Still, the exact date coffee beans were used to make a beverage is unknown. However, during the 16th century AD, it was popular and appreciated in the Islamic world (Beşir Ayvazoğlu,2011).
Do not think that the beverage was welcomed without controversies, restrictions even fatwas against drinking it; but, it is an accomplished fact that coffee is now available and appreciated by almost all cultures around the globe with dedicated cups, equipment and rituals.
From the first two Arab coffee makers from Aleppo and Damascus that arrived in Istanbul and oppened the first coffee shop in 1551 to the Mevlevi dervish lodges (coffee became part of their culture), the coffee drinking trend spread, gaining the hearts and habits of men and women alike, despite the opposition faced from many conservative religious scholars.
Coffee drinking was introduced to Europe in the early 17th century. Coffee was bought by Christian merchants mainly in Egypt and Yemen.
The European merchants understanding the opportunity of the beverage tried to take the plant out of the Arabian territory. It is not certain who took the seeds out of the Arabian territory first but the legend has it that it was an Indian hajii. The coffee plant made it to Amsterdam in 1661 and the Durch colonies of Sri Lanka and Java, a few years later. Then, the cultivation was spread to Sumatra and Bali before been introduced to South America. The French obtained the plant later, in 1714 and started cultivating it in Madagaskar.
As you can imagine, as coffee drinking was spreading, the pressure for higher imports/exports and production was increasing.
The prices coffee was sold at, were also affected (the increse in demand caused price inflation and a shortage to the available quantities for consumption in Middle East) and the decision to prohibit the sale of coffee to Christian merchants (to export to Europe) was taken by Sultan Ahmed III in 1719.
The Portuguese that did not want to stay behind, started cultivating coffee plants in Brazil in the late 18th century as they thought that the soil and climate would favour their plantations. They were not wrong…
The 18th century did not just mark the cultivation of coffee outside the Arabian territory but as an irony, marked the first imports of coffee by the Ottoman empire to cover own shortages.
Coffee enthusiasts did not need to stress over whether they would find coffee to drink, and soon coffee was necessary to ‘feel awaken’, to have a break from work, to think creatively, to chat with friends even discuss serious matters.
Soon coffee drinking was part of everyday life; even poems, theatrical plays and official gatherings included drinking coffee and consequently, the required equipment to roast and grind coffee as well as the serving cups became more practical and diverse in design.
The fresher the coffee, the tastier it is and the coffee enthusiasts in the Islam world were the first to produce a set of utencils and equipment to have the best of their coffee beverage. Yet, knowing to which temperature the coffee should be grinded to and for how long (according to its variety) requires training, practice and attention to getting that quality of roasting and granding right, because… because you want the best, again and again and again. It is these three dimensions of knowledge, coffee making with the best equipment and intent and consistency that separate a brand from the others.