Legend has it that in the 9th century, an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi discovered his flock became unusually energetic after eating certain red berries. He shared this discovery with a monk, who brewed the berries into a drink and found it kept him awake—and so coffee was born.

The world of specialty coffee is rich and diverse, with different origins producing distinctly different flavor profiles. For coffee lovers, understanding the flavor characteristics of each major region is like opening a door to the coffee universe.

The most widely circulated story about the discovery of coffee is an ancient Ethiopian legend. It is said that around the 9th century AD, a goatherd named Kaldi was herding his flock on the Ethiopian plateau when he noticed his goats becoming unusually energetic and lively after eating certain red berries. The curious Kaldi tried some berries himself and found that he, too, became full of vigor.