Merion Station Shop Owner Talks Coffee History

Merion Station coffee came to a Delaware County library.

Tim Noble, of Town Hall Coffee Co., spoke Aug. 17 at the as part of a coffee tasting and lecture.

The program, which had been fully booked since early August, was a casual history of coffee mixed with discussion and questions from the audience. 

Noble, a self-proclaimed "coffee nerd" opened Town Hall Coffee Co. about 18 months ago and it is a venture of passion. He left the world of non-profit and higher education to share his love of coffee. Noble grew up in a house whose coffee came from the "big blue tin," but his first taste of real coffee was from some friends who brought back a Wonder Bread bag of fresh coffee from Jamaica. He has been hooked ever since.

"Since the average coffee drinker drinks three to four cups a day, I would be happy to try and make those cups good ones," he told the audience.

The history of coffee goes back to Ethiopia where in 800 A.D. there were 1,200 wild varieties of coffee growing, said Noble. This coffee made its way to the Arabian Peninsula where it was kept guarded under lock and key. According to Noble, it was used in religious ceremonies and medicine, but people soon realized they just enjoyed it and before you knew it, there was the morning cup of coffee.

In the 1700s, America got its first coffee shop, and it wasn't a Starbucks. It was in Philadelphia, located between Front and Walnut streets. The store was only six and a half feet wide. Another famous first coffee shop was the City Tavern, which still stands today. They were nicknamed "penny universities" because it was common to get a caffeine buzz and began discussing science and revolution.

Noble highly recommended drinking coffee that is only two weeks old. After that, the coffee tends to lose flavor. The coffee you get in those blue and red cans is probably already stale the minute you open them, he said.

Noble said he has started to see a lot of home roasters popping into his shop to share their latest creation. Roasting your own coffee isn't as far fetched as you may think. If you are interested in roasting you own coffee, Noble said you can just pull out that old hot air popcorn popper. The same heating process as your favorite movie snack can also work with green (pre-roasted) coffee beans, said Noble. The beans can be purchased online. Noble recommends a site called Sweet Maria's. Coffee roasting supplies can also be found at in Havertown.

Noble shared a Costa Rican coffee prepared drip-style. He also prepared one of his favorite decaf coffees for those not looking for a late-night buzz. Noble explained that when preparing coffee, unless you use the same coffee every day, ditch the coffee scoop. Each coffee is different and in order to enjoy it properly, you need to find the correct measurements. Also, if you find a cup of coffee too strong, just add a little hot water.