12 best coffee books

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A Short History of Coffee Drinking

Coffee is a truly global beverage, and it is common to hear the claim that it is the second most popular drink in the world after water. While there's no evidence to support this, the ubiquity of coffee in one form or another makes it plausible.

The origins of coffee drinking are similarly vague, with very little evidence to support it. While there is some evidence of the fruit of the coffee plant being eaten in Ethiopia early on, balled up with animal fat as an invigorating trail snack, we are missing a key piece of the puzzle: we have no idea who decided to take the seed of the fruit, roast it, grind it to a powder, steep that powder in hot water and drink the resulting concoction. It's an astonishing leap, and a mystery that will probably never be solved.

There is evidence of coffee drinking in the late 15th century, but little to back up the anecdote that the first coffee house was Kiva Han, opened in 1475 in Constantinople. If it's true, the coffee would have been grown in Yemen.

About the Author

James Hoffmann is a coffee expert, author and the 2007 World Barista Champion. Along with a team of experts, he operates Square Mile Coffee Roasters, a multi-award-winning coffee roasting company based in London, UK. James travels frequently to the coffee producing countries and is a popular speaker.

Introduction to Coffee

• Arabica & Robusta

• The Coffee Tree

• Harvesting Coffee

Coffee Roasting

• Stages of Roasting

• Aromatic Compounds in Coffee

• Types of Coffee Roasters

Brewing Basics

• The French Press

• The Aeropress

• The Vacuum Pot

Coffee Origins

• Africa

• Asia

• The Americas

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Discover your device

Use the equipment guides to explore coffee gear and 10 different manual brewing devices, including Chemex, V60, French press, AeroPress, siphon, and more—find the one that fits your lifestyle.

Find your flavor

Not sure what you like? Learn how factors like roast, origin, and processing affect the way coffee tastes, and discover what you prefer. Build your bean vocabulary with a section on decoding coffee bag jargon so you can find and buy the coffee you like best.

Avoid common mistakes

A section on tricks and tips of the trade will help you steer clear of coffee-making missteps (and teach you how to correct them for your next batch), and hand-drawn illustrations accompany step-by-step instructions to help you master manual brewing techniques.

Start brewing

No matter your skill level—from beginner to barista—take control of your coffee at every stage and find your perfect cup in no time.

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Meet Photographer Anouk Masson Krantz

I am an explorer.

I explore places.

I explore people.

I enjoy driving unreasonably long distances.

I love to exchange with those who are different, those with another set of convictions.

I try to learn about them and then to understand them, what is important to them, what they love and what they fear, so that I might learn what makes us different and what makes us the same.

I am trying to raise my children to think for themselves and not to be taught what to think.

I want them to seek to understand the world around them and how we got here; to listen first, and then to find their voice; and to have their own direct experiences with the world that will have uncertain outcomes.

This is how we can open ourselves to the possibility of discovering and creating unknown, undiscovered inspirations of our own.

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Roasting equipment essentials

Explore helpful info about at-home and commercial equipment, from air-popper-style roasters to large drum roasters, and other important tools like thermometers, afterburners, and beyond.

A brief history of coffee

Learn all about the origins of coffee, including primitive roasting methods, its introduction to worldwide trade markets, and its evolution to today.

Quick reference guide

Discover an illustrated guide to roasting with a small or large drum roaster, from start to finish.