Coffee History Timeline

850

First known discovery of coffee cherries in the coffee history timeline. Legend tells us about the goat herder Kaldi of Ethiopia, who notices his goats are friskier after eating red cherries of a local shrub. Kaldi experiments with the cherries himself and begins to feel energized.

1100

The coffee first trees are cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee is first roasted and boiled by Arabs making "qahwa" — a name formerly applied to wine — and eventually, to Europeans, as "the wine of Islam."

1475

The world’s first coffee shop opens in Constantinople. It is followed by the foundation of two local coffee houses in 1554.

1511

Khair Bey, the governor of Mecca, bans coffee fearing that its power might promote resistance to his rule. Coffee trade is shut down in Constantinople (Istanbul). After a week-long "reign of terror", the sultan decides that coffee is blessed and has the governor executed.

1600

Coffee enters Europe through the port of Venice. The first Italian coffeehouse opens in Italy in 1683.
Pope Clemente VIII was requested by some of his monks to outlaw the “Muslim” brew. He declined and said, "This beverage is so good it would be a sin to let only pagans drink it!" His subsequent "baptism" of coffee propelled its spread across Europe.

1607

Coffee is introduced to the New World by Captain John Smith, founder of Virginia at Jamestown.

1652

The first coffeehouse opens in England, but women were not allowed in, other than to serve men. A number of British women wrote a lengthy petition (now in the coffee museum, London) requesting access. They were refused.
Edward Lloyd's coffeehouse opens in 1688. It evolves to be the Lloyd's of London, the world's best known insurance company.
The word “TIPS” is coined in a London coffee house: A sign reading “To Insure Prompt Service” (TIPS) was place by a coffee cup. Those desiring prompt service and better seating threw a coin into a mug.

1658

The Dutch become the first to transport and cultivate coffee plants commercially. Coffee is smuggled out of the Arab port of Mocha and shipped to Ceylon and East Indies for cultivation.

1683

According to the coffee history timeline, the Ottoman army, fleeing Vienna after being defeated, leaves behind bags of coffee. Franz Georg Kolshitzky, the man responsible for Vienna's victory, receives the coffee as his reward and establishes Central Europe's first coffee house.

1686

The opening of the first Parisian cafe Le Procope.
King Louis XIV is presented with a coffee tree from the Dutch. It is believed that sugar was first used to supplement coffee in his court.

1718 - 1723

The Dutch transported coffee from Java to Dutch Guyana in South America. Coffee Plants are introduced in the Americas for the first time for cultivation. Gabriel de Clieu, a French naval officer, ships some plants to Martinique. By 1777, 1920 million coffee plants are cultivated on the island.

1721

The first coffeehouse opens its doors in Berlin.

1727

The Brazilian coffee industry has been sparked by a love affair. A Brazilian coast guard officer visiting Cayenne, French Guyana, was attracted to the Governor's wife, who at his request, secretly supplied the few seedlings that were afterward grown in Brazil, founding the production that has dominated world trade for 200 years. By 1800, Brazil had become the world’s largest producer of coffee.

1730

The British introduced coffee to Jamaica.

1750

One of Europe's first coffeehouses, Caffe Greco, opens in Rome. By 1763, Venice has over 2,000 caffes.

1750-60

Guatemala cultivates its first coffee plantation.

1774

The famous Boston tea party - also part of the coffee history timeline - a rebellion by Americans against the new increased tea taxes put by the British. Dressed as Indians, the Americans dumped three boat loads of tea into harbor and then replaced it with coffee as their revolutionary beverage of choice.

1779

Coffee plants shipped from Cuba to Costa Rica.

1790

Mexico received its first coffee plant.

1822

The first prototype of an espresso machine is created in France.

1825

Hawaii received coffee from Rio de Janeiro.

1865

James Mason invents the coffee percolator.

1878

Introduction of coffee to the British colonies in East Africa.

1903

First commercial decaffeination process was invented by Dr. Ludwig Roselius

1905

1901 - Luigi Bezzera files a patent for the first espresso machine. In 1905 the first commercial espresso machine was manufactured in Italy.

1906

The English chemist George Constant Washington, invented the instant coffee while living in Guatemala.

1908

Melitta Bentz invents the first drip coffee maker with a filter made of blotting paper.

1933

Dr. Ernest Illy develops the first automatic espresso machine. At the same time, Alfonso Bialetti invented the world’s first stovetop espresso maker, later to become the most popular maker in Italy.

1938

Instant coffee mass production is invented by the Swiss company Nestle as it assists the Brazilian government in solving its coffee surplus problem. It is named Nescafe.

1945

Achilles Gaggia enhances the espresso machine with a manual piston that creates a high pressure extraction to produce a thick layer of crema.

1961

In 1961, Italy experienced a total eclipse of the sun. The same year, FAEMA introduced the world's first pump operated espresso machine named E61 (eclipse of 1961). Though much copied, the e61 has never been surpassed and to date remains one of most stylish and beautiful coffee machines ever built.

1966

1966 - Nestle introduces TASTER'S CHOICE. A freeze-dried Instant Coffee locking in freshness and taste.

2008

Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. More than 500 billion cups are consumed each year. It is one of the world’s most traded commodities, second in value only to crude oil.