How to Drink Yemeni Mocha Coffee_ Price of Yemeni Mocha Coffee_ Introduction to Mocha Coffee Origin

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The Decline of Yemen Mocha Coffee

Although Ethiopia is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, the coffee that Europeans first tasted at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries actually came from Yemen. At that time, all African or Arabian coffee was exported through the port of Mocha, making Mocha synonymous with coffee due to its convenient location. The "City of Walls," Harar, became a supporting character instead. However, three hundred years later, Yemen coffee is no longer what it used to be. Coffee production has been decreasing year by year, with current annual production only reaching 12,000-8,000 tons, seemingly disappearing from the coffee map. Calculated based on the current global coffee annual production of 7 million tons, Yemen only accounts for about 0.17%, no longer significant. Can coffee lovers not feel heartbroken that the once-dominant Yemen Mocha has been reduced to a marginal coffee-producing country?

A visit to Yemen would definitely make people wonder: "Was this once a coffee powerhouse?" Wherever one looks, almost no one can be seen drinking coffee, and the streets are filled with people chewing qat to stay awake. Yemen's once-proud coffee culture has completely changed today. There is a Yemeni folk song praising coffee that goes: "Yemen coffee, like gems and wealth on the treetops..." This lyric clearly does not match today's situation.

In the past five years, coffee has consistently ranked last among Yemen's economic crops, while qat has dominated year after year. In 2004, Yemen's qat production reached a staggering 114,000 tons, while coffee fell to 15,000 tons. Yemenis seem to have forgotten the existence of coffee. Yemenis are accustomed to drinking coffee before breakfast in the morning, but after breakfast or at noon, they switch to qishr, a beverage made from dried coffee fruit peel. The number of people drinking this fruit-tea-like beverage far exceeds those who drink coffee, and street vendors selling dried coffee fruit peel are far more numerous than those selling coffee beans. However, looking back at Yemen's coffee history, coffee lovers shouldn't place too much blame, after all, Yemenis have been drinking qishr for longer than they've been drinking coffee. Chapter one of this book mentioned that two influential elders, Shadhili, the patron saint of Mocha port, and Dabani, the coffee godfather of Aden port, were drinking qishr to stay awake in the 15th century. Later, they had a moment of inspiration and pioneered the promotion of coffee bean beverages with better brain-activating effects, thus opening the romantic history of coffee. Yemenis hold an indelible position in the evolutionary history of coffee, and now that coffee culture is declining year by year, Yemen's Ministry of Agriculture is also anxious, hiring foreign experts to identify the root causes and seek solutions to prevent Yemen's famous specialty coffees—Matari, Ismaili, Sharqi, Sanani—from disappearing from the world.

The Origin of Mocha

The term "Mocha" first emerged in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries because all coffee imported from the Arab world at that time was transshipped through Yemen's Mocha port. Therefore, people initially used "Mocha" as a synonym for coffee. So until the invention of the Mocha pot in the 20th century, people naturally called this coffee-making device the "Mocha pot."

Ethiopian Mocha vs. Yemen Mocha

As for Ethiopian Mocha and Yemen Mocha, they are easy to distinguish: Yemen's coffee was introduced from Ethiopia and still retains the same native varieties as those in Ethiopia today. Therefore, the coffee community later called coffees from Yemen and Ethiopia "Yemen Mocha" and "Ethiopian Mocha" respectively for easier distinction. The biggest characteristic of Mocha coffee is its rich chocolate flavor. Later, an ingenious barista added cream and chocolate to coffee—this became the classic of specialty coffee—the birth of coffee mocha.

The Unique Character of Yemen Mocha

The understatement of Yemen Mocha coffee is just like its country hidden in North Africa and West Asia. This place is filled with dry Gobi desert and sandy land. Although located on the Red Sea coast, it still maintains the most complete Arabian traditions. Such geography and environment have created the distinctive character of Yemen Mocha. The coffee here grows in arid mountainous regions, completely without any chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and some farmers even directly let the coffee fruits dry on the tree before picking.

Yemen Mocha shares the same chocolate flavor as Ethiopian Mocha, but Yemen Mocha expresses itself more wildly and naturally. A good cup of Yemen Mocha can completely satisfy our desires for "rich mouthfeel," "vibrant aroma," "smoothness," "sweet aftertaste," "pleasant body," and "sweet and long-lasting aftertaste"... Moreover, the persistent red wine aroma in the aftertaste is also one of its major characteristics. Of course, while coffee enthusiasts savor Yemen Mocha, its too-strong personality and wild, intense flavor may not necessarily win the favor of those who prefer milder tastes.

The Rarity of Yemen Mocha

Due to low production and decreasing coffee cultivation, Yemen Mocha coffee has become increasingly sought after, making it difficult to taste authentic Yemen Mocha in ordinary coffee shops.

Qishr: Yemen's Traditional Coffee Beverage

In addition to coffee, this coffee nation also has a special coffee beverage: Qishr, called ginger coffee in Chinese. It is a beverage made from dried coffee fruit peel, sometimes consumed together with cinnamon, sugar, ginger slices, etc.

Yemen: The True Country of Mocha

Let's talk more about the true country of Mocha—Yemen.

Mocha port, that landmark-like existence that coffee lovers cannot bypass, seems like a book full of vicissitudes.

Yemen's geographical environment is not particularly advantageous. Located on the Arabian Peninsula, deserts, drought, and storms present another landscape—not just the lush greenery under coffee trees, but full of desolation and distance. Thinking of the coffee that emerged from there, representing greenery, vitality, and passion, with its bright red fruits that look full of sweetness, it's as if the fragrance of Yemen coffee can be faintly smelled even through the screen. That tree, as one shop mentioned, would be an undesirable variety in other producing regions, but in Yemen, it bears abundant fruit—so weak, with withered branches and leaves, yet fresh fruit is barely visible.

The most fascinating aspect is this sky, these mountains, and this city that seems isolated from the world. Coffee producing regions are distributed along the equator, with many scenic and beautiful places. That vast sky, continuous mountains, and ancient, old city are deeply imprinted on the heart.

Yemen Mocha Coffee Brand Recommendations

Yemen Mocha coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high—a 227-gram package costs only 85 yuan. Calculated based on 15 grams of coffee powder per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing less than 6 yuan. Compared to coffee shops selling cups for dozens of yuan, this is a conscientious recommendation.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse varieties of beans, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473