COFFEE COUNTRY: YEMEN
HISTORY
Coffee was first planted in Yemen in the 17th century as merchants sought to produce coffee for their personal use and for trade with Europe. From these trade routes, coffee spread in popularity and, by the late 1600s, Yemen established itself as the world's coffee powerhouse. The enormous Dutch plantations in Java were planted from Yemeni coffee plants and, from there, fed plants to the rest of the New World.
However due to political troubles and natural disasters, Yemen has transitioned from one of the wealthiest countries to one of the most war-torn countries, dependent on foreign aid. Currently suffering from a severe water shortage, what water that is available for agriculture is often used for the production of qat, used by the medical industry. Political conflicts further exacerbate challenges with international shipping and logistics, all of which leads to a higher costs of production and thereby the price of coffee.
Yemen's coffee future remains uncertain but the profile and history ensure a continuing demand for good specialty coffee from the region. The varieties grown in the somewhat arid climate here and under full sun tend toward more deep chocolate tones, and the Natural processing contributes a dynamic winey characteristic that gives dimension and nuance.
OVERVIEW: YEMEN
GROWING REGIONS
Bani Mater, Bani Hammad, Bura’a, Haraaz, Haimateen
COMMON VARIETIES
Dawairi, Jaadi, Tuffahi
PROCESSING METHODS
Natural
HARVEST PERIOD
October – March
Bean Life Coffee keeps a consistently rotating stock of coffees from around the world. See what we currently have available!