Comment by somat

I have a theory that the renaissance and perhaps more critically the industrial revolution that followed was in a large part driven by coffee.

Middle ages, things are a bit sleepy, dopey. Everybody is drinking beer all the time. progress runs at a slow pace.

Then there is this popular new tea sweeping the scene and boy howdy does it get you up and going. Now people are waking up and doing things.

Caffeine, It's a hell of a drug.