Who First Used Coffee? (Solved & Explained!)

Coffee was first recorded and discovered in the African country of Ethiopia. Harvested from ancient coffee trees on the Ethiopian Plateau, it is speculated that an Ethiopian goat herder discovered coffee beans and their effect in 700 A.D. 

Although many historians and scholars have attempted to trace back the origin of the world’s second-largest traded commodity, we can only speculate as to where the coffee bean first began and which lucky country got to use it first.

What is Coffee?

Coffee is a brewed drink derived from roasted and ground beans from the Coffee plant. Of African origin, coffee is a popular drink of choice among most of the world, especially in the morning due to its energizing properties. 

Today, the Coffee flavor has been incorporated into various dishes, cakes, and pastries since the aromatic flavors are as beguiling as the drink itself. 

Why is Coffee so popular?

The caffeine found within each cup of coffee helps blood flow to increase, effectively energizing the person drinking the coffee, which is why people prefer to drink it in the morning. As well as helping to wake people up, Coffee, namely the caffeine in coffee, is addictive. 

How popular is Coffee?

Coffee has become the second-largest traded commodity in the world. Within the past two decades, its popularity has increased dramatically with chain coffee shops, such as Starbucks, becoming more and more commercialized. 

Studies have shown that more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed annually, with the number increasing every year. The consumption of coffee has become popularized within western pop culture, so much so, that it is now a ‘staple’ product for any household. 

Where does Coffee come from? 

Due to the extensive and turbulent path that coffee took to get to today’s world, tracing the true origin of Coffee is difficult. However, most historians agree that Coffee can be traced back to the ancient Coffee trees of the Ethiopian plateau in the horn of Africa, discovered in 700 A.D. 

The actual coffee nut is green and comes from the red berry – or ‘coffee cherries’ – of a genus of coffee plants that are bush-like and can grow to great heights. These nuts are then roasted and ground into a fine soil-like texture and then brewed in hot water, creating the coffee drink.

Who discovered Coffee?

This is where tracing becomes difficult, but the generally accepted theory is that an Ethiopian goat herder by the name of Kaldi was the one to make the initial discovery of the coffee bean and its energizing effect.

The story goes that Kaldi observed strange behavior (‘dancing’) in his goats after they consumed a small red berry from the Coffee tree. After his discovery, he took the beans to a local monk who was excited to have a way to stay awake all night for prayer. Then Coffee was born. 

Which country is Coffee originally from? 

Although the story of the discovery may be convoluted due to it being around 700 A.D, scholars are in agreement that Coffee gets its roots from the ancient coffee forest that was found on the Ethiopian Plateau. 

What was Coffee originally used for? 

The coffee was originally used by the aforementioned monk and his monastery in order to stay awake through the night for prayer or to help with their concentration. This secret was spread among other monasteries in the area. 

The special drink they made by brewing the berries in hot water quickly became famed in the region and thus coffee began its worldwide journey. 

How did Coffee Spread across the world? 

The rumors of the effect of this specially brewed drink from the Ethiopian monks spread like wildfire, and soon other countries sought the commodity. The coffee bean traveled across the sea to Yemen, then to the Middle East before making its appearance in Europe and Asia.

Attempts to grow the prized coffee plant began in earnest in distant countries, such as the Netherlands, but it was quickly discovered that Coffee plants needed warmer climates.  

Was Coffee always so popular?

As this newfound drink spread across the New world like wildfire, some more conservative countries deemed the drink and its energizing properties to be demonic and forbidden. Some countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Italy forbid the drink, but not for long. 

Coffee houses were born as quickly as the drink was popularized, to the dismay of some who tried to get them banned due to the patron’s addictions to coffee.  

How has Coffee changed over the years? 

As the years went on and coffee made its way around the world, its flavors, growing conditions, and brewing methods have also evolved. Where the original way was to simply roast the beans, grind them up, and place them in hot water, today coffee has become a form of art. 

With the inventions of modern coffee roasters such as the espresso machine and the french press, the way to brew coffee is as different as the people who drink the coffee. The addition of creams and sweeteners has also allowed people to customize their coffee even further.

Which Coffee is the Best Coffee?

Although there are stark debates on the topic of which Coffee is the ‘best’ coffee, there is no real answer. Some people prefer more milk and sugar than coffee, while others prefer a black cup of joe. It all depends on your preference. 

No matter how you prepare your coffee, coffee is still coffee and has become a staple part of the modern world. 

Where is today’s Coffee From? 

As coffee crossed the seven seas, it landed on south America’s borders of Brazil. A Brazillian colonel acquired the prolific bean via clippings and began the largest coffee empire in the entire world. 

Today, Brazil remains the main grower of Coffee today. Its warm climate and lush, fertile landscape have proven to be the perfect environment to grow and cultivate this hot commodity. An estimated 2.6 million metric tonnes of coffee beans were exported from the country in 2016.