Coffee may be one of the most popular drinks in the US, but it didn’t originate anywhere near North America. In fact, Americans were among the last to adopt coffee as the morning beverage of choice.
The origins of coffee can be traced back to Ethiopia, where the first coffee beans were discovered about one thousand years ago. Exportation of coffee from Ethiopia began around the 15th century, and it gradually spread across the world.
The history of coffee is fascinating and says a lot about the drink that we can’t seem to live without today. Let’s take a closer look at how coffee spread all the way from Ethiopia to your kitchen table.
Where Did Coffee Originate?

The origins of coffee can be traced back all the way to Ethiopia, where the first coffee tree was discovered. Coffee came from the seeds of the fruit produced by the coffee tree.
The first recorded exportation of coffee from Ethiopia took place around the 15th century. Ethiopian merchants traveled to Yemen to sell a wide array of goods, including coffee beans.
As the beans and their energizing effects garnered more attention, traders brought coffee to Turkey, Egypt, and Mecca.
Along the way, coffee encountered several bans. The first one took place in the 1511, when conservative orthodox imams in Mecca declared it to be unholy because of its stimulating effects. The ban was eventually lifted in 1524. However, in 1532, the city of Cairo placed a similar ban on Coffee.
Coffee Culture was introduced to Europe through Italy, and from there, it spread like wildfire. By the end of the 18th century, coffee was a well-known and largely consumed commodity in Europe and North America.
Who Discovered Coffee?
There are as many tales about who discovered coffee as there are varieties of coffee. The most commonly accepted story is the one of the Ethiopian goat-herder Kaldi in the 9th century. Legend has it that Kaldi grew interested in a particular tree producing berry-like fruits when he noticed the goats started behaving strangely after eating the berries.
He took some of those fruits and presented them to the authorities in his kingdom to explain their effect, but they rejected them and tossed them into the fire, claiming they were “devilish.” However, the aroma emanating from the fire caught their attention and they quickly saved the burning fruits.
According to history, the Arabs were the first to grind coffee beans and brew them into what we know today as a cup of coffee. They used the Arabic words “kachve” and “qawah” to refer to coffee. Coffee was only named once the culture of brewing it in hot water made its way to southern Europe through Italy and eventually the Americans also adopted the culture.
Ethiopians may have not been the first to grind and brew coffee beans, but they were the first to cultivate the coffee tree and use its fruits and seeds in a variety of ways. They would either eat the berries raw or as some type of dough made from coffee beans and animal fat.
When Was Coffee Introduced in the US?
While the coffee culture was largely revolutionized by the US, North America got a late start on the action. Before making its way to the US, coffee had already become the breakfast beverage of choice across Europe. London had over 300 “coffee houses” that were mostly visited by high-class individuals such as artists and writers.
Around the mid-17th century, the British finally introduced the beverage to American culture, and while it was accepted by the masses, most people still preferred tea.
Coffee houses similar to the ones in London were built, and they garnered some attention. Coffee’s popularity only took off once natives started protesting against British authorities. Eventually, the vast majority of the population adopted coffee into their lifestyle as drinking tea was considered unpatriotic.
From there onwards, the demand for coffee in the US grew exponentially, although it encountered several disruptions, such as during World War I, and regulations set to limit the importation of coffee into the country.
Nevertheless, by the beginning of the 20th century, around 1922, the US had become the largest consumer of coffee, consuming nearly half of global consumption.
Fast forward to a century later and not much has changed as North America is still the largest consumer of coffee. Given the rapidly evolving coffee culture in the US, it’s likely that it will remain the top global coffee consumer for some time.
How Was Coffee Originally Made?

In modern times, coffee drinkers use tools and devices like the French press, inexpensive percolators (on Amazon), and mini roasters to roast, grind and brew their coffee.
While the concept of brewing coffee has been around for centuries, specialized brewing tools were only introduced towards the end of the 20th century. Instead, people used a variety of crafty methods to prepare their morning Joe:
The Mortar Method
The first recorded method of manually brewing coffee originated in Turkey. In the 15th century, shortly after they were introduced to coffee, the Turks started roasting coffee seeds on an open fire. Once the seeds were roasted, they would proceed to grind them using mortars, then boil them in a specialized pot called “Cezve.”
The Drip Method
In the period ranging from the 15th century to the end of the 18th century, not many modifications were made to the original brewing method introduced by the Turks. In the 19th century, however, the first drip method was invented in France.
And a few years later, a German lady named Amalie Auguste invented the first coffee filter. This invention would allow the population to prepare coffee free of sediments. Drip coffee machines, like the Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker (on Amazon), are now a staple of American households.
The Moka Pot
In 1933, an Italian engineer, Alfonso Bialetti introduced a ground-breaking invention to the coffee culture; the Moka Pot. This invention revolutionized the way coffee was made globally. It brewed coffee with pressurized water.
Nowadays, you can get your very own Bialetti Moka pot (on Amazon).
Conclusion
The world’s most popular drink went through several drastic changes before it became into the famous beverage that is widely appreciated today. We have history to thank for the many varieties and brewing methods that we have available to us.