Coffee Origins & The Coffee World: Ethical Sourcing

Coffee has no definitive origin, though there are many tales about it. Coffee has a long and illustrious history. The Ethiopian plateau's ancient coffee forests are said to be where it originated. Legend claims that the goat herder Kaldi first recognized the beans' potential while exploring the region with his goats.

Photo taken by Elias Sorey

According to tradition, Kaldi discovered coffee while watching his goats become so energetic after eating the berries from a specific tree that they refused to sleep at night. Kaldi discovered the beans and reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery. The abbot made a drink with them and found that it kept him alert during evening prayer. He then shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, causing knowledge of these energizing berries to spread. When coffee was first carried to the Arabian Peninsula, it began a journey that would eventually take these beans worldwide.

The Arabian Peninsula

The coffee bean was first grown and then traded in the Arabian Peninsula. By 1500, coffee was being grown in Yemen, and by 1600 it had reached Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.

Coffee was consumed in private homes and public coffeehouses, known as qahveh khaneh, which started to spring up across the Near East. The popularity of the coffeehouses was unrivaled, and people went there for various social activities.

Not only did the patrons drink coffee and engage in conversation, but they also listened to music, watched performers, played chess, and kept current on the news. Coffee houses quickly became such an important center for exchanging information that they were referred to as "Schools of the Wise."Knowledge of this "wine of Araby," which had been unknown until then, began to spread due to the large number of pilgrims visiting Mecca each year from around the world.

Europe Gets Coffee

The first documented mention of coffee came from the mid-16th century when Italian traders traveling to the Near East brought back tales of a strange dark beverage. Coffee was introduced to Europe in the 16th century and began to be appreciated all over the continent.

The New World

In the 1660s, coffee was first introduced to the New World when it arrived in New Amsterdam. Tea remained the most popular beverage in the New World until 1773when colonists rebelled against a hefty tax on tea imposed by King George III. The Boston Tea Party, which occurred in 1773, would forever alter American drinking habits toward coffee.

Plantations Throughout the Globe

There were a lot of rivalries to grow coffee in other regions at the time when demand for coffee was growing. After numerous failures, the Dutch finally planted seedlings in the latter half of the 17th century. Initially, they attempted to plant them in India; however, their efforts eventually paid off when they planted them on the island of Java-- which is now present-day Indonesia.

Déjà Brew And the ethical sourcing of coffee beans

We here at Déjà Brew searched high and low for the perfect coffee beans. We considered species, flavor profile, price, and region when finding raw materials for our cold brew coffee. But it was just as essential to ensure that these beans' sourcing was ethical. We believe in compensation for our coffee farmers and sustainable farming practices. In other words, being"ethically sourced." This means that the coffee should taste great, and the conditions under which it was grown are essential. Our beans are FairTrade, Single Origin, Non-GMO, and Organic.

Coffee Origin:

Déjà Brew Coffee is excited to announce that our beans are now Fair Trade Certified! What does that mean? It means we pay a predetermined minimum price per pound directly to the farmers. By doing this, we're ensuring they receive consistently and just compensation for their coffee- no matter the market value at any given time.

Not only is it essential to consider the ethical side of things when choosing coffee, but also the taste! We'll cover region, flavor notes, and roasting profiles. If you're looking for a teaser, check out the Deja Brew team for more information.