The Coffees of Yemen

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Arabia: Yemen

Rounded Shape of Shibriqi Mokha
Shibriqi coffee cherry is smaller than Tufahi, and has a very rounded shape

Checking out the Coffee Cherry
We came across a guy resting after picking some coffee (not the guy in the image - that's me!) In Central America you see pickers with huge amounts of cherry, but with such low production in Yemen, with so little coffee in the trees, this was a miniscule bag in comparison.

Technically, Yemen is on the Asian continent (on the Arabian Peninsula) although it is really just a stone's throw from Africa, across the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. For coffee reasons, and since there is no other "Arabian" coffee, we put it in the family of tastes that are North African.

Now, what is Mokha? Al Mokha (Al-Mahka) is the port city that Yemeni coffee ships from! It has nothing to do with chocolate. Why is the coffee called Mokha? Because in the coffee trade it was too complicated to name all the little sub-regions where the coffee is actually grown, even though they do produce notably different coffees in terms of the cup. Many of the dry-process Ethiopian coffees will also call themselves Moka: Moka Harar etc. ...I believe to associate themselves with the taste profile they share with Yemens. How the heck do you spell Mokha? Well, it is spelled usually Mocca or Mocha or Moka ...but in fact the most correct spelling is the one you will never see: Al-Mahka, which is the truest to Arabic spelling. I am trying to use it, but you will see I lapse, or in fact want to indicate also the way I am seeing it spelled on the burlap bag. Lastly, let me say that Yemeni are one of the most distinct and prized coffees in the world, but this is what we call a "wild" or natural cup ...Earthy, complex, pungent ---to some it may be strange and bitter. Either way, do yourself a favor and try it sometime.( You can see by our selection I am a fan of this unusual coffee) ... And don't blame me if you become addicted!
Yemen has a coffee culture like no other place, and perhaps some of what we enjoy in this cup is due to their old style of trade. Exporters do not buy from farms, but through an extesive network of middlemen. Local buyers receive coffee in the pod, the entire dried cherry, and that is stored, usually in underground caverns! The coffee actually exported is usually the oldest of their stocks, not new crop coffee! But this is the way it has been, and is one reason that new Yemen arrivals often have moisture content readings in the 10.5% range, in my experience. Yemeni growers are not hurt by this system with so many middlemen, largely because the coffee land under cultivation is limited and the crop is in such high demand. Competition from the Saudis also keeps Yemeni coffee prices very high. We are offering Qishr now too (also spelled Quishir, Keshir, Geshir) - the dried coffee husks used to make traditional hot infused coffee tea, or Yemen Ginger Tea.

I have posted a rather large travelogue from my Yemen trip, November 2007, and links to other articles about Yemen coffee

Coffee Farms:	330,000	Harvest Times:	Main Crop: Octy.-Dec. , 2nd harvest (some areas) in April
Coffee Workers:	1,530,000	Processing; Grading:	Natural, locally dry-processed arabica; No regulatory agency, no grading
Shading:	Wild growth, yes: N/A, Coffee grown on terraces	Certified Organic:	None certified: all coffee grown organic by tradition, no chemical inputs.
Major Coffee Growing Regions:	Mattari (from Bani Matar), Hirazi/Harasi (from Haras), Haimi, Saihi, Ismaili, Sharasi, Dhamari (from Dhamar), Rimy (from Raimi or Rayma)	Rank in Production::	10th in Asia 46th in World
Botanical Cultivars:	10 unique local varietals of original Mokha seedstock, brought from Ethiopia	Introduced:	6th Century or earlier: Introduced from Harar region of Ethiopia where coffea arabica grows wild. Yemen was the first site of coffee cultivation outside Ethiopia

Al Hagarah On the way to Haras, Yemen, you pass this especially imposing town, Al Hagarah. By the way, there's always a variety of way to spell things in Yemen. I was given the names of Al Hagrah, Al Hajrah, and Al Hagarah for this town.	I can see coffee now ... As we approached Lower Gart I could see that many of the roofs had coffee drying. Indeed, this is the middle of the Yemeni Harvest (October-December) so it makes sense.

General Yemen Roasting Tips: These coffees are very high-grown and need to be roasted slightly longer than other arabica coffees. This is a dry-processed natural coffee, and the roast color will be uneven from bean to bean ...but we judge coffee by the "cup quality," not visual appearances: don't be an "eye-cupper". Some Yemeni coffees are very small in screen size, which might cause problems in the Alpenrost. Yemeni coffee really develops its flavors over the first 2 days after roasting, especially the body/mouthfeel. Ideally, try to wait 24-48 hours before brewing. Since this is a hand prepared coffee dried in the sun - watch out for rocks! There can be small stones in the coffee that you need to cull out before roasting and definitely before grinding as these can jam a grinder. (In wet processed coffees the stones fall out in the water channel but in dry processed coffees, small stones can escape detection and make it all the way through to the final bag.) Expect uneven roast colors from Yemeni coffees, just as with the dry-processed Ethiopian coffees. Yemeni coffees pass from 1st crack to 2nd crack rapidly, so be on your toes!

Our Yemeni Offerings: Please refer to our Reference Page for definitions of terms and cupping numbers used below

Yemen Mokha Ismaili
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Ismaili	Mark:	Ismaili Mokha, Sowaid
Processing:	Natural Dry Processed	Crop:	April 2008 Arrival	Appearance:	.8 d/300gr, 15-16 Screen	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Seedstock
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.3	Notes: Ismaili is a "fabled" origin. Even in Yemen, in a local market in Sana'a, the spice-tea-qishr-coffee vendor told me his green beans (much of it broken triage coffee, mixed with cardomom pods) was truly special. "It's Ismaili coffee, " he said. I didn't mention that I slept on the floor of a villagers house the night before, in the mind-boggling vertical mountains of Ismaili, a landscape etched in stone with ancient terraces lined with ghat and coffee trees. The fact is, Ismaili has been very disappointing for the last 2 years, and when it was indeed available (and was truly Ismaili at all) it had a flat jute-bag flavor to it, and little else. So when I smelled the arrival sample of this lot, the lightest of 5 roasts I did, and I had that dry-earth smell of plant roots, I wasn't to excited. But as soon as I added water the whole character of the cup changed, and (while perhaps a bit milder than Ismaili lots of 5 years ago) I felt I was experiencing the balanced spicy, herbal and rustic tones of real Ismaili. The wet aromatics have clove and allspice with a bit of ginger, while the darker roast (FC+) is very pungent and intense, with suggestions of sarsparilla and anise. Later there are some interesting sweet notes that come out, traces of butterscotch (C+) and syrupy plum wine (FC+). Ismaili are not fruity bright Yemens, and this one is true to character. At C+ roast the first flavors to emerge are spices: fresh ginger root, a zest of pepper, anise. At FC+ it's a different beast: bittersweet pungent notes, dark herbs, chai and "roastaroma tea" notes, licorice, cinnamon stick, clove, black walnut. The body seemed heavy, but I think it is actually deceptively light and perhaps it has to do with the intensity of cup flavors as it cools. The Ismaili makes great Single Origin (SO) espresso. The cup here is more rooty and earthy than the Sharasi, more pungent and extremely long in afteraste. Note that Yemeni coffees need rest after roasting. They have more aromatics at 12 hours or 24 hours, but really develop at 72+ hours of rest after roasting. This is even more true for espresso. The best espresso I had from Ismaili was a casual experiment; 1/3 of a C+ roast rested for a week (!) and 2/3 of an FC++ roast rested for 36 hours. Fantastic!
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.9
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.3
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.3
Body - Mouthfeel (1-5)		3.5
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8.9
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1	Intensity/Prime Attribute: Bold intensity / Spice notes, brooding bittersweet character.
add 50		50	Roast: C+ to F+ … there's a very different cup character for these two roasts (see review), and I also recommend a 50-50 blend of the two roast levels - very interesting!
Score (Max. 100)		88.2	Compare to: Ismaili is a spicey, herbal, earthy, intense cup, not as bright and fruited as some other Yemeni coffees. Highly recommended for SO espresso

Yemen
Mokha Ismaili •

$7.10

$13.49

$30.89

$58.93

$109.34

Yemen Mokha Mattari
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Bani Mattar	Mark:	Mattari Mokha, Sowaid
Processing:	Natural Dry Processed	Crop:	April 2008 Arrival	Appearance:	1.4 d/300gr, 15-16 Screen	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Moka Seedstock
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.8	Notes: Bani Mattar is one of the few coffees from the growing regions surrounding the high-altitudes of Sana'a that was traditionally kept separate. All others were mixed to form "Sana'ani coffee" with decidedly mixed outcomes. But coffee in Bani Mattar is a bit different, tall old-growth trees than appear like a fruit orchard than a typical coffee farm (well, NO coffee production in Yemen looks like a coffee farm anywhere else!) When I traveled in Yemen last November, the Mattari coffees where not ready to cup yet, it was too early in the harvest. And after we were stranded in a mountain town in Ismaili overnight, our itinerary to visit Bani Mattar was disrupted. Yet when our shipment of coffees that were a direct result of the trip finally arrived at the Port of Oakland, the Mattari was a real standout coffee. The Sharasi was delicate and sweet, the Ismaili was appropriately spiced, earthy ... the Mattari was a very complete cup with unique winey tones. It was impressive. The dry fragrance has striking mature fruit character from the get-go. At C+ it has red grape, and even some hints of ripe red grapefruit. With Full City+ the fruit is still present, but somewhat eclipsed by dark chocolate roast tones. There's maple syrup sweetness in the wet aroma, and a trace of mango in the lighter roasts. The body seems thick and velvety, and overall this cup has a very deep, hushed range. After comparing the Mattari side by side to the Ismaili and Sharasi (as well as several others that did not meet our mark) this dark fruited sweetness is so apparent. Note that Yemeni coffees need rest after roasting. They have more aromatics at 12 hours or 24 hours, but really develop at 72+ hours of rest after roasting. This is even more true for espresso. The Mattari as Single Origin (SO) espresso is very dense: It remonds be quite a bit of Scharfen-berger 70% bittersweet chocolate. But I preferred the Ismaili and Sharasi for espresso
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.8
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.3
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.1
Body - Mouthfeel (1-5)		4
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9.1
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1	Intensity/Prime Attribute: Medium- Bold intensity / Dark chocolate and winey fruit
add 50		50	Roast: C+ to F+ … Winey fruited backdrop exists in the light and dark roasts, and bittersweet dark chocolate pervades the FC+ to Vienna roast levels. Allow proper resting (see review)
Score (Max. 100)		89.1	Compare to: Mattari is different than our other Yemeni offerings: Dark chocolate tones and winey fruit backdrop

Yemen
Mokha Mattari •

$7.00

$13.30

$30.45

$58.10

$107.80

Yemen Mokha Sana'ani
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Sana'ani	Mark:	Sana'ani Mokha
Processing:	Natural Dry Processed	Crop:	Mid-March 2008 Arrival	Appearance:	1.4 d/300gr, 15-16 Screen	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Seedstock
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.8	Notes: Sana'ani refers to any coffee grown in the high altitudes around the Yemeni capital of Sana'a (also Sana). A Sana'ani coffee is probably a different mix every time you buy it, since the Yemen system involves families selling to local collectors, selling to Sana collectors, then selling to exporters. It's simply the tradition there. We visited in November to explore new ways to buy distonct regional coffees, and those lots start to arrive in March-April. This is NOT one of those lots, this is a pooled Sana'ani, but it also happens to be an excellent lot with a fantastic cup! This cup has bright fruitiness at the light roasts (City) , a winey depth to the acidity, a touch of spice in the cup, and sweet tobacco hints. I love the way this coffee passes through your senses while drinking it: it begins with a burst of spice, cinnamon and clove; as the curtain lifts on the first wave of flavor a light, delicate peach-apricot fruitiness is revealed, and in the end a bit of cinnamon spiciness. The coffee has a good winey edge and dried peach-apricot fruit character but it will depend on your roast treatment of the coffee: At City+ in an air roaster, you get the maximum bright, fruited, light body cup. Slow down the roast and put it in a drum and the body is more accented (remember to rest the roast 48 hours for increased body) and a bit is taken off the top end. It has great sweet fragrance as dry grounds and wet aromatics, a rustic sweetness that I have not seen in a Yemen in a long time. In the long aftertaste, as the heat dissipates, an herbal sweetness emerges, with a clear nutmeg and mulling spice accent. I especially enjoyed light Vienna roast here also, where a dark caramelized sugar sweetness was still present, the fruit had turned broodingly winey.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.8
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.3
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.1
Body - Mouthfeel (1-5)		3.7
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1	Intensity/Prime Attribute: Bold Intensity/Exotic spices, dried fruit, rustic sweetness.
add 50		50	Roast: City+ to FC+ Roast or darker. You need to rest Yemens 2 days to allow the body to develop. Then again, cup aromas are best with a short 12-24 hour rest. Be aware of small bean size, and that Yemen produces a large amount of chaff.!
Score (Max. 100)		88.7	Compare to: Intense, complex and wild cup.

Yemen
Mokha Sana'ani •

$6.30

$11.97

$27.41

$52.29

$97.02

Yemen Mokha Sharasi
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Sharasi, Northern District	Mark:	Sharasi Mokha
Processing:	Natural Dry Processed	Crop:	April 2008 Arrival	Appearance:	1.0 d/300gr, 15-16 Screen	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Moka Seedstock
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.8	Notes: Sharasi is a coffee from north of the capital city Sana'a, and a region I had never heard of before travelling to Yemen last November. But when we cupped the separated regional lots, lots normally blended to for the generic "Sana'ani" coffee, it was clear what Sharasi was contributing to the mix; clean sweet fruited flavors. What arrived here in the container of small-lots that resulted from the November trip is a bit different from what we cupped there, more muted, lower in general tonality. But it keeps with the same theme; rustic sweet fruited notes, and quite "clean" in flavor for a Yemeni coffee. The dry fragrance has sorghum syrup sweetness in the light roasts, turning to aromatic wood notes (sandalwood scent) at FC+. I did some test roasts specifically for SO espresso (Single-origin espresso, i.e. not a blend) as soon as I realized what a balanced sweetness it had. Single-origin Yemen espresso has always finished too hidey, leathery, dusty-dirty for me. I knew right off this lot (and actually all 3 arrival lots) had incredible SO espresso potential. There's a sweet rye bread fragrance in the light roasts too, and a bit of light molasses. Darker roasts are more pungent in aroma, "noir" in character, intense and less delicate. There's spicy star anise notes, cinnamon stick, and some dried apple. The light roast cups a bit milder at first than one might anticipate from Yemeni coffees, but intensifies greatly as it cools. The body is elegant and buttery, there's a bit of butterscotch, and a dusting of cocoa. As it cools, more dried fruit notes emerge, like the real health-food store (unsulphered) dried apricot and peach. Darker roasts are less complex; roast bittersweetness overtakes the mild fruited tones. But pull a shot of an FC+ to Vienna roast and those apple-and-apricot fruit flavors re-emerge. Note that Yemeni coffees need rest after roasting. They have more aromatics at 12 hours or 24 hours, but really develop at 72+ hours of rest after roasting. This is even more true for espresso.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		4
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.5
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9
Body - Mouthfeel (1-5)		3.6
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9.4
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1	Intensity/Prime Attribute: Medium-Bold intensity / Rustic sweetness, fruits, spice
add 50		50	Roast: C+ to FC+ to Vienna … there's a very different cup character between light and dark roasts. It needs proper resting either way.
Score (Max. 100)		89.3	Compare to: Intense, complex and wild cup. Perhaps Sharasi seems milder than other Yemeni coffees, but becomes intense and complex as it cools. SO espresso is fantastic

Yemen
Mokha Sharasi •

$7.20

$13.68

$31.32

$59.76

$110.88

Yemen Qishr (Tea)
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Mixed	Mark:	Mohamed Sowaid
Processing:	Natural Dry Processed Skins	Crop:	April 2008 Arrival	Appearance:		Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Moka Seedstock Coffee Shells
Dry Fragrance (1-5)			Notes: Qishr is an infused tea beverage that you make using the dried coffee husks of the coffee fruit, a by-product of of the natural dry-process method. Oddly, Yemen is one of the few places that produces top quality Qishr. But this is fitting since this is the true Qishr too, from the first place to grow coffee commercially, Yemen. And this is the first time Sweet Maria's has ever offered a tea! But since it is made from the fruit of the coffee tree, we feel justified in making an exception. Qishr goes by many names, often phonetic interpretations of the true arabic name: Keshir, Kishir, Gesh, Quishir. If you like herbal tea, and have some forgiveness of rustic flavors, you will enjoy Qishr! I brew it straight, with no added ingredients such as sugar, spice, etc. and it is outstanding. You will detect flavors such as rose hips, fresh ginger and other spices. You can also make Yemen Ginger Tea with Qishr, where you actually add ginger, sugar and other ingredients ... but I suggest you try it with no additives at least once. I think you will find it complex and satisfying without adding other flavors. How to brew it? The husks themseves do not need to be ground - you can brew it as it comes to you from us. Use the same proportions as coffee brewing, one SCAA coffee scoop of Qishr to 5 oz very hot water. I make it just as you "cup" coffee, put one scoop in a cup, pour over with waterjust off a boil. It benefits greatly from stirring during infusion. Steep 4-6+ minutes. The husks will (mostly) sink, and you can simply drink right from the cup. It actually improves as it steeps longer. Of course you can use tea-brewing devices, but a tea ball won't be large enough, generally. You can use a woven tea basket. But you can make Qishr best in a French Press if you are preparing more than one cup. To make the flavored Yemen Ginger Tea with Qishr you boil it with the hot water and other additives. In Ethiopia I am told they roast the Qishr first, but I am not familiar with this technique.				Yemeni Qishr (dried coffee skins) Qishr as it was served to me in Yemen on my last trip.
Wet Aroma (1-5)
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)
Flavor - Depth (1-10)
Body - Mouthfeel (1-5)
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)
Cupper's Correction (1-5)			Intensity/Prime Attribute: Tea beverage with unique spices, ginger, tamarind, fruit
add 50			Roast: Don't roast it, if you want to do this Yemeni style. I am told in Ethiopia it is roasted before steeping.
Score (Max. 100)			Compare to: Similar to herbal infusion teas, especially dried rose hips. Not that we sell Qishr in a 1/2 Lb bag. Because of the light weight, this fills one of our bags we use for 2 Lbs. of coffee. 1/2 Lb. is a great quantity to try this out, resulting in around 15-30 5 oz cups, depending on your steep method. We have a limited amount, hence the restriction of 1/2 Lb per order.

Yemen
Qishr Tea •

$4.80
($4.80 for 1/2 Lb. Bag)

Qishr is dried coffee husks. 1/2 Lb. Limit

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