A Brief History of Coffee

Part 2

This new drink was being introduced into Western life and culture in the late 1500’s as the first traders began bringing it over. The ports of Smyrna and Alexandria were the two primary ports of entry for the coffee beans for the European market. To address the increasing demand for coffee and to ease the pain of high taxes, dealers began working with scientists to in an attempt to grow coffee in other countries.

In 1727, Brazil attempted to start growing coffee in the North but less than ideal climate conditions impeded the growth of coffee crops. Attempts were again made in the city of Rio de Janeiro with the same result. Finally ideal growing conditions were found in the states of Minas and San Paolo around 1850. What started as a small production, later grew to become one of the most important economic resources of Brazil.

 

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