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It is amazing that this mere beverage has been able to generate such a wealth of romantic tales. On it other face, it also is behind a hard driving business model that affects almost all continents around the world. It is truly a wonder. From its humble beginnings to the current pedestal it sits upon, this pungent and dark liquid has enriched, fascinated, cured and enthralled people the world over. Legends abound about the birth of the coffee bean plant. We can find some reliable history that will put its beginnings in Ethiopia around 500 BC. People observed the stimulating effects of the plants berries. Wayward travelers would then bring these to Arabia and there coffee would acquire its name. The Renaissance not only gave birth the arts and sciences but also to the growing production and distribution world wide of this new hedonistic drink. It was in the late 18th century that both plantations and drinking popularity now would spread around the world and across the ocean to both South and North America. People of every class and race were consuming this beverage. Throughout those long centuries the health effects ascribed to coffee border on the miraculous. But, as with most claimed miracles, there’s some fact at the bottom. Some studies suggest that mammalian sperm swim faster, farther and longer in fluid laced with coffee. The theory is the caffeine stimulates them. One Harvard study followed over 100,000 individuals for almost 20 years, drawing the conclusion that moderate use can help reduce diabetes. Others show reduction in cirrhosis of the liver and decrease of asthma severity. As with wine, the antioxidants in coffee have been touted as helping keep hearts healthier, though debates rage about whether the pros outweigh the cons. Coffee is a diuretic and encourages more frequent urination, and some assert that the stimulation from caffeine leads to long term nerve degeneration. Caffeine withdrawal can lead to increased sleeplessness. And, caffeine is a natural insecticide. Whether for good or bad - or both - coffee is here to stay. The economics alone virtually guarantee that, since as a commodity coffee is second only in dollar volume to oil. Whether traded on exchanges in London, New York, Hong Kong or Lima with over 400 billion cups consumed annually, this other ‘black gold’ only grows in popularity. Though only 10-20% (depending on country) of adults drink one or more cups daily, over 63% of the world wide population drinks at least occasionally. This drives the total retail sales of coffee to over $12 billion annually. Add to those figures the number of raw beans, grinders, roasters, brewers and cups bought for the home and the figures become astounding. With the rise in both basic commodity and specialty retail prices, the future for coffee businesses continues to look bright. Starbucks alone has over 10,000 outlets around the world. The home is starting to replace specialty coffee shops for your favorite cup of coffee. Most people make a cup at home and then buy one from a coffee shop on the way to work. There are so many blends of coffee we will write an article on that in the future. At home you have the choice of roasters, types of brewers or splurge on your own espresso machine. Since espresso was invented in 1901 it has continued its rise in popularity ever since.