Sleepy History - Coffee

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

Coffee is perhaps the world's most beloved beverage. Aromatic, energizing, and steeped in centuries of culture and connection. From ancient Ethiopian legends to bustling cafés around the world, coffee has fueled conversation, creativity, and revolution. But where did this beloved brew begin, and how did it become a daily ritual for so many? Tonight, trace the rich and fascinating history of coffee, as its warm and comforting story guides you into a restful sleep. Narrated by: Simon Mattacks Written by: Jo Steer Includes mentions of: Religious Traditions, Colonialism, Smells, Beverages, How It's Made About Sleepy History  Explore history's most intriguing stories, people, places, events, and mysteries, delivered in a supremely calming atmosphere. If you struggle to fall asleep and you have a curious mind, Sleepy History is the perfect bedtime companion. Our stories will gently grasp your attention, pulling your mind away from any racing thoughts, making room for the soothing music and calming narration to guide you into a peaceful sleep.  Want to enjoy Sleepy History ad-free? Start your 7-day free trial of Sleepy History Premium: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sleepyhistory.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have feedback or an episode request? Let us know at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To learn more, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.slumberstudios.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Sleepy History. Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad-free, get access to bonus episodes, and support the ongoing production of this show. Check out our premium feed. Of all the drinks consumed around the globe, few are as beloved as a cup of coffee. The history of coffee dates back hundreds of years,

and it's a story as rich and varied as the drink itself, from ancient origins in Ethiopia to the invention of the espresso machine in Italy. We'll see how this stimulating beverage spread across the world. We'll also learn how coffee became tied to local rituals and culture, and how sometimes the drink was surprisingly controversial. So just relax and let your mind drift As we explore the sleepy history of coffee. Though the exact origin of coffee is unknown,

most believe Ethiopia in East Africa to be its birthplace. The Arabica coffee plant is native to the Ethiopian highlands. And according to legend, a goat herder named Caldi was the one who first discovered the coffee bean. Or rather, we might say that it was his goats who discovered it. They fed on the berries from an unfamiliar tree. Caldi became curious after observing the goat's behavior. They were lively and alert after eating the berries. In a later version of the story, Caldee took the berries to a local abbot. The abbot was disapproving and threw the berries into the fire. The fire emitted an enticing aroma, one that prompted further

investigation. The roasted beans were then ground into a powder and slowly steeped in hot water. And so, the abbot enjoyed the world's first cup of coffee, finding it just as invigorating as Calde's goats. He was alert and energized through morning prayers, right up until the late evening. Word spread throughout the monastery and beyond. And soon the drink was a local favourite. While it's a good story,

the tale of Caldee is most likely just a legend. Also, early consumers of coffee in Ethiopia, may have chewed the beans rather than turning them into a drink. That seems to have come later. Due to the lack of records, we don't know exactly when coffee was first consumed in Ethiopia, but it must have been sometime before the 15th century, by which point coffee had spread to Yemen in the Middle East.

Today, we're familiar with two main types of coffee, Arabica and Robusta. Robusta contains more caffeine and is the more bitter of the two. Arabica is smoother and sweeter on the palate. While Arabica coffee is native to Ethiopia, written records suggest that it was first cultivated in Yemen. Yemen's highland landscape was perfectly suited to the cultivation of arabica trees. the seeds of the trees could ripen slowly, enhancing their flavor.

Coffee soon took hold of the Islamic world. By the 16th century, it was being enjoyed in Egypt, Syria, Persia, and across the expansive Ottoman Empire. More legends popped up around the drink's origin, including one about a traveling Sufi Muslim, man who went to Ethiopia. He discovered that local birds became unusually energetic after feeding on a tree's berries. Another legend tells of a man named Omar, who was banished from Mecca to a desert cave. He found a bush with berries, which he brewed into an aromatic drink, keeping him alive. Omar was thought to be a healer.

He could cure the sick through the power of prayer. Now he offered coffee alongside his prayers when people came to him to be cured of their ailments. So successful was this treatment that word of it reached Mecca. Omar was allowed to return to the city where eventually he would be made into a saint and in the meantime, coffee took off.

The drink became key to Islamic culture, especially as the consumption of alcohol was forbidden. Known as the Wine of Arabi, coffee was thought to lead to spiritual intoxication. The Muslims of Yemen used coffee to aid their spiritual practice. It improved their concentration, keeping them alert through nighttime devotions. Coffee proved particularly useful at religious festivals like Ramadan.

It kept people awake through prayers and gatherings and suppressed their appetite during periods of fasting. Some legends even suggested that coffee was a gift from the Prophet Muhammad. In Muslim societies, coffee was enjoyed daily in people. homes and in public coffee houses, where it was served in small cups. People played chess and other board games and listened to music as they sipped their coffee. There were dramatic performances of poetry and storytelling, featuring the best of local art, theatre and literature. It was in these venues that the link was established between a warm cup of coffee and hearty conversation.

From hereon it became the drink to socialize with. Coffee and conversation were forever connected. Though that's not to say that these first coffee houses were places of gossip and idle chatter, known as Schools of the Wise. They were home to all kinds of discussion. On news, politics, philosophy and more. Coffee became associated with intellectual exchange, and as such to some it seemed a little too dangerous. The governor of Mecca banned coffee in 1511, declaring it to be as intoxicating as forbidden alcohol. After a public outcry, the governor's ruling was overturned. But this wouldn't be the last attempt to ban coffee.

In the 16th century Ottoman Empire, a few sultans tried to temporarily ban or restrict coffee, and it was often heavily taxed. The concern was not about the drink itself, but rather the political discourse that took place in coffee houses. Again, these attempts to discourage coffee consumption would prove unsuccessful. The drink's popularity showed no sign of slowing. Back in Mecca, the city at the heart of the Islamic world, coffee houses were now widespread. People would visit Mecca for trade, travel or on holy pilgrimage, only to be lured into local coffee houses by the delicious

scent of aromatic beans. It's likely that many returned home with bags of coffee, including merchants and businessmen who would sell the beans on. It was only a matter of time before coffee came to Europe. The drink mainly arrived through trade, with the Ottomans during the 16th and 17th centuries, often via the city of Venice in Italy. However, coffee didn't arrive in Europe through trade alone. In some cases, warfare also played a role in its diffusion. When Ottoman armies invaded, they brought their habits and culture with them.

For instance, there are stories. about Ottoman captives, making coffee for the locals in Malta. One traveller to Malta wrote of the ability and industriousness, with which the Turkish prisoners earn some money, especially by preparing coffee, a powder resembling snuff tobacco with water and sugar. As the coffee trade flourished, coffee houses began to open up across Europe, including Italy.

Today, the country is renowned for its coffee. But initially, not everyone was a fan. Some members of the Catholic clergy called it the drink of Satan. Because of its popularity in the Islamic world, they believed that coffee had the power to corrupt. According to legend, this only changed thanks to Pope Clement VIII. After trying the drink, he declared it delicious. He then gave the coffee bean his blessing,

so that Christians could drink coffee without fear of wrongdoing. Now that coffee had the Pope's seal of approval, it was only a matter of managing logistics. Venice, in northern Italy, continued to play a key role, being a hub of trade on the Mediterranean Sea. The first Venetian coffee house opened in 1645, and in 1720, Café Florian was established in St. Mark Square. It's still in business today. Venetian coffee houses were supplied by imports, from Ottoman territories, including Yemen, Egypt and North Africa. Many Venetian merchants grew wealthy off the profits of the beans, which were exported to regions

far across Europe, and soon others also began to profit. A notable example is the British East India Company, who imported huge stocks of coffee from the port of Mokka in Yemen. The sale of coffee became vital to the regional economies around the Red Sea. Soon, there were coffee houses in most major cities, Germany, Holland, France and Britain. Like their Middle Eastern predecessors, the so-called Schools of the Wise, they were reputed to be places of stimulating conversation. Indeed, they were key to the Age of Enlightenment,

which swept across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. This era laid the foundations for modern society. There was a shift away from religious dogma and absolute monarchy towards law, liberty, tolerance and governance. And during this era of change, it was coffee that energized people's minds. Important thinkers such as Voltaire and Russo shared their ideas in coffee houses. These establishments provided a setting for the exchange of ideas. They were places where artists might mix with financiers or writers,

or where scientists and doctors, or where scientists and doctors. might learn from merchants and politicians. By the late 17th century, England would be home to more than 3,000 coffee houses. And, once again, coffee's popularity led to opposition. In 1675, King Charles II attempted to shut down all English coffee houses. The king claimed they were a threat to the peace. and quiet of the realm. But the real threat was to his own power. He was essentially trying to ban the

meetings of rebels and activists. To put an end to the conversations that happened over coffee, the king wanted to suppress any talk of reformation and challenges to royal authority. However, his attempt failed. And the coffee houses were re-uroped. opened after public outcry. The wheels of social change were already turning and would not be slowed down by even the most powerful. Around the same time, across the North Sea, coffee had made its way to the German ruling classes. Coffee shops opened in port cities like Hamburg, and eventually in Berlin in 1721. About a decade later, the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach composed his famous coffee cantata.

The cantata is a comic opera, which revolves around a young woman and her dependency on coffee. The woman's father disapproves of the habit, but she won't give it up. She declares that the taste of coffee is better than a thousand kisses. Bach's cantata was a satire, but it spoke volumes about the popularity of coffee. Over the next century, it would become cheaper and more available, leading to its uptake among the lower classes in Germany. Coffee was prepared in pots on the stove and consumed with milk and sugar, seen as a more stimulating and sober alternative to beer and wine,

it soon became a staple of daily life. However, King Frederick II of Prussia wanted to curb its consumption and to protect sales of locally produced beer. So he imposed a luxury tax on coffee, pushing it out of the reach of the working class. houses. Roasting beans at home was made illegal, and former soldiers were employed as Café Schnouffler, or coffee sniffers. For years, they patrolled the streets in military uniform, sniffing out signs of illegal roasting. After King Frederick's death in 1786, restrictions gradually loosened. Coffee became affordable and accessible to all

social classes, no longer a privilege of the elite. This was a trend that would echo across Europe. There was also another reason for coffee's increasing availability. It was being cultivated on plantations across the colonies. In 1616, it's thought that a Dutch merchant named Peter van der Brucker managed to obtain a coffee bush from Yemen and bring it back to Amsterdam. To begin with, the Dutch cultivated coffee in greenhouses in Amsterdam. But the real breakthrough came later when they began to grow coffee in the Dutch colonies. First, in Sri Lanka and parts of southern India. And then, with greater success in Java, Indonesia.

By the early 18th century, there were also plantations in Suriname in South America. The Dutch had become one of the leading suppliers of coffee to Europe. It may have been the Dutch, or possibly the British, who had their own plantations, who brought coffee to North America. The first known coffee house in America opened in the late 17th century, in the city of of Boston. It wasn't long until coffee houses began to appear in New Amsterdam, later renamed New York City, though it took a while for coffee to truly take off, as the locals preferred their cups of tea. That was until the Boston Tea Party in 1773. American colonists protested against the tea tax of King George III.

Suddenly, tea was associated with British oppression, while coffee was seen as a more patriotic alternative. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers, called it the favourite drink of the civilised world. Meanwhile, the French had also been busy. In 1714, King Louis XIV, received a young coffee plant, a gift. from the mayor of Amsterdam. It was planted in Paris, where it flourished in the grounds of the Royal Botanical Gardens. Decades later, a young naval officer, Gabriel de Clieu, would obtain a seedling from the king's plant. He survived pirates and sabotage in order to transport the plant to Martinique in the Caribbean. This seedling helped to establish French

coffee plantations in the Caribbean and contributed to the spread of coffee throughout the Americas. While the French farmed coffee on the Caribbean islands, the Portuguese had plantations in Brazil. Today, the country is the world's largest producer. As for Asia, it was a Spanish friar that brought the plant to the Philippines, which helped popularize the drink. This comes country would be one of the leading producers until the late 19th century. The Philippines was unique in its diverse climate and geography. It was one of the few regions which could support the four main types of coffee plant, arabica, robusta, liberica, and excelsa.

Arabica beans are the most common in the world. Today, they account for nearly 60% of global production. It's predominantly arabica that you'll find in modern supermarkets and in cafes and coffee shops throughout the Western world. Robusta beans are mainly grown in Africa and Indonesia, and are particularly popular in Vietnam. There, it's usually served with sweetened condensed milk, or a helping of sugar, and to counteract the beans dark and bitter taste.

Liberica coffee hails from Liberia. Excelsa coffee, which is considered a variety of Liberica, is also native to Africa. Excelsa coffee is mainly grown and consumed in Southeast Asia. These beans are prized for their floral, smoky flavors. Robusta beans are often used in the making of instant coffee, a drink developed in the late 19th century. A man in New Zealand named David Strang was the first to patent a method for instant coffee, which he marketed

as Strang's coffee. This soluble coffee is made from beans that have been brewed and dehydrated and later preserved by freeze or spray drying. In some countries, including the UK and much of Asia, many people prefer instant to fresh coffee. It's cheap, quick to make, and often flavourful. In recent years, consumers have had the option of decaf in the form of fresh coffee as well as instant. This allows them to enjoy the taste.

of coffee without the energizing effects that come from caffeine. Decaffeinated beans are essentially stripped of their caffeine, and this can be done in a number of ways. They might be rinsed with a chemical solvent or exposed to carbon dioxide under high temperatures and pressure. There's also a method known as the Swiss water process, in which green coffee beans are immersed in hot water. The water is then filtered to remove caffeine, creating a green coffee extract, which is reused to decaffeinate the next batches of beans. This process preserves the flavour while removing the stimulant. instant or real, caffeinated or decaffeinated.

Modern coffee drinkers have an array of options, not only in what they choose to drink, but also in how they go about making the beverage. For this, we might credit figures of the past, those innovative souls who loved their coffee. It's thanks to their work and creative, inventions that we have choices in how we prepare and drink it today. One invention that used to be widespread was the Neapolitan flip coffee pot. It's thought to have been invented

in 1819 by a Frenchman named Jean-Louis Maurice. This pot was heated on the stovetop and then flipped upside down to let gravity draw hot water. through ground coffee. The pot became popular in Naples, Italy, where it was known as the cucumella, meaning copper or terracotta pot. The first patent for a coffee percolator came decades later in 1865. An American, named James Nason, received a patent for an early version of the percolator. Then, in the 1880s, Hanson Goodrich, a farmer from Illinois, created an improved version, similar to the one still used today. This coffee pot used steam pressure to push boiling water through a central tube.

Gravity caused the water to then flow down through the coffee grounds, and the process repeated in a continuous cycle. The first espresso machine was invented at around the same time in 1884 by an Italian named Angelo Moriondo. Espresso is made by forcing hot water through coffee grounds under high pressure, resulting in a more concentrated, intense brew. Countless improvements were made over the years, both to the percolator and the espresso machine. Then, in 1908, a German named Melita Bentz developed a new method using filter paper. Frustrated by the grounds at the bottom of her cup, Bentz experimented in the kitchen. She placed blotting paper from her son's school workbook inside a brass pot with holes to act as a filter.

The result was a cup of grounds-free coffee, and soon after, she was awarded a patent. Bence sold coffee filters from her shop in Dresden, and her method became popular throughout Europe and beyond. Today, the Molita brand is a leading producer of coffee accessories. In 1929, a designer from Milan patented a version of the French press. or cafeteria. Atilio Calimani created a method based on plunging, in which the coffee grounds and hot water were slowly separated. Next came the Mocker Pot in 1933.

It was invented in northern Italy by Alfonso Bieletti. He's thought to have named it after the port of Mokka in Yemen, a city renowned for its exports of fine coffee. It was based on a steam pot that was used for laundry, and it produced coffee in a similar way. As the water was heated, steam pressure built in the lower chamber, forcing water up through the coffee grounds.

This produced a rich, concentrated coffee in the upper chamber. Bialetti's son, Renato, would go on to produce mokker pots on an industrial scale. He sold millions of the devices all around the globe and made the mokker pot an Italian icon. In 1954, things became more advanced when a German, Gottlob Wittmann, invented the Vigermatt. He created the first electric drip coffee machine, a forerunner to the machines that sit on today's kitchen countertops. Water is poured into a reservoir, where it's heated slowly on an electric element. Hot water moves up a tube to a hidden basket, where ground coffee sits within filter paper.

The coffee then drips out slowly into a second glass. pot and is kept warm on an electric hot plate. A few years after the Vigermont's release, Faema, a company in Milan, designed a new espresso machine. Preheated water was pushed into a brewing chamber by way of a motor-driven pump that achieved consistent high pressure. This design would come to dominate the market, becoming the standard for specials. for specialist coffee. Machines in today's cafes are super automatic. With built-in grinders and the ability to steam and froth milk, they make hundreds of espressoes every hour. Espresso is the foundation of many types of coffee.

The Americano, Latte, Cappuccino, and Macchiato. patrons in modern cafes can choose from hot or cold coffees. Some take it black, while others add their specific choice of milk. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, people have a vast range of electric or manual options, from electric drip coffee makers and machines that use pods to pour-over methods. As ever, drinking preferences, are down to the individual. And today, culture still plays a part.

Different regions have their own unique customs. In Mexico, one might enjoy a café de Oya, a drink made in an earthenware pot. Coffee is brewed with sticks of cinnamon before being filtered through a sieve or cheesecloth. It's then served with pilancillo, an unrefined cane sugar. The resulting coffee has a subtle and smoky taste

with a caramel sweetness alongside the cinnamon. In Ireland, there's a special drink known as an Irish coffee. It served hot with whiskey, sugar and whipped cream. This alcoholic beverage is said to have been invented at an airport in the 1940s as a means of warming up the weary passengers. Vietnamese coffee drinkers are accustomed to a version of Café Ullay. It's a drink inspired by its French ancestor, served with condensed milk and a glass full of ice.

Turkish coffee couldn't be more different. It's made with very fine grounds and heated in a long-handled pot, known as a Chesve. A Turkish proverb states that the coffee should be as black as hell, as strong as death, and as sweet as love. Sugar is added according to preference, and it's traditional to leave grounds at the bottom of the cup. Once the drink has been finished, the cup can be turned over. The grounds on the saucer are then sometimes used to tell fortunes. The drink also plays a role in Turkish weddings, with the bride preparing coffee for the groom and in-laws.

Sometimes the bride is known to salt the groom's coffee, to measure the character of her soon-to-be husband. If he drinks the coffee without complaint, she knows that he'll be a good-natured partner. Taking coffee in Turkey can be a lengthy affair. It's an act of bonding between family and friends. In Italy, drinking coffee can be just as social, but it tends to be quicker. Often, people stand at the bar instead of sitting, chatting with each other as they wait for their espresso. These small, concentrated shots get cold very quickly

and are usually finished within a few sips. Espresos are consumed throughout the day, while traditionally cappuccinos are enjoyed only in the morning. As they contain quite a bit of milk, they're often thought too heavy for any time after breakfast. And what of customs in the birthplace of coffee? Let's take a look at Ethiopia, where our story first began. Traditionally, the drink is part of a very first. village ceremony, one that lasts upwards of two hours. The ceremony, which is often led by women, may take place up to three times a day. Incents is burnt, and colourful flowers are spread

across the ground. After being carefully washed, green coffee beans are placed inside a large pan. They're heated over an open fire until the beans crack, releasing. oils as they roast. In some regions, spices are then added to the beans, cardamom, cinnamon, and sometimes cloves. These spices add warmth and flavor to the coffee and help to balance out any bitterness. A metal rod, known as a Xenna Zena Zena, is traditionally used to grind the roasted beans into a powder. Next, this powder goes into a juice. Jebena, a traditional clay pot with a swan-like neck. Water is added and brought to the boil, either resting above a fire or positioned on a

stove top. Then, the coffee is sometimes poured through a filter or sieve to catch loose grounds. The Jebena is then held above a series of small cups and the coffee is carefully poured. In a village ceremony, people are served in order of age, the oldest first and youngest last. It's a demonstration of the social hierarchy of the community and the respect for older generations. Those in attendance consume at least three small cups, as it's impolite to drink any less. It's thought that the third cup bestows a blessing on the drinker, and that a spiritual transformation takes place during the ceremony.

And that brings us to the end of our journey. Hopefully, you'll now have an even greater appreciation for that next sip of coffee, as you take part in your very own ritual.