How Good is Yemen Coffee? Where Are Yemen's Most Famous Growing Regions?

For coffee enthusiasts with some knowledge, mentioning Yemen coffee easily brings "Mocha" to mind.

If Ethiopia is a versatile woman—complex fruit flavors and floral aromas—then Yemen is a brave man—chocolate flavors, tobacco notes, and heavy body yet with a gentle sweet aftertaste.

History and Origins

Yemen's coffee cultivation history is quite ancient. By the early 17th century, Yemen's coffee beans began to be exported to Europe from the southwestern port of Mocha. Europeans thus called these coffee beans shipped from Mocha port "Mocha coffee." Ethiopia, which faces Yemen across the Red Sea, later also used Mocha port for coffee export,以至于 that sun-processed Ethiopian coffee beans are also often regarded as Mocha.

Cultivation Methods

Yemen's coffee cultivation methods remain similar to those of 500 years ago, with almost all coffee grown on mountain slopes reaching 3,000 to 7,000 feet in altitude. Due to scarce rainfall, coffee trees must rely on their strong water retention capabilities to survive drought periods. Harsh growing conditions result in smaller coffee beans but with considerable hardness. Yemen's coffee varieties are also quite complex, with recognized small-bean varieties including Ismaili and ancient heirloom, as well as Adeni and Mattari types.

Processing Methods

Yemen coffee is naturally processed. After harvest, the cherries are typically spread on courtyards or rooftops for sun drying, with some even allowing cherries to dry directly on the tree before harvesting (a method called "floating").

Yemen's natural processing method involves hand-picking fully ripe coffee beans and placing freshly harvested beans directly on dedicated coffee drying grounds or their own compacted dirt front yards to receive sun exposure. During the drying period, similar to drying rice in Taiwan, wooden rakes are used to turn the beans to ensure even drying. After about twenty days when the coffee drying is complete, the outer pulp and skin are removed to extract the coffee beans. Yemen coffee is characterized by rich, complex, wild, mellow, and strong fermentation flavors with lower acidity. Additionally, Yemen coffee often contains an unpredictable factor (timing of seasonal rainfall) that keeps people guessing, making it no exaggeration to call it the world's most special coffee.

The dried cherries must be ground and hulled. Today, Yemen still preserves the ancient method of stone grinding for hulling, with the stone mills powered by camels or donkeys.

Coffee Regions

Yemen has many coffee-producing regions, with Mattari from Bani Matar province being the most renowned and also the highest quality among Yemen's exported coffees.

The early port of Mocha, which shouldered the heavy responsibility of export, had various names and spellings, such as Mocha, Mokka, Moca, Moka, Al-Mocha, Al-Makha, etc. The port of Mocha was later abandoned due to silting, with exports now handled by the eastern port of Aden and the northern port of Hodeida.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yemen Mocha Mattari

FrontStreet Coffee's Yemen Mocha Mattari, perhaps due to Yemen's cultivation methods and ancient natural processing, gives this bean a rather nostalgic feel when tasted. Wild and full of untamed character, the intense chocolate flavor upon entry is intoxicating. As the coffee cools slightly, the sweet and sour grape sensation fills the entire mouth.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's brewing parameter recommendations:

V60/89°C/1:15/Time two minutes

Flavor: Dark chocolate, grapes, spices

Conclusion

Since people began drinking coffee, Mocha has always been recognized as good coffee with distinctive acidity. Some believe Mocha's special acidity is overwhelmingly strong. That's because after a day of labor, people's taste buds become less sensitive to delicate flavors. The coffee itself is very aromatic and rich. Yemen Mocha is represented by Mattari from the Bani Matar region, characterized by its sweet, smooth, and uniquely fragrant mouthfeel with subtle acidity and strong aftertaste. Mocha is suitable for blending with Milds category coffees, especially suitable for combining with Ethiopian coffee, Indonesian Java coffee, and Sumatran coffee for blend coffees. Locals like to mix Mocha with Ethiopian coffee for Turkish coffee. It is the most suitable coffee for post-meal consumption. It is also the finest among Mochas.

Related recommendations: What is Mocha coffee? Yemen Mocha-Mattari Natural beans are Yemen's true Mocha coffee beans

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