Coffee holds a special place in the hearts of many for a variety of reasons. Some love coffee for its jolt of caffeine, others for its warmth both literally and figuratively, and some for the part it has played in fueling intellectual conversations and debates. Coffee has served an important role throughout history and gained its fair share of supporters and opponents as it has been both celebrated and outlawed throughout the thousands of years we have been consuming this beloved drink. Whether or not you love coffee, there is no denying it has been an important commodity throughout history and into the present, and that there is nothing simple about this bean.

Where it all Began - Ethiopia

Coffee’s origin can be traced back to Ethiopia when the plant itself and its caffeine effects were discovered by a goat herder. It was believed to have been discovered somewhere between the 9th and 10th century when a goat herder named Kaldi noticed his herd was snacking on a coffee plant and reacted with giddiness. They were energized, motivated, and alert. This discovery led people to begin consuming the coffee plant as well. However, it took over a thousand years for us to start drinking coffee as we do today. 

From Africa to Europe

First, humans began to consume coffee in a cake-like substance by blending the coffee fruit, beans, and leaves and chewing this concoction as a sort of caffeine gum. People were hooked, and to this day caffeine is the most widely consumed drug. Coffee grew to be wildly popular throughout the Ottoman Empire before being traded across the world. First to the British, then French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and finally the Americas. This drink was particularly attractive because it was neither beer nor alcohol and was therefore deemed acceptable among followers of most religions including Muslims. Arabs even called this drink “qwaha”, the Arab word for wine.

Coffee became an important trading commodity for Arab nations and at the end of the 15th century, the first coffee houses started popping up in Yemen. Shortly thereafter, coffee saw its first ban in Mecca in 1511 after being accused of making people “drunk.” Coffee was burned on the streets and coffee houses closed all at once. This law was revoked several months later, but this pattern of outlawing coffee has been repeated throughout history.

In 1610, the Ottoman Empire was the largest and the richest in the world, with Constantinople, present day Istanbul, at the center of it. Because of all the surrounding wealth, Europe was intrigued to replicate their success and because their most popular drink was coffa, a coffee as black as soot, the Europeans wanted some of it too. Coffee spread to Europe quickly. In 1652, the first European coffee house opened in London and by the turn of the 18th century, there were over 1,000 coffee houses in Europe. It was a beloved drink among Europeans because, again, it was an alternative to alcohol. An English poem written in 1674 describes perfectly what they loved about the drink:

“...that grave and wholesome liquor, 

that heals the stomach, 

makes the Genius quicker, 

relieves the memory, 

revives the sad, 

and cheers the spirits without making mad.”

The Rise of the Coffee House Culture

With this boom in coffee houses throughout the Ottoman Empire and Europe, so began the beginning of a beautiful and intricate coffee house culture. Coffee houses offered a unique opportunity in that all classes were welcome, no reservations necessary, and they served as a space of privilege of equality. Coffee houses were referred to as “penny universities” for their eclectic mix of men who worked as merchants, politicians, lobbyists, intellectuals, scientists, journalists, scholars, poets and common men.

The one exception to this otherwise inclusive environment is that women were not frequent visitors of these establishments, as coffeehouses were instead a meeting place for men of all classes. It was not until the late 20th century that coffee houses became more inclusive and welcoming to women and all other historically excluded members of society.

Coffee as Inspiration and Fuel for some of the Greatest Thinkers of our Time

Coffee was a huge catalyst in the development of new ways of thinking as it challenged class systems while fostering learning and debate. Coffee has inspired and fueled some of the greatest thinkers, writers, philosophers, creators throughout history including Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Napoleon, and even Steve Jobs. Coffee has affected industries sweeping far and wide including journalism, politics, science, literature and more.

Coffee was said to have been consumed while discovering Newton's Gravity Theory as this monumental law of physics transpired from both falling apples and coffee houses in Cambridge. Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations at a coffee shop in London. Newspapers were born in these “third places,” an environment separate from both work and home, and information previously only available to the rich was now accessible to the masses. Famous newspapers such as The Spectator and The Guardian were birthed alongside cups of coffee inside these inspiring places. 

Great Ideas but Bad Coffee

These ideas were life-changing hundreds of years ago. However, by today’s standards the coffee was not very good. It was commonly compared to black soot and described as sludge. It was even recommended to make coffee using boiled water mixed with old coffee for a more dense cup. It was common practice to make all of the coffee in the morning and then simply reheat the black sludge throughout the day.

Coffee Comes to the Americas

Despite the mediocre coffee, the coffee house culture spread across Europe and throughout the world. Boston opened its first coffee house in 1671 although didn’t gain popularity until after the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Paris saw its first coffee house in 1672, 20 years after London. The entire world fell in love with coffee and shortly thereafter became nervous of their dependence on Mokha for supplying the beans. They began to branch out in search of their own sources. 

The Dutch went to Sri Lanka and Java, and the French to Bourbon, an island east of Madagascar. Coffee made its way to the colonies via a French navy ship destined for Martinique. The coffee plant had been stolen from a greenhouse in the French royal gardens. While it was a long journey and the capturer was allegedly forced to ration his own water intake so as to take care of the coffee plant’s needs, the coffee plant not only survived the long Atlantic journey, but began to thrive on the island once they arrived. So much so, that a mere nine years later there were three million coffee trees on the island. From there, it spread throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. First to Colombia in 1723, and then to Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela, Hispaniola, Guatemala, and finally Cuba in 1748.

Timeless Coffee Producing Nations’ Struggles

Coffee cultivation began in the New World first under colonial rule. However, after decolonization after WWII, these coffee producing nations struggled with civil uprisings, economic depression, political instability, foreign trade embargos, and coffee market instability--not to mention agricultural issues related to coffee leaf rust and drought. Themes of slavery, inequality, and capitalism throughout the coffee producing nations are still common today and have become a huge topic of discussion among leading coffee roasters regarding how to ensure we are not contributing to the problem of these injustices. 

Coffee has an incredible history in that it has been both celebrated and outlawed repeatedly throughout the thousand years since being discovered in the hills of Ethiopia. Coffee shops continue to serve as a third place outside of work and the home. Today, the industry is focused on quality, traceability, and community, both local and that of producing nations. Coffee is now celebrated for containing all of the nuances and refinement that one would expect from fine wine. While our priorities and expectations for drinking coffee have both changed dramatically and also stayed the same, coffee has proven it can withstand the test of time and it will continue to be a drink we serve and enjoy for many years to come.

Source: Stephenson, Tristan. “The History and Origins of Coffee.” The Curious Barista’s Guide to Coffee, New York City, Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 9-21.