All I know is that the monks must have been desperate to find some use for that plant. For them to pick, dry/ferment, roast, grind and boil just to have something to drink. Maybe aliens helped them with the process...

one thing about this thread is it brought up that I may have never truly had freshly roasted coffee .
changing that one over is going on my bucket list .
 
Kenny

Starise
I roast my own beans . I get them green from Africa usually because Africa and India has the best coffee in my opinion.
 
To answer your question about what caffeine does in the plant . Caffeine is the plants natural insecticide. That ingredient deters and even kills the critters that try to eat the leaves. So in effect, we are drinking an insecticide.

Are you an audiophile and like little dutch boys as well?

Arabic coffee is interesting, made from beans that are pretty much green, perhaps with some cardamom added and drunk from very small cups. Sometimes it deadens your mouth if you get a rough one.

In social events its served alternately with glasses of strong sweet tea late into the evening. No sleep for hours after that.

I quite like Viennese coffee roasted with fig for a change.

I love coffee ... Arabica beans is a must ... Robusta just doesn't cut it for me. 
Had weekly delivery of beans to the house on the level of a small cafe, was considering starting to roast myself to cut costs. Never made it that far. Hopefully what I got was freshly toasted. Hate to think that I haven't really tasted real coffee ... I've drank so much of it over the years I must be already be embalmed for life. 

yes

I just ordered in some of the very best. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Black gold. Yeah Baby!!

It's all about the coffee here, the country is obsessed, and one of the biggest exporters in the world, mainly Robusta. Hot/On Ice/Condensed milk/Yoghurt/Egg, so many options and coffee shops everywhere.
 
 

It's all about the coffee here, the country is obsessed, and one of the biggest exporters in the world, mainly Robusta. Hot/On Ice/Condensed milk/Yoghurt/Egg, so many options and coffee shops everywhere.
 
 

I've never been to Vietnam, but I've had Vietnamese coffee. They seriously love their caffeine - gave me the jitters.
 
I have had fresh-roasted coffee from/in the Philippines. It is a different experience, for sure. We ground it by hand with a mortar and brewed it in a camp-style percolator. Sounds primitive, but right now I am feeling nostalgic about sitting outside in the morning before sunrise (and it's already warm out) with warm pandesal (little semi-sweet bread rolls)...can't wait to go back.
 
Another place they really like their coffee is Montreal. I went to a coffee shop there that was like Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors, but for coffee. Ground to order and served in a French press. Yum. I was up all night.
 
Unfortunately, I drink way too much of the stuff to afford to be picky. My primary selection criterion these days is "what's on sale?".