Everything About Yemen Coffee

Yemen is one of the most active producers of whole bean coffee. Its unique climate fits in best with the cultivation of many coffee varieties. The richness of approaches to growing coffee trees, including keeping high-quality drinks, literally works wonders with local planters, who spare no effort to produce their coffee.

Learn more about Yemen coffee varieties at coffeeindustry.online. The website is full of useful information about how to store, brew, and roast whole bean coffee as well as popular coffee brands and producers.

Mocha

In the modern interpretation, the term “mocha” means a mixture of coffee with hot chocolate or espresso with chocolate syrup. In fact, it is a unique variety of Yemeni coffee, named after the port city through which the aromatic beans were transported to other countries.

Mocha coffee belongs to the class of Arabica and is cultivated in the vicinity of the capital – the city of Sana’a. Another name for the variety is Yemeni Udaini, which has a natural chocolate flavor, costs up to $ 240 per pound, and is considered one of the best coffee samples in the world. At the moment, this variety undergoes only light roasting, creating a drink with a unique taste, and aromatic range.

Hodeidah

This is a variety of whole bean coffee from Yemen, also named after the port through which it was exported. This is the rarest and most expensive variety, consisting of grains of Yafa, Matari, and Bura’ai – mono-varieties that grow in the same country but individually do not fall to any of the buyers. Any of these varieties grow in the mountains of this country, where the height reaches 2 km above the ocean.

Bura’ai

The Bura’ai grows from the place of loading of coffee vessels – Hodeida and gives an extremely high yield. The price is reduced due to the huge volume of its production.

Matari

But another variety – Matari, growing in the province of Sanaa, unlike the previous variety, is quite expensive – the yield of this variety is extremely low.

Characteristics Of Yemen Coffee

Yemeni coffee has a rich bouquet with tropical fruits, flowers, and spices notes. There are varieties with woody and tobacco accents.

Main types of Yemeni coffee you can meet on the shelves:

  •  Udaini (Mocha);
  • Dawairi;
  • Tufahi;
  • Bura’ai;
  • Abu Sura.

In addition, there are hundreds of local names on the domestic market, sometimes with several dozen designations for one variety, and it is never possible to say with certainty whether they belong to the type of grain or the region of origin. The beans are treated by the dry (or “natural”) method when the coffee beans are first dried in the sun (often directly on the roofs of houses) and only then cleaned of pulp and skin.

Small farms represent the country’s coffee industry. Most of the plantations are located on mountain terraces. Local grains tolerate drought well and give a bountiful harvest even in hot climates.

Difficulties

The main difficulty in the production and distribution of Yemeni coffee is the civil war in the country. In addition, the herbal drug khat has become popular in Yemen, and now one coffee plantation has up to 7 plots with this plant. What is more, khat absorbs so much water that it is not enough even for household needs, not to mention the irrigation of coffee trees.

Main Features

In Yemen, all coffee trees are located extremely high (at least 2000 meters). They adapt to unusual weather conditions. The grains acquire a rich and unusual taste due to a lack of oxygen, as the plant is forced to adapt to the climate. Yemeni coffee is the best example of how the taste of a drink changes greatly depending on its height, growing area, and climatic characteristics.

How To Drink Coffee In Yemen

  • In Yemen, people drink a coffee-like beverage called qishr. Dried coffee berries are filled with cold water, add ginger, and other spices, and bring to a boil. The finished “tea” is cooled and drunk in the afternoon to quench thirst and cheer up.
  • Natural ground coffee is brewed immediately with sugar and only in the morning.
  • Local grains are suitable for the maximum degree of roasting, emphasizing fruit and chocolate notes. The unique aroma of Yemeni coffee is best manifested in regular espresso.

Yemeni coffee differs from varieties from other countries. The specific shape of the grains distinguishes it, so at first, you might think that the drink will be of poor quality and tasteless. In fact, in the country, the collection and processing of grain are carried out only by hand. Each process is carefully inspected, as workers’ salary directly depends on the harvest. It is important to keep in mind that usually, one tree can yield 600 pounds of grain, and in Yemen, this figure rarely exceeds 20 kilograms.

And yet, coffee from Yemen is not devoid of its unsurpassed scent, which hints at shades of wine and orange. And this coffee in itself – the taste, color, texture, and smell is an unusually bright and contrasting drink that everyone should try.

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