Yemen

Yemen coffee is the ancestral wild coffee drink, from which 90-100% of all the other coffees we drink today come. From its recent ability to be exported, it has become incredibly sought after and praised for being one of the best coffees in the world. Mocha is one of the most confusing terms in the coffee lexicon. The coffee we call Mocha (also spelled Moka, Moca, or Mocca) is cultivated as it has been for hundreds of years in the mountains of Yemen, at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It was originally shipped through the old port of Mocha, which has since been replaced by a modern port and fallen into picturesque ruins. The name Mocha has become so permanently a part of the coffee vocabulary that it stubbornly clings to a coffee that today would be more accurately described as Yemen or even Arabic. Complicating the situation are the coffees that closely resemble Yemen in the character and appearance of the cup in eastern Ethiopia , near the city of Harrar. These dry-processed Harrar coffees from Ethiopia are often sold under the name Mocha or Moka. They are usually lighter than their namesakes in Yemen, but otherwise very similar. History of Yemen Coffee Most agree that the original coffee plants originated in the western regions of Ethiopia. Coffee has been recorded as a beverage since the 6th century, used by the Ottoman Empire. However, in Yemen these plants were eventually cultivated and developed into the beans and drinks we know today. History records Sufi monasteries on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula processing coffee in Yemen more than 500 years ago. Yemeni farmers take advantage of their country's unique land, which has climatic and environmental conditions that have not been considered ideal growing conditions for other plants. For 200 years, Yemen has been the only source of coffee. Initially, the main mode of travel was by camel, but later, this Arabic coffee was named after the port of Mokha, which is located on the coast of the Red Sea, from where they were eventually shipped. By 1650, coffee had become popular in Europe, prompting the start of businesses with cafes and cafes. What Makes Yemen Coffee So Distinctive The production process for coffee beans in Yemen has remained the same for over 500 years. Small family farms plant on terraced fields dug in the Yemen landscape. Coffee plants are grown in the old way, without any use of chemicals. Once the fruits, called "cherries", are ripe, they are picked by hand. The beans are not removed from the fruit but are processed dry together. The fruit goes through a special drying period in caves and, in some cases, on roofs. Once the fruit is dry, it is easy to separate the beans from the peels, which are discarded. This leaves a very irregular and hard seed, which is the hallmark of Yemen coffee beans. The millstones that grind the beans are mostly turned over by donkeys or camels. Even when grinding is powered by small gasoline engines, progress is slow with small output batches. Only older, rich-flavored grains are exported because they come at a higher price. The territory where this ancient coffee variety is grown is located at a high altitude and on land prone to drought. While these processing factors add to the rarity of these low-yielding crops, they also explain the unique character of the special flavor profile of Yemen coffee. Yemen coffee has a distinct flavor and aroma. The earthy complex often has tons of dried fruit, partly due to drying with fruit peels. This Yemeni Arabian coffee also has notes of chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, or tobacco. The strongest of these notes is chocolate, which could explain the modern use of the word "Mocha" in association with Yemeni coffee. Authentic Yemen Coffees Can Be Expensive Due to the conditions in the land where coffee fruits are produced, the yield for crops is very low compared to other coffee varieties produced in the Western Hemisphere. Low processing takes longer, producing fewer be