Coffee History: The Coffee House Awakens Pt. 1
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... there was a cosmic disturbance. Back on earth, meanwhile, something was happening in the world of coffee. A goat herder discovered some berries that were making his goats hyper. A monk accidentally made the first cup of coffee. And – thanks to some Arabian traders – coffee found its way into the Arabian world. Today, we continue our journey through this fascinating world of a beverage we struggle to function without. Most of you reading this love coffee. But what is coffee without somewhere to drink it? A meeting place for friends, a second office, a place to unwind and enjoy your morning brew. In this two-part blog, we will be looking at... (okay, you may have figured this out by the title)… the coffee house.
Episode I: Rise of the Coffee House
In the mid-late 15th century, coffee houses began to pop up, in the Arabian territories, such as Turkey. For a culture where alcohol was not permitted, this offered a great alternative. Men would meet up, play games and – of course – drink coffee. Women were not allowed in coffee houses, due to the culture. Upon visiting Turkey (C 17th century), a Venetian merchant fell in love with coffee and brought some back to Italy, to sell. This then led to the spread of coffee throughout Europe.
In the mid 17th century, coffee houses began opening in Italy (1645-1655), London (1652) and Paris (1672). They became meeting places for many, particularly in the business world, and many institutions were born from them. A good example of this is when Stockbrokers gathered in Garraway’s, in London. As a result, the London Stock Exchange was created.
Episode II: Attack of the Espresso
‘But what good is a coffee house without espresso?’ I hear you ask! (at least, I hear me ask...). Funnily enough, espresso was not first used in coffee houses. A businessman by the name of Luigi Bezzera invented one of the first espresso machines. This was to speed up his workers’ coffee breaks. It consisted of a boiler, with water chambers inside. Sat on top of an open flame, it would heat up until the pressure would cause steam and water to push through a puck (ground and tamped coffee). The main problem, though, was the inconsistent quality of the coffee produced by it.
Due to lack of funds, Bezzera sought the help of fellow businessman, Pavoni acquired the patents for the previous designs, making a few improvements. The pair eventually perfected the design, demonstrating it at a fair in Milan. Following that, espresso machines, built similarly to Bezzera and Pavoni’s, were appearing all over Italy. We then began to see the creation of drinks such as: macchiato, cappuccino, Americano etc. One can imagine the massive impact this would have had on coffee houses. From a customer perspective: if you see a place that serves you in short space of time, you will be more inclined to that place. It is more convenient than waiting five minutes for a coffee, after waiting 25 minutes in a queue of four people....
Conclusion
Coffee houses have become an essential part in the lives of many people. What many people do not know is the interesting history behind them. They did not originate in London, nor Italy, but in Arabia. Thanks to a merchant from Venice, coffee made its way into Europe and coffee houses began to open in Italy, London, and Paris. What some may find surprising, however, is that at this point, the espresso machine had not yet been invented. This did not come about until 1901, when Luigi Bezzera invented a machine to speed up his works’ coffee breaks. With the help of businessman Desiderio Pavoni, they perfected the design and introduced it at a fair in Milan. Following that, espresso machines appeared in cafes across Europe. One key part that they played in the growth of coffee houses is that they brew coffee faster than other brewing options. This means more customers can be served in a shorter period, making it more convenient for those on a tight schedule.
Join us next time, as we continue our brief history of coffee houses! If there is a topic you would like us to cover or any questions you may have, please get in touch via our email or one of our social media platforms!
Simon Burnett - Head Barista, Nomads’
