Celebrate the Navy's Birthday with Fire Dept. Coffee

Well, it’s not every day that you get to celebrate a 245th birthday, right? Today, October 13th 2020, it’s the Navy’s anniversary and we’d like to spare a moment to honor it together.

Keep reading to find out about Fire Dept. Coffee’s special connection to the Navy and which blend we recommend to celebrate the Navy’s birthday like a true sailor.

Happy Navy’s birthday from a veteran-owned business!

Founded on 13th October 1775, the Navy has been serving our country for centuries and we couldn’t be prouder of the efforts and sacrifices of thousands of brothers and sisters.

This Navy birthday means a lot to our team.

Did you know that, as well as being run by firefighters, Fire Dept. Coffee is a veteran-owned business?

Luke Schneider, our founder, has served in the US Navy from 2004 and 2008.

Drawing from his personal experience and realizing the importance of strong coffee during long shifts both at the fire station and aboard, he had an idea to bring these two worlds together: our Shellback Espresso.

Become a Shellback to celebrate this Navy anniversary together

This year, at Fire Dept. Coffee we’ve cemented this cherished connection by creating a one-of-a-kind blend that homages the Navy and its traditions.

All sailors and seafarers begin their journey as inexperienced Pollywogs. This changes on a very important day: the first time they cross the equator line! 

That’s when they become trusted Shellbacks, proving their seaworthiness to the moody Neptune.

Celebrated with memorable line-crossing ceremonies and immortalized in folktales and legends, this ritual is an integral part of someone's experience with the Navy, and our Luke knows a thing or two about it.

Not only did he pay homage to the god of the sea and his sidekick Davy Jones: he was also awarded the Golden Shellback status, as he crossed the coveted equator line at the 180th meridian.

“To celebrate the Navy's birthday and Fire Dept. Coffee’s connection to its traditions, we decided to take you on a special mission,” says Luke. “Ready to become a virtual Shellback?”

No need to worry if you’ve got to be at work in less than an hour or if you suffer from seasickness. 

We’ve already done the hard work so that you can experience the thrill of crossing the equator line from the comfort of your home or office.

Our Shellback Espresso: a heartfelt homage to the Navy

At Fire Dept. Coffee, we’ve handpicked the best beans harvested from different locations along the equator line, from Brazil and Colombia all the way to Indonesia.

With our secret recipe and a sprinkle of folklore, we’ve blended them together to create a rich-tasting and powerful medium roast, strong enough to awaken Davy Jones.

Basically, every cup of our unique Shellback Espresso is a metaphorical crossing of the equator line!

You can enjoy it as medium grounds (perfect for your automatic dripper) or beans, so that you can grind them for your espresso machine. 

Psst! Do you want to become Neptune’s best friend and most trusted seafarer? Then get our Shellback Espresso delivered regularly as a subscription so that you never have to worry about running out of it before your next quest.

You can also wear your seaworthiness on your sleeve by choosing a Shellback Espresso t-shirt, sticker or challenge coin from our shop. Discover more about this blend in our Shellback Espresso article.

Once again, today we want to raise our cups of joe to our fellow veterans and everyone who’s served our country over the past centuries. 

Happy Navy’s birthday from Fire Dept. Coffee!