The discovery of coffee
There are several tales of how coffee was first enjoyed, but the most popular one dates back to 850AD and an Ethiopian goat herder called Kaldi.
One day, Kaldi noticed his goats being especially lively after feeding on the ripe berries from a bush later known as an Arabica bush. Kaldi tried the berries himself and started to feel just as uplifted.
Local monks quickly learned of Kaldi's discovery and tried the berries for themselves. They found that the unusual berries helped them stay awake and energised during long periods of prayer. And they also discovered that if they crushed and infused the ‘magical’ berries with cold water, they could enjoy them as a drink.
It wasn't until much later, between 1000AD and 1200AD, that people tried roasting and crushing seeds of the coffee cherry (the 'magic' berries) and infusing them with hot water. It made a delicious drink, more like the coffee of today.