Yemen Coffee Esmaeli Haraazi Yemen Coffee Flavor Characteristics Coffee Beans Suitable for Pour-Over

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Introduction to Ismaili Coffee

Some say Ismaili is the oldest coffee variety, while others consider it a growing region. In the local Haraazi market of Yemen, vendors selling spices, tea, Qat, and coffee claim their coffee beans are special because they are always mixed together, creating a particularly distinctive flavor. Ismaili grows in incredibly vertical, steep rocky areas, where coffee is cultivated on etched terraces alongside Qat. It has always possessed a strong (intensely spicy) character with a surprising red wine aroma.

Property Characteristics

Farmer: Small Holders (Various small farmers)

Region: Haraazi

Country: Yemen

Farm Size: 2.8 Hectares

Altitude: 1,840 - 2,125 meters

Certification: None

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Mainly Jaa'di, also Tuffahi, Dawairi, and Ismaili

Processing System: Traditional Natural (Yemeni traditional rooftop sun-drying)

Appearance: 15-16 screen

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level begins 60 seconds after first crack (Cinnamon roast)

Aroma/Flavor: Strawberry, pineapple, cinnamon, clove, red wine aroma, maple syrup, caramel

Acidity: Tannic acid, tartaric acid

Complexity and Other Notes: Exuberant fruity wine aroma, velvety mouthfeel, chocolate aftertaste, prominent spicy notes, recommended as a single-origin pour-over coffee bean

FrontStreet Coffee Review: Yemeni coffee is my favorite. Ismaili is not easy to obtain, and its red wine aroma becomes even better with time.

Yemen Mocha Coffee

Yemen is located on the Arabian Peninsula of the Asian continent, but very close to Africa - just across the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. However, since other Arab countries do not produce coffee, the world categorizes Yemeni coffee as part of the North African coffee family. So what is Yemen Mocha? Mocha is the export port for Yemeni coffee. In coffee trade history, it was difficult to name all the small sub-regions, even though the coffee produced by these insignificant small regions was truly exceptional. Therefore, they used the export location as the name. Early natural-processed beans from nearby East Africa were all exported to the world through Mocha port. Today, Mocha port has long been silted up and disappeared. Many Ethiopian natural-processed beans also name themselves Mocha, such as the well-known Harar Mocha. I believe this is because their flavor shares some common characteristics with Yemeni coffee.

The most correct spelling for Mocha coffee should be "Al-Mahka," which is the Arabic spelling. However, ultimately, the spelling seen on burlap bags - "Mocca" or "Mocha" - is considered correct. Regardless of naming and spelling details, Yemeni coffee is one of the most unique and expensive coffees in the world. Overall, its style can be described as "wild" or "natural" with earthy notes and extremely high complexity. For some people, the spicy aroma may be overwhelming, but in any case, you must take time to try it. Among the several premium Yemeni coffees available from direct coffee suppliers, you will surely discover that you really like this unique coffee. If you also fall deeply in love with it, that will mark the beginning of a brand new coffee journey.

Yemen is very likely the first country in the world to use coffee as a cash crop. Legend has it that coffee was introduced from Ethiopia in the 6th century by Islamic Sufi pilgrims. Yemen's coffee culture differs from other regions - exporters do not buy directly from farms but rather from large intermediate channel distributors. The coffee received by local large distributors contains cherry pods and is whole sun-dried coffee cherries, usually stored in cellars. The special flavor of Yemeni coffee that people love may very well come from their ancient trading methods.

Yemeni coffee farmers have not suffered from this trading method through large distributors, mainly because local coffee-growing land is limited, combined with high latitude and limited water resources, making production extremely scarce. Meanwhile, the demand for Yemeni coffee is very high, keeping its price elevated.

Coffee Cultivation Challenges

Yemeni coffee growth and harvesting are not easy. Most farmland is planted with Qat, a plant whose leaves are said to have mild stimulating effects. This plant absorbs water from underground, thereby damaging the aquifer. Coffee cultivation is different, and some hope to make changes so farmers stop growing Qat. However, the profit from Qat is dozens of times that of coffee. Coffee beans can only rely on government persuasion to maintain small-scale cultivation under Qat. Perhaps this is why Yemeni beans leave so much room for imagination.

Yemen Coffee Industry Statistics

Total coffee farms: Approximately 330,000

Harvest time: Main crop October-December, secondary harvest April

People engaged in coffee-related work: 1,530,000

Processing method: Natural dried Arabica beans

Grading: No management institution, no grading system

Shade cultivation method: Wild growth, with shade but no documented records. Coffee is planted on terraces

Organic certification: None certified: All coffee follows traditional organic farming methods without chemical pesticides or other agents

Main coffee growing regions: Mattari, Hirazi, Haimi, Saihi, Ismaili, Sharasi, Dhamari, Rimy

Production ranking: 10th in Asia, 46th in the world

Coffee varieties: More than 10 special local native Mocha varieties, introduced from Ethiopia

Coffee introduction: Introduced in the 6th century or earlier from Harar, the origin of Arabica in Ethiopia. Yemen was the first country to start growing coffee after Ethiopia.

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