When was coffee discovered? A goat standing on a ridge with mountains in the distance

Explorers & Legends: When Was Coffee Discovered?.

Coffee has woven itself into the fabric of cultures around the world, so we set out to learn when was coffee discovered, and by who? Its journey from a mystical discovery in the highlands of Ethiopia to becoming one of the world’s most consumed drinks is as rich and complex as its flavour.

What began as a small, energizing berry for a 9th-century goat-herder has evolved into a global cultural staple enjoyed by millions every day. Along the way, coffee has played a role in religious rituals, sparked intellectual movements, and driven economic empires. From its spread across the Arabian Peninsula to its adoption in Europe and eventual dominance in the Americas, coffee’s history is a tale of exploration, ambition, and innovation.

In this narrative, we’ll explore the fascinating origins of coffee—from its legendary origins to its place in modern-day society, revealing how this humble drink transformed from a sacred elixir to the world’s favourite brew.

When was Coffee Discovered? The Mythical Origins

How was Coffee Discovered?

The origins of humans using coffee are shrouded in legend, the most famous being the tale of Kaldi, a 9th-century Ethiopian goat-herder. The story goes that it was Kaldi the Goatherd who discovered the coffee beans first. He noticed his goats becoming unusually energetic after eating bright red berries, and decided to try them himself. Feeling invigorated, he took the berries to a monk, who, fearing their effects, threw them into the fire.

Where was coffee first made?

As the beans roasted, a rich aroma filled the air, drawing other monks to investigate. They raked the beans from the embers, ground them, and brewed them into what may have been the world’s first cup of coffee. Though not recorded until centuries later in 1671, Kaldi’s legend remains the most widely told.

Other stories say it was the Moroccan Sufi mystic al-Shadhili or his disciple Omar who found the coffee first, who, after being exiled to a desert cave, discovered the life-saving power of coffee when he boiled the berries into a fragrant, nourishing drink. When word of this “miracle drink” reached Mecca, he was welcomed back as a saint.

Spread Across the Arabian Peninsula

As coffee spread across the Arabian Peninsula, it became more than just a drink—it became a ritual. In the Islamic world, it was prized for helping worshippers stay awake during nighttime prayers and fasting in Ramadan. Some even believed the archangel Gabriel gifted it to the Prophet Muhammad as a divine replacement for wine. Others link its effects to nepenthe, a mythical potion in The Odyssey that erased sorrow.

When was coffee discovered in England and Europe?

Coffee found a strong foothold in Turkey, and as the Ottoman Empire expanded, so did the love for this dark, invigorating brew. By the 16th and 17th centuries, Venetian merchants, who discovered coffee by trading in Turkey, had likely introduced it to Europe, where it quickly captured attention.

Its exotic origins and stimulating effects sparked debate—some saw it as a gift, while others viewed it with suspicion. Religious and political leaders wrestled with its place in society, with some attempting to ban it altogether. When critics urged Pope Clement VIII to denounce coffee as a “Muslim drink” in the late 1500s, he insisted on tasting it first. Finding it too delicious to condemn, he instead declared it a beverage fit for Christians.

With papal approval, coffeehouses sprang up across Europe, transforming from mysterious novelty to cultural staple. By the late 1600s, bustling cafés could be found in Britain, its American colonies, and nearly every major city on the continent. The drink had woven itself into daily life, setting the stage for the coffee culture that continues to thrive today.

When Was Coffee Discovered in the Americas?

Where was coffee found?

Although coffee originates in Africa, the Americas became the world’s coffee giant, thanks to ambition, daring schemes, and even a little romance.

The Dutch introduced coffee to Central and South America in 1718 after cultivating it in Indonesia. Years earlier, they had gifted a coffee plant to France’s King Louis XIV, who kept it in Paris’s Royal Botanical Garden. When Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, a naval officer from Martinique, was denied a seedling, he stole one and endured a perilous journey across the Atlantic, sharing his precious water rations to keep it alive.

Within 50 years, that single plant had produced over 18,000 coffee trees, securing coffee’s future in the Americas.

Brazil’s coffee empire was built on a similarly bold move. In 1727, Emperor João V, determined to control his coffee industry, sent Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta to French Guiana under the pretence of settling a border dispute. Palheta charmed the governor’s wife, who secretly gave him coffee seedlings hidden in a bouquet. Those seedlings laid the foundation for Brazil’s dominance in coffee production, turning coffee into the global commodity it is today. What a gift!

Evolution of Coffee Culture

Over the centuries, coffee has evolved from its role as an aid for fasting and nighttime prayers during Ramadan to a luxurious indulgence of Ottoman sultans, to the intellectual hubs of European coffeehouses, were brilliant minds brewed ideas. Today, it is an everyday staple that millions consume daily, adapting to a variety of cultural rituals and personal preferences.

So, there you have it. While there’s no definite answer to “who and when was coffee discovered?”, all we can say for certain is that the relationship between humans and coffee has been around for many centuries. Whether born of legend, faith, or chance, coffee’s transformation from mystical elixir to global obsession is a story still brewing today.