1) A Five Gun Salute to the Origins of Coffee

Here’s a surprising fact: coffee was only invented around the time Michelangelo was chiselling his statue of David. Why did it take so long for humans to invent the cup of coffee? In this first episode of A History of Coffee, Jonathan and James unpack how humans figured out that delicious flavours were contained in the roasted seeds of a coffee tree’s cherries. The answer has nothing to do with dancing goats...but, in some ways, it has everything to do with a shepherd in the forests of Ethiopia. Press Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes! Watch James and Jonathan bust coffee myths at the Barista League's High Density conference, for free: http://bit.ly/3pxtlSa A History of Coffee is a collaboration between James Harper of the Filter Stories - Coffee Documentaries podcast and Jonathan Morris, Professor of History and author of ‘Coffee: A Global History’. Visit Jonathan’s Instagram (https://bit.ly/37eMS3F) and Twitter (https://bit.ly/3jNr9ou) to see Ethiopian coffee ceremonies and historical interpretations of Kaldi. Explore James’ Filter Stories Instagram (https://bit.ly/2Mlkk0O) and Twitter (https://bit.ly/3baTsJk) to marvel at ancient coffee growing techniques in the mountains of Yemen. Help other people find the show by leaving a review on... Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/3jY42aJ Castbox: http://bit.ly/38sXdcH Read Jonathan’s book, ‘Coffee: A Global History’ here: https://amzn.to/3dihAfU Listen to other coffee documentaries on James’ Filter Stories podcast: https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e Coffee and brewing equipment featured in this episode: Ethiopia - Dimtu Tera Farm, Guji, Odo Shakiso. Roasted by 19 Grams (Berlin) Yemen - Hasan Al-Salool, Jewain village, West Haraz. Roasted by Darkwoods (UK) Comandante hand grinder Sage electric grinder Subscribe to The Science of Coffee podcast Live in Berlin? Join me for a free decaf cupping at Communal Coffee on the 12th December 2025. Reserve your ticket here: https://bit.ly/4nZXyrf.