Bewley's Famous Irish Coffee began in 1835 when Samuel Bewley and his son imported over 2000 chests of tea from China - well before the Irish had developed a thirst for tea. In 1840, Bewley's expanded to coffee. Today, Bewley's coffee importing, roasting, and distributing has grown, and they operate many coffee shops including one opened by Samuel in 1927. Bewley's maintains its position as the leader on the Irish coffee market, and the brand remains synonymous with superior quality coffees.