A History of Coffee

By: James Harper
  • Summary

  • A History of Coffee is the story of how a tiny psychoactive seed changed the world and shapes our lives today.

    Across six episodes, documentary maker James Harper and professional historian Jonathan Morris narrate how humans race coffee across oceans to keep up with demand for this addictive drink.

    Coffee creates enormous fortunes for some, and misery for others. Sometimes the environment benefits, but more often it is plundered.

    If we want to make coffee a more equitable industry that’s also kinder to the environment, a place to start is understanding the stories and systems that put the coffee into your cup this morning.

    Press the Subscribe button so you don’t miss future episodes!

    Follow Jonathan Morris @coffeehistoryjm and James Harper @filterstoriespodcast.

    Read full transcripts at www.historyofcoffee.org.
    Copyright Filter Stories & Jonathan Morris
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Episodes
  • 4) Just Friends? America's love affair with coffee
    Apr 17 2023
    America is coffee-obsessed. From Central Perk’s red couch being the centre of major plot twists in Friends to the fact the average American drank more than two cups a day.

    And the conventional explanation is pretty straightforward: an English colonist introduces coffee to Jamestown in 1607. 150 years later Americans rebel against the British by throwing tea chests into Boston harbour and drinking coffee becomes their patriotic duty. Oh, and of course who won the civil war? The side that had the coffee.

    But, actually, the truth is much more surprising, and reveals a much more counter-intuitive story of America.

    In this final episode of Series Two of A History of Coffee, we offer you a story of America through the lens of a black drink, another black drink, a third black drink and perhaps even a fourth.

    A History of Coffee is a collaboration between documentary maker James Harper of the Filter Stories coffee podcast and Jonathan Morris, Professor of History and author of ‘Coffee: A Global History’.
    Don't miss future episodes by pressing the 'Subscribe' or 'Follow' button in your podcast player.

    -----------

    Please spread the word about A History of Coffee!

    Follow us on Instagram - Jonathan (@coffeehistoryjm) and James (@filterstoriespodcast) - and tag us in an Instagram story.

    Write a review on Apple Podcasts (http://apple.co/3jY42aJ)

    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3K2h4RQ)


    This free educational content for the coffee community was made possible by Rancilio, manufacturers of professional Italian espresso machines for your home and coffee bar for almost 100 years
    (https://bit.ly/3U3oLMz)


    Read Jonathan’s book, ‘Coffee: A Global History’ (https://amzn.to/3dihAfU)

    Listen to other coffee documentaries on James’ Filter Stories podcast (https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e)

    Download all episodes of this second series right now by subscribing to the ‘A History of Coffee’ podcast channel (http://bit.ly/2NArChO)


    Learn how Brazil massively expanded output in episode three of the first series of A History of Coffee: Coffee Catches Fire (https://bit.ly/2NArChO)

    Brew up some Yaupon Holly! (https://bit.ly/40R6IuY)

    Discover Deb Hunter's All Things Tudor podcast (https://bit.ly/3L5OZet)

    Subscribe to The Science of Coffee podcast
    Show more Show less
    44 mins
  • 3) Espresso Lungo: The slow road to Italy's democratic espresso culture
    Apr 17 2023
    One morning back in the ‘80s, Howard Schultz walks out of his Milan hotel, stumbles into an espresso bar, and fundamentally changes coffee history. He discovered (and then popularises) the iconic, timeless Italian coffee experience: Rich thick coffee, an affordable price and great theatre. But this Italian ritual is surprisingly young, so young that Howard Schultz was in school while some of it was being developed!In this third episode of Series Two of A History of Coffee, we show you why for most of Italy’s history, coffee was thin, expensive, dull to watch…and that’s if you were lucky enough to even be drinking the real stuff at all!A History of Coffee is a collaboration between documentary maker James Harper of the Filter Stories coffee podcast and Jonathan Morris, Professor of History and author of ‘Coffee: A Global History’. -----------Don't miss future episodes by pressing the 'Subscribe' or 'Follow' button in your podcast playerPlease spread the word about A History of Coffee!Follow us on Instagram - Jonathan (@coffeehistoryjm) and James (@filterstoriespodcast) - and tag us in an Instagram story. Write a review on Apple Podcasts (http://apple.co/3jY42aJ)Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3K2h4RQ)This free educational content for the coffee community was made possible by Rancilio, manufacturers of professional Italian espresso machines for your home and coffee bar for almost 100 years (https://bit.ly/3U3oLMz)Read Jonathan’s book, ‘Coffee: A Global History’ (https://amzn.to/3dihAfU)Listen to other coffee documentaries on James’ Filter Stories podcast (https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e)Download all episodes of this second series right now by subscribing to the ‘A History of Coffee’ podcast channel (http://bit.ly/2NArChO)Go deeper into the story of espresso machines: James' science podcast about Espresso Machine Technology Neapolitan coffee maker (https://bit.ly/3zZCivl)Espresso at 1906 World’s Fair in Milan (https://bit.ly/3MOX7kQ)Rancilio's Museum, Officina Rancilio 1926 (https://bit.ly/3Q7vqTI)"La Cornuta" espresso machine (https://bit.ly/41uBryd)Rancilio's Berlin Showroom, the BER Rancilio Station (https://bit.ly/3mD0lNA)Subscribe to The Science of Coffee podcast
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • 2) A Lasting Stain: Haiti, Colonialism and Coffee
    Apr 17 2023
    Haiti was once the biggest, most profitable coffee growing region in the world.

    But today Haiti is one of the world’s poorest nations where you can’t get a bag of Haitian beans delivered to Berlin in a week for love nor money.

    In this second episode of Series Two of A History of Coffee, we show you how colonialism and racism dragged Haiti into poverty, and the role of coffee at the centre of it.

    Be warned: this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence.

    A History of Coffee is a collaboration between documentary maker James Harper of the Filter Stories coffee podcast and Jonathan Morris, Professor of History and author of ‘Coffee: A Global History’.

    -----------

    Don't miss future episodes by pressing the 'Subscribe' or 'Follow' button in your podcast player


    Please spread the word about A History of Coffee!

    Follow us on Instagram - Jonathan (@coffeehistoryjm) and James (@filterstoriespodcast) - and tag us in an Instagram story.

    Write a review on Apple Podcasts (http://apple.co/3jY42aJ)

    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3K2h4RQ)


    This free educational content for the coffee community was made possible by Rancilio, manufacturers of professional Italian espresso machines for your home and coffee bar for almost 100 years
    (https://bit.ly/3U3oLMz)


    Read Jonathan’s book, ‘Coffee: A Global History’ (https://amzn.to/3dihAfU)

    Listen to other coffee documentaries on James’ Filter Stories podcast (https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e)

    Download all episodes of this second series right now by subscribing to the ‘A History of Coffee’ podcast channel (http://bit.ly/2NArChO)

    Subscribe to The Science of Coffee podcast
    Show more Show less
    48 mins

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