Photo via Unsplash.

I learned a new word recently: Nootropics. It’s a fancy-sounding word for the fancy-sounding products also described as “brain enhancers” or “smart drugs” – the kind of supplements and sports drinks that promise life-changing results until you read the fine print and learn their “claims have not been evaluated by the FDA.” (This is bureaucratic speak for the shrugging guy emoji.)

I also learned there is at least one nootropic that is both widely used and clinically demonstrated to be effective: caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to improve alertness and attention as well as brain function and sports performance. And caffeine is, of course, one of the reasons that so many of us go for a daily jolt (or two or three) of java.

Which brings us to this issue’s special Coffee Culture section (starting on page 36), which is full of articles and listings to help you find the best coffee shops and roasters around. “Coffee Culture” has another meaning here at the Volume One office: Like many workplaces, ours loves coffee (i.e., is heavily caffeine dependent), so the breakdown of our commercial-grade coffee machine a few months back caused a minor panic. After weeks of making do with smaller and slower-brewing Mr. Coffee, the staff rejoiced recently when a new commercial machine was finally installed. Once again, those of us at V1 had easy access to our preferred nootropic. With luck, our readers will reap the brain-enhancing benefits, too.