A History of Coffee

By Simon Burnett

Coffee has become such an integral part of our day-to-day living. From our Monday morning caffeine fix to social gatherings, to a strange ritual we perform at home (either as part of our morning routine, or to show off in front of friends), it has become more than just the instant beverage we buy from the supermarkets. Truth be told, it always was… 

I need to take you back many, many years ago. Not to the streets of Sydney, not to a marketplace in Seattle, not even to an espresso bar in the heart of Milan! Our journey begins around 800AD, in the Kingdom of Kaffa (located in modern day Ethiopia). 

What the Jumping Goats!? 

One day, a goat herder named Kaldi was tending to his herd when he saw something unusual happen. His goats seemed energetic, leaping around the field. Trying to establish the cause, Kaldi observed that this boost of energy occurred when they ate the berries of a particular tree. He picked one and immediately felt exhilarated. 

Excited to share this discovery, Kaldi ran down to the place of worship and presented some of his newly discovered berries to the head monk, explaining what had happened. The monk denounced it as ‘the devil’s work’ and threw the berries into a fire. Upon doing so, a beautiful aroma began to fill the room that captivated everyone present. He ordered the embers to be gathered and hot water to be poured on them to preserve the pleasing aroma.  

The people the drank the mixture and felt a calming sensation come over him. They found it also gave them energy to stay alert and discuss prominent issues for long durations. The monks would drink this new concoction to help them keep awake during late night prayers, citing it as a gift from God. 

 There is great debate as to the accuracy of this story but what we can take form it is that it gives us a place of origin and it gives us an idea of how the beverage we all love was first discovered. 

Coffee and Islam: The Growth of Two Cultures (...ish) 

Word about coffee eventually began to spread. After hearing and trying this beverage, some Arab traders brought coffee back with them to Yemen (Arabia). There, the beans would be fire roasted and the coffee tree would be cultivated for the first time on plantations. The Arabs would boil the beans to make a drink they called qahwa (meaning, that which prevents sleep). By the 14th century, Muslims would drink their coffee like a bean broth, believing this would warn off evil spirits. 

As Islam grew and spread throughout North Africa, the Mediterranean region and Asia, coffee travelled with it. To prevent anyone else taking coffee outside of their territory, the Muslims would boil the beans to prevent them from sprouting. Unfortunately for them – though fortunate for the modern-day coffee aficionado – an Italian pilgrim had smuggled some beans outside of Mecca, that had not been treated. 

Conclusion 

As you may see, the origin of coffee is quite intriguing. How, by coincidence, a goat herder spots his goats jumping around, full of energy, as result of a few berries. For those berries to be thrown into a fire, in dismissal, creating a pleasing aroma and to then be collected, have hot water poured over them and to be drank – the first cup of what would become one of the most popular beverages!  
The global expansion of this well-loved drink was not thanks to a chain coffee outlet or a popular instant coffee brand, found in the supermarket; but the coffee plant being brought into Yemen and being grown across the expanding Arabian territory. In our next blog, we will look at the first coffee houses and the emergence of coffee house culture! 

By Simon Burnett