The Possible Reason Coffee Became The Choice-Drink Of The Morning

Businesses are built around it, there's a whole section of the grocery store dedicated to it, and some can't start the day without it. There's different ways of brewing it, from percolators to French presses, to espresso machines and Keurig cups. Coffee is everywhere, and is much more easily accessible than it used to be. It's amazing to think that beans grown on tiny trees in Ethiopia are what started this worldwide essential.

According to Home Grounds, the way people discovered coffee was completely by accident. A goat herder found his goats making strange movements, almost like dancing, after eating "red berries," aka coffee beans. When sharing this information with a monk, he realized these berries would give him enough energy to pray through the night. Alas, caffeine was discovered and immediately put to use. Once the bean started making its way across the world, people grew more and more fond of the beverage. However, it's interesting that this beverage is meant for consuming in the morning after its nocturnal start. Why is that, and how did it come to pass?

Alcohol consumption was on the rise in Europe, even in the mornings, and coffee was a healthier replacement (per The Kitchn). Different countries consumed their morning alcohol in their own unique ways, and everyone's way of getting in that first drink of the day ranged. Romans ate bread that was soaked in wine, British soldiers spiked their tea with rum, children drank hard cider, and Germans sipped on beer soup for breakfast. Europe was known as the "alcohol-soaked" continent, and a change needed to be made.

By the 1700s, coffee was no longer a drink that only the upper class could afford. Coffee was affordable and spread in popularity amongst the public, which transformed Europe. It was a drink that gave a nice buzz, but with an alertness to it, compared to the tired and dull feeling alcohol brought. According to the National Coffee Association (NCA), coffee replaced beer and wine at breakfast, which was originally very common to consume. People noticed a big difference in their energy levels and the quality of their work, without the hangover. Coffee eventually made its way into the United States, and took over as everyone's go-to brew after the Boston Tea Party (via The Kitchn).