Differences Between Pour-Over Mocha and Espresso Mocha: Which Coffee Beans to Use for Making Mocha

When it comes to mocha coffee, many people think of the espresso-based milk coffee with chocolate sauce found in today's coffee shops. A smaller number of people think of Yemeni mocha coffee. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will explain the differences between espresso mocha and single-origin mocha coffee!

What is Single-Origin Mocha Coffee?

Yemen's Mocha Port, for over 300 years starting from the 15th century, served as an important seaport exit on the Red Sea, with a status equivalent to today's Shanghai Port. The vast majority of global maritime freight passed through this port. Coffee wasn't grown near Mocha itself; most of its coffee came from high-altitude areas in Yemen's central mountainous regions. When coffee exported via Mocha Port reached various European countries, it received unanimous praise. Since people at that time only knew these coffees came from Mocha Port, they were therefore called "Mocha Coffee (beans)." Subsequently, all coffee exported through Mocha Port would be sold under the "Mocha Coffee" label.

Today, the old Mocha Port has long been abandoned due to sedimentation (now known as Al Makha), becoming a historical port with only white sandy beaches. Exports have shifted to the northwestern Hodeida Port, but people have long been accustomed to the Mocha name, and the reputation of Mocha has resonated through the ages. The name continues to be used today.

Why is Yemeni Mocha Coffee Rarely Seen on the Market Today?

In recent years, Yemen's ongoing turmoil has severely impacted coffee cultivation, with only small quantities of Yemeni coffee emerging from gunfire and conflict each year. FrontStreet Coffee was fortunate some years ago to obtain a bag of Mokha Mattari coffee, which is produced in Yemen's Bani Matar region and thus named accordingly. Yemen's coffee packaging bags differ from other coarse burlap sacks; they are made from fine-pore woven fabric similar to flour packaging bags.

FrontStreet Coffee - Yemen Mocha Coffee Beans

Origin: Yemen, Mattari
Altitude: 1,300～1,900m
Varieties: Typica, Bourbon
Processing: Natural processing

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Roast Yemen Mocha Coffee?

Yemeni farmers' natural processing method is rougher than Ethiopia's. Coffee cherries are not picked when they turn red; instead, they are left to naturally dry on the branches until they become purplish-black and fall to the ground before being collected. This differs from the refined natural processing of Yirgacheffe or Sidamo, where red cherries are picked and spread on "raised African beds." This is the main reason for Yemen's particularly wild flavor characteristics. However, because farmers store natural-processed beans for varying durations, almost every batch of green beans has its own distinct personality. After FrontStreet Coffee obtained Yemeni mocha coffee beans, we noticed the beans had distinct cocoa fruit acidity. To showcase the body of Yemeni mocha, FrontStreet Coffee's roaster used a medium roast on these beans to highlight their inherent cocoa aroma characteristics and the coffee's rich body.

Yemeni mocha belongs to green beans with relatively low moisture content. Considering the uneven bean sizes and low moisture content, the drop temperature for these green beans should not be too high, and early dehydration should be accelerated to retain moisture for first crack development and flavor. Preheat for 30 seconds, open the air damper to 3, until the green beans turn light green or white, then open the air damper to 4, and after first crack, open to 5 (maximum).

Set roaster temperature to 170°C, air damper at 3. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 140°C, air damper unchanged. Roast to 5'00'', temperature 147.2°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration complete, adjust heat to 110°C, air damper to 4. At 8'00 minutes, bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toasted bread aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 8'23'', first crack begins, reduce heat to 60°C, air damper fully open (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that cracking stops), drop at 197.9°C.

How Does FrontStreet Coffee Brew Yemen Mocha Coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee uses the Kono Meimon filter cup for brewing medium-roast coffee. The short rib design of this filter cup extends coffee extraction time, enhancing the coffee's body.

Grind: Medium-coarse (70% retention on No. 20 standard sieve)
Water Temperature: 90°C
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Coffee Dose: 15 grams

FrontStreet Coffee's staged brewing method: Use 30g of water for 30-second bloom. When pouring with small water flow to 125g, segment the pour. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Wait for the water level to drop and just before exposing the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. Extraction time (timing from bloom start) is 2'06".

Yemen Mocha Brewing Flavor:

Medium complexity with layered notes, with a hint of grape acidity appearing at the changing end in the mouth, long spice aftertaste, sweet and round mouthfeel with a Middle Eastern milk tea sensation that lasts for quite some time, with malt sweetness remaining in the cup bottom.

Is There a Connection Between Today's Common Espresso Mocha Coffee and Yemen Mocha Coffee?

Espresso mocha is composed of chocolate, milk, and espresso combined together. The fusion of coffee and cocoa is loved by the masses. This seemingly has no connection to Mocha. However, espresso mocha can be traced back to 18th-century Italy. Although there are no more authoritative historical documents to confirm the origin of the mocha coffee name, we can boldly speculate: in the 18th-century coffee world landscape, the Dutch brought coffee to Southeast Asia, the French brought coffee to South America, and Mocha had lost its coffee monopoly. Additionally, under Ottoman Empire rule in the mid-to-late period, Mocha coffee's market share gradually shrank.

With less Mocha coffee flowing into Europe, Mocha coffee beans held a status in people's hearts at that time similar to today's Geisha coffee beans. People wanted to drink coffee with similar flavors. The emergence of espresso mocha was most likely an attempt to imitate the rare Mocha coffee beans by adding unsweetened dark cocoa to espresso to make the coffee's flavor express the feeling of Yemeni mocha coffee.

How is Modern Espresso Mocha Coffee Made?

When making espresso, FrontStreet Coffee uses a blend of natural-processed Yirgacheffe and Honduras Sherry Barrel fermented "Warm Sun" espresso blend. The coffee extracted from this blend has a faint whiskey aroma, sweet vanilla cream fragrance, and nutty cocoa aftertaste. Modern mocha coffee production adds both milk and sweet chocolate. FrontStreet Coffee uses sweet chocolate sauce and fresh milk with high lactose content.

First, add 30g of chocolate sauce and double espresso, stir well. Then heat and steam milk to about 55-60°C (because the chocolate sauce dilutes the espresso's crema layer, latte art will easily disperse, so the foam thickness can be slightly thicker than latte coffee foam, about 1.5cm, but not as thick as cappuccino foam). After full incorporation, proceed with pattern creation.

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