffee at home—they want the full café experience in their space.

6. The Ritual of WFH Coffee

The biggest takeaway from these videos? WFH coffee culture is fully its own ritual. Each step of the process, from selecting the beans to swirling the drink with a glass straw, is part of the experience.

This ritualistic approach to coffee seamlessly ties into broader content themes like morning routines, GRWM videos, and day-in-my-life vlogs. In fact, the hashtag #morningroutine appeared 97 times in the top WFH coffee videos analyzed.

Table displaying the top hashtags related to coffee content and the number of times they were used. The most frequently used terms are 'coffee' (207), 'coffeetok' (158), 'fyp' (105), 'morningroutine' (97), and 'momsoftiktok' (80). Corresponding hashtags include '#coffee' (180), 'coffeetiktok' (114), '#morningroutine' (97), 'coffeeathome' (86), and '#coffeelover' (78).

This type of content is aspirational yet authentic and relatable. The process of making coffee has undeniably become an integral part of people’s at-home routines, creating a strong sense of community among coffee lovers.

Final Sips

In the post-pandemic world, people are still spending more time at home, and they’re making the most out of it. The 5-10 minutes it takes to make a Teddy Graham latte isn’t just another task on the to-do list—it’s a small joy worth celebrating.

But beyond the aesthetics, these coffee trends reflect something deeper: understanding social data is key to uncovering evolving consumer behaviors. The rising popularity of Weck jars, elaborate coffee corners, and black sesame matchas aren’t just random moments on social media—they’re reinforced by audience engagement, creator sentiment, and shifting cultural preferences.

Brands should be taking notice, and see how they rank organically. Going deeper into this kind of data can turn viral moments into larger strategic insights.

As you can tell, coffee is no longer just a drink. And if the data is any indication, the WFH coffee craze is only getting stronger.