A Brief History: Ancient Coffee Traditions of the World

Let us make a swift journey through history to reckon the presence of coffee in traditions that date centuries back!

Traditions are part of the present; they are elements that shape various habits that today's citizens of the world have acquired in their daily lives. Those traditions also extend to the world of caffeine, and that is why today’s That Coffee Roasters blog will bring you some history and old coffee traditions that have positioned this beverage as one of the most consumed around the world.

Ancient coffee traditions you should try

Behind the current coffee culture lies a history filled with traditions and inventions that have captured the attention of consumers and inspired creative ideas and groundbreaking family businesses; get to know all about them with That Coffee Roasters.

The Ethiopian coffee ceremony

A good coffee lover knows that his favorite drink comes from Ethiopia, the birthplace of the Coffea genus. In this country, the most widespread tradition is that of the ancient coffee ceremony in which the beverage is made and served at a ritual table in front of all the spectators. The coffee beans are usually roasted on an iron pan until they acquire a dark color, then they are crushed in a mortar with pestle. Finally, the small bean pieces are boiled with water in a jibuna (coffee pots) to produce the coffee, made mostly with local beans.

In general, the ingredients used to make this type of coffee are water and beans; however, many people add spices such as cardamom and cinnamon in the boiling phase to add flavor.

The Arabic tradition of coffee and majlis

For centuries there has been an Arab tradition that brings family and friends together to spend a pleasant time around specific elements: gahwa (Arabic coffee) and majlis (a place of the house destined to sit and share with others). The UAE has maintained for years this habit that unites two crucial aspects of the Emirati and other Arab societies’ culture: hospitality and heritage.

Regarding hospitality, coffee is a fundamental element of this exhibition of education and culture. Traditionally the coffee is prepared in front of guests and served in cups called finjaan. The tradition states that coffee should be served by a member of the family over the age of 15 (muqahwi), carrying a pot (dallah) in the left hand and three cups on the right. The designated member should serve the coffee starting from the person on the right of the majlis and without skipping any guests. If a religious authority or important person is at the meeting, the muqahwi should serve them coffee first.

As far as heritage is concerned, the majlin is still considered today a space for oral transmission of the cultural heritage that is shared with friends and family. In this space, they talk about their lives and family, and strengthen ties with neighbors and friends. The idea is to share and preserve the relationships and traditions that represent them.

The traditional Irish coffee

Although it is not such an old coffee tradition, Irish coffee is part of the history of coffee and its several presentations. The idea for this particular drink came up in Ireland in the 1940s when chef and bartender Joseph Sheridan served coffee with whiskey to American passengers at the Pan Am flying boats at Foynes. Due to the cold weather, Joseph prepared this mixture with cream topping and served it to diners, who asked him if he had used Brazilian coffee, to which he replied that it was just Irish coffee.

Later, the beverage made of coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream gained a higher reputation when in the 1950s journalist Stanton Delaplane decided to recreate the drink in the United States. Since then, Irish coffee has enjoyed worldwide fame and is recognized as one of the most famous coffee presentations.

As you can see, coffee presents many variations that are related to values, origins, and countries. Every ancient coffee tradition has its characteristic that makes coffee a unique element in each context; do you dare to experience them all? If you do, always keep in mind to use the best coffee you can find, such as that provided by That Coffee Roasters, our family-owned coffee company that has established itself as part of the old coffee traditions that remain.

Want to know more about our products, distribution and business relationships? Follow us through our social networks and ask any questions you may have!

Coffee's popularity isn't restricted to modern times. Let us take a look back to prove it has been part of the history of several countries.

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

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The Best YouTube's Coffee Channels You Need To Subscribe To Right Now!

One of the best things about the Internet is how easily we can connect with people who have the same interests as ours. We can share our passions without fear of being judged, and we can make friends that understand us while learning from their own experiences.

Anyone who tells you social media does nothing but isolate people and leave them friendless, hasn’t been using them properly. When it comes to us, coffee is our ultimate passion and we’re constantly surfing the web to find like-minded people and enjoy their content as we work on ours. YouTube is one of those platforms that are perfectly fitted to build a community around one subject or activity.

Today, we’re bringing you some of the best YouTube coffee channels we’ve found out there! Spend your free time learning about cafés from all over the world, coffee production processes, new techniques for coffee brewing and baristas, as well as latte art essentials. One thing we’re sure about is that you won’t be able to resist the urge of brewing yourself a cup of coffee to enjoy while watching these videos.

European Coffee Trip

Are you a fan of vlogs? Then this channel is perfect for you. Join two friends as they explore the buzzing European coffee scene, discover the best cafés in over 80 cities and meet some of the greatest and most famous coffee personalities in the continent. One new video is uploaded every week! Their love and passion for coffee are absolutely contagious.

Re:Co Symposium

If you’re professionally dedicated to the coffee industry, this channel has your name all over their videos. Find lectures, reflections and conversations about the future of coffee as a commodity and find out where the industry is headed, by listening to the people who work directly with it. How can we make the coffee market better than it already is? That’s the question this YouTube channel is constantly asking.

Dritan Alsela

Do you find latte art videos absolutely satisfying and mesmerizing to watch? We do too, which is why we adore Dritan Alsela’s channel. He’s a European barista with over 19 years of experience in the coffee industry, and he teaches latte art techniques on his YouTube channel. His videos are very well produced and we guarantee you won’t be able to stop watching and learning from them.

Specialty Coffee Association of America

The SCA’s channel is full of fascinating content about the social responsibility of the coffee industry and its producers. Learn about coffee sustainability, profitability, finances and so much more by browsing through their content. SCA acts as a unifying force to build an industry that’s fair and nurturing for all, drawing on years of insights and inspiration from the specialty coffee community.

RealChrisBaca

Professional barista Chris Baca, attempts to bring the world of specialty coffee to YouTube by sharing content about new trends, business advice and coffee education. He also reviews new products and machines in the market, shows them on camera and gives his opinion after using them. He has an outgoing and fun personality that makes his videos entertaining and easy to watch.

Tell us which videos you enjoyed the most in the comments below and share with us your favorite coffee content! If you want to start practicing or applying some of their techniques and advices, head to That Coffee Roasters online store to find the best coffee products to start on the right foot!

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Before You Die: The Bucket List for Coffee Addicts

Pack your bags and go on an adventure!

If you only had one wish before leaving this world, what would you ask for? Would it be more time to share with your loved ones? Would it be one final good meal? Would it be one last glorious, sublime, perfect cup of your favorite coffee?... No. That’s too much, right? Yeah, we wouldn’t do that. Of course not. We enjoy coffee, but even we have boundaries. We’re not addicts. And anyway, there are more important things... isn't it?

Who are we kidding? We would totally do that. But, hey, don’t judge us! Napoleon Bonaparte was known for asking a spoonful of coffee on his deathbed, so we wouldn’t be the first ones to do it. We’re not totalitarian conquerors, we know, but we can love caffeine just the same. Actually, why not start our coffee bucket list today and tell the world just how much we love coffee? All we need is to define where to go first. What are those once-in-a-lifetime moments that every coffee lover must live? Well, we’ve gathered here the ones we believe you shouldn’t miss so buckle up and let’s go on an adventure!

6. Go back to where it all started and witness Ethiopia’s coffee ceremony

Considered to be our favorite drink’s birthplace, Ethiopia has enchanted the whole world with its beautiful and exotic coffee culture. History and spirituality fuse in this wonderful ceremony, that’s usually performed as a social activity for friends and visitors. It takes from 2 to 3 hours to finish, and it’s usually done by the women of the house. It involves a whole process of preparing raw coffee beans and brewing them into finished cups of coffee.

Ethiopian coffee ceremony has a strong connection with Islam. Each cup that results from this ritual is said to transform the spirit and be a blessing for those who drink it. With incense burning to ward off evil spirits and roasted coffee's aromas invading the atmosphere, this Ethiopian tradition is truly a sight to witness. Connect with the most powerful part of your spirit and take a trip through the amazing coffee culture from the place where it originated first.

5. Live the energy of Vienna’s famous coffee houses

UNESCO named them "World’s Intangible Heritage" in 2011, and it’s not hard to see why. Austrians are truly proud of their coffee culture. Ancient coffeehouses thrive on Vienna's streets, standing as little relics inside of which you can enjoy the best of the Austrian capital’s coffee. What makes them so special though? Their history, of course. You won’t find a stronger coffeehouse culture as you will in Vienna. They helped to shape Viennese’s social practices and rituals. They were also the scenario where many poets and artists found inspiration and wrote the best of their work.

Austrian writer, Stefan Zweig, described them like this: " ...actually a sort of democratic club, open to everyone for the price of a cheap cup of coffee, where every guest can sit for hours with this little offering, to talk, write, play cards, receive post, and above all consume an unlimited number of newspapers and journals." If your bohemian soul cries for a place where you can sit for hours, watching people pass by and thinking about life, what are you waiting for? Vienna’s coffeehouses are all you need and more!

4. Go to a World Latte Art Championship

If you believe nothing can compare to the sweet flavors of a cup of latte in the middle of the afternoon, then probably you’re also a fan of latte art. Attending to a World Latte Art Championship will be a heaven-like experience that you won’t forget anytime soon. Watch the best baristas and coffee lovers create beautiful works of art made of milk, cream, and espresso. This year’s competition was held in Budapest. Are you ready to pack your bags and follow these artists wherever they go next year?

3. Take a coffee bath on a Japanese spa

If you thought our previous coffee wishes were a little bit too extreme, how do you feel about actually bathing in coffee? It’s possible to do it in a Japanese spa called Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, located about an hour and a half from Tokyo. You can find among its services a possibility to bath in wine, tea, and other types of liquids. Their coffee bath is made of low heat Nel Drip style brewed coffee, and they assure it has “recharging, relaxing, skin beautifying effects.” But, oh well, now that we think about it, Japanese have a very curious coffee culture, with cat cafés in which you can pet felines while enjoying your cup of coffee. There’s something for every taste in the land of the rising sun.

2. Fall in love with true espresso shots on the streets of Rome

There are very few people as passionate about their coffee culture as Italians are about theirs. You can't blame them. They’re the creators of a beverage that has conquered the entire world: the espresso. That robust and contrasting shot that’s bound wake you up and improve your day right from the first sip. If you want to live an authentic Italian experience, don’t ask for anything that isn’t pure espresso outside of breakfast time, and don’t forget to take an Italian coffee tour. Antico Caffè Greco is a must, for example. Writers and composers like Goethe, Wagner, and Byron were regulars there. It has existed since 1760!

1. Feel the passion of coffee production in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle

We owe Colombia some of the best coffee in the whole world. Want to learn how it’s produced and processed? Then you definitely shouldn’t miss the chance of visiting the famous Colombia’s Coffee Triangle. Named a "World’s Heritage Site" by UNESCO, this territory is home to a huge part of Colombian coffee production. It covers a large mountainous region in the departments of Caldas, Quindio, and Risaralda. Because of its climate conditions, altitude, and soils, it’s a perfect landscape to harvest some of the most delicious coffee beans. It’s full of passionate people whose entire lives revolve around coffee. There are great hosts for tourists and many hostels and inns where you can enjoy a personal experience with coffee.

We bet that knowing Colombia’s Coffee Triangle could signify a fantastic experience for anyone who wants to live coffee as something more than just a beverage you drink to stop you from dozing off. Besides, this place is also the home of That Coffee Roasters’ founders and workers! We’ll always be proud of our origins!

Visit some of the coffee world's most iconic places! 

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Cultural Icons Who Were Huge Coffee Addicts

Did you know they were addicted to coffee?

Art can be exhausting, unforgiving and full of raw passions. The same can be said for politicians', philosophers', and thinkers' job. It's no surprise then that so many people have found solace in the distinct taste and aroma of a great cup of coffee. It's perfect to replenish the energy of those tormented minds of inspired souls who lack a good night of sleep.

Some of these icons went to the extreme when consuming coffee, and others have dedicated part of their work to this beloved drink as it made their lives better in one way or another. From modern comedians to novelists from the XVIII century, coffee has conquered many hearts, and we’ve gathered them all here for you!

If you don’t understand why coffee has been such a great ally to creative people, perhaps realist writer, Honoré de Balzac, can explain it better than anyone else: “Coffee glides into one’s stomach and sets all of one’s mental processes in motion. One’s ideas advance in column of route like battalions of the Grande Armée [...] Were it not for coffee one could not write, which is to say one could not live.”

The novelist was known for consuming as many as 50 cups a day to maintain his extreme creative outbursts when working. Nowadays, there’s even a brand of coffee with his name. Canadian writer, Margaret Atwood, another famous coffee lover, has also lent her name to one of this brand's products.  

But literature hasn’t been the only branch of art benefitted by coffee. Musicians have always been some of the most famous coffee addicts the world has seen. Beethoven meticulously counted 60 beans by hand in each cup of coffee, composer Johann Sebastian Bach wrote an opera named The Coffeecantata, and many modern singers, like Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan or Ella Fitzgerald, have included their love for this beverage in their songs.

Moving on to more recent days, many popular celebrities are very outspoken about their coffee dependence. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld even went on to make a comedy series called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, with the appearance of the likes of David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jim Carrey and many others.

Many other artists and celebrities have also created their own coffee lines. David Lynch, a famous writer and director, has its own signature brand, as well as Hugh Jackman. Just as one would expect, Leonardo DiCaprio’s line is dedicated to incentivize sustainable production and donate to environmental causes.

In the line of thinkers, philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard, Jean-Paul Sartre or Voltaire had all in common their love for coffee. Actually, the Danish social critic Kierkegaard used to drink his coffee with approximately 60 sugar cubes. And if you think that’s extreme, Voltaire drank up to 50 cups of java per day.

Now, this list wouldn’t be complete without some of the greatest coffee consumers of all time: world leaders and politicians. Perhaps one of the most impressive ones is Theodore Roosevelt, who used to drink a gallon of coffee a day with 5 to 7 lumps of sugar in each cup. Benjamin Franklin also sold his own coffee beans, and Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly asked for coffee on his own deathbed.

Of course, too much of anything will be bad for your health, but sometimes it’s hard to rationalize with passionate people. In That Coffee Roasters we also consider ourselves coffee addicts, but how couldn’t we? What about you? Do you also use coffee to fuel your inspiration and creativity? How much coffee do you drink every week? Let us know in the comments and stay updated with our new content!

If these cultural icons were huge fans of coffee, you can be one too!

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

How Coffee Drinking Became a Culture

Coffee drinking today is almost considered a ritual of relaxation and a moment of inner peace.

With the passage of time, there have been many changes in the way we behave and live. Many things have evolved in these last years, but overall we haven’t changed that much compared to how we were centuries back. In fact, there’s a culture that’s been ongoing for millennia that spins around one little green bean: coffee.

Coffee has persisted in our lives, shaping the very roots of history itself. This beverage of ancient times is a drink associated with social interaction, intelligence, and business even. Curiously, many thinkers and politicians back in the day found the answers to essential questions while having a sip of coffee.

Coffee plants are from way back in time, but the discovery of coffee’s true potential wasn’t until the 1400s when people found out they could roast its seeds. After that, coffee took a huge step and paved its way into history.

It was only one century after that the drink widespread across Arab’s coffeehouses. Europe didn’t take that long to be filled up with this beverage; business turned coffee into a successful one. This is where coffee became more than a drink, but an opportunity for social interaction and brainstorming of ideas.

Coffee, as a mood booster, was the ideal drink for writers and composers to create their works, and most coffeehouses were spectators of the birth of classics we enjoy up to this day.

For Americans, history proves to be somewhat different. Word says that back in 1773, just after the Boston Tea Party, American colonists raided British ships and trashed all crates of tea. This is said to be the moment they universally switched traditions and started drinking coffee.

John Adams, an American patriot and the second President of the United States, has an interesting story to tell us about coffee. Extracted from a letter to Abihail Adams on July of 1774, he wrote the following words “… Accordingly, I have drunk coffee every afternoon since and have borne it very well. Tea must be universally renounced. I must be weaned, and the sooner, the better.”

But it wasn’t all smoothly in the history of coffee; there’s a very dark tone to it that still can be felt today. Europeans took their coffee along with them while they colonized several parts of the world. This means they forced the enslaved to grow coffee on their lands.

Sadly, this meant that the very same coffeehouses that were supposed to elevate thinking and consciousness served the French and American Revolutions to occur. It feels counterproductive that slaves were the ones behind the mass production of coffee their slave owners would be drinking.

But it didn’t last enough, for the relief of many. With the passage of time and modernism, ideas of slavery were looked as orthodox, but coffee continued to be produced worldwide. Today, when drinking a cup of coffee, you might look back and think how long it has been and how much we’ve changed. Coffee hasn’t, yet it stands forth.

Every time you feel immersed in thought, take a long sip of your dark beverage and be grateful for the opportunity. Should you seek for the best beans to produce high profile coffee, then I’d recommend you contact That Coffee Roasters. Their tradition might not be of millennia, but the quality of their beans will definitely take you back.

This beverage has been drunk for centuries, making it a profound beverage with cultural roots.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters