Coffee
The World’s Love of Coffee: A Brief History
Apr
Brief History About World’s Love of Coffee
Did you know that coffee has had a worldwide social culture that dates back to the 11th century? The coffee plant was said to be first harvested in Ethiopia. It bears a red fruit that looks very similar to cherries and has a beautiful smell similar to that of jasmine.
The plant became popular during this period because it was known for having medicinal value. As a result, coffee began to spread to many other lands.
Where did it go next?
By the mid-14th Century coffee was making its way through the Arabian Peninsula. Yemenites were drinking coffee the exact same way the Ethiopians did as the climate presented the most ideal environment for having prosperous coffee harvests. This recipe was followed for the next 300 years.
The Beginning of the Roast
In 1555, The Ottoman Governor of Yemen brought the love of his drink for coffee to Istanbul, Turkey when he was stationed there for work. This introduced a new method to drinking coffee – the beans were roasted on a fire, ground-up finely, and then slowly cooked with water – similar to how we brew coffee today on the stovetop.
Accessibility
Coffee then began to be drank not only in homes of the elite but homes of the general public as well. People loved their coffee passionately and people would buy green coffee beans and roast them at home in their pans. They were then ground in mortars and brewed in coffeepots known as “cezve.”
This was a catalyst to the establishment of the coffeehouse as well that began to rapidly pop up all over the city of Istanbul. Coffeehouses were famed for being an ideal place to read, enjoy board games and discuss art, poetry and literature – not far off from the modern café!
Vienna and Europe
In 1683, when the Turks left behind their coffee supplies in Vienna after the Second Siege of Vienna, the Viennese found coffee a complete mystery. They thought the beans were camel feed!
But it was when Kolschitzky, a spy in the siege who had lived among the Turks had asked for the mysterious beans, that the Viennese were introduced to their first cups of coffee. This marked the spread of coffee in Vienna and Europe.
From this point, Coffee began to spread through Marseilles, Paris, London, Holland, Germany and then made its way to America in 1668.
- The first coffeehouse was named “Kings Arms” and was opened in 1696 in New York City.
- In 1714, the Dutch presented Louis XIV with a Java coffee plant in Paris – it was planted at the Jardin des Plantes.
- In 1723, a coffee sapling was taken from Jardin des Plantes and was planted in the Island of Martinique – the coffee plant began to spread to the Carribbean islands as well as Central and South America.
- In 1727, a Portuguese Sailor carried coffee plants to Brazil from French Guyana. Brazil today is the #1 producer of coffee in the world accounting for 35% of coffee production.
- By the 19th Century it was a well-known trade worldwide and cafes were widespread.
At HotShot Coffee Sleeves, we understand that if a product is well made it will be loved and that love can spread anywhere in the world and will stand the test of time. Coffee has enamored many for generations and a whole line of products have popped up from this love – including ours.
Check out our branded custom coffee sleeves and contact us if you’re interested in getting the process of visual branding started for your company today!
Barry Konkin is the founder of HotShot Coffee Sleeves. With over 30 years experience in commercial offset printing, Barry utilized his diverse printing background and creativity in developing new coffee sleeve designs that were granted Patents in both the USA and Canada. Barry’s goal is to assist businesses with brand promotion through the use of high quality custom printed cup sleeves. With an understanding of your marketing and operational objectives, Barry can recommend the ideal coffee sleeve solution for you.