Have a mocha! What does mocha mean?

The word "Mocha" may be the most ambiguous word in the Chinese coffee industry. It is a transliteration of a foreign word and has multiple meanings in coffee industry terminology.

① The wildness of Yemen Mocha;

② The chocolate flavor of Ethiopian Mocha (Harra Mokka);

③ Cafe Mocha is sweet and smooth, a favorite of dessert lovers;

④For making coffee, there is a Moka pot (Moka Express or Mocha pot), which is still the first choice for breakfast coffee in many families.

Even a kind of bread with chocolate and coffee is called mocha bread.

There are so many "Mocha", what is "Mo" and what is "Ka"? Now let's follow the whereabouts of Mocha and trace its origin.

The origin of the name Mocha

Although Ethiopia was the first country in the world to discover coffee, Yemen was the first country in the world to produce coffee on a large scale as an agricultural crop.

In the early 17th century, the first batch of Yemeni coffee was exported to Europe via the ancient small port of Mocha, which amazed the Europeans. Because all exported coffee sacks were printed with the MOCHA mark to prove that they were transported from Mocha, the Europeans called the delicious coffee shipped from Mocha "Mocha Coffee". This is why Mocha became synonymous with coffee in the early days.

Ethiopia, which is separated from Yemen by a sea, also exports coffee through the port of Mocha, so Ethiopian sun-dried coffee is often called Mocha (such as Ethiopia Harra Mokka). Yemen Mocha is the originator of the world coffee trade. Yemen has made an indelible contribution to the promotion of delicious coffee to the world. It is called "Arabia Coffee", which is also the origin of the name "Original Arabica".

Tips:

The difference between Ethiopian Mocha and Yemeni Mocha:

The coffee in Yemen was introduced from Ethiopia, and until now it still retains the same native species as that in Ethiopia. Therefore, in order to facilitate the distinction, the coffee industry later called the coffee produced in Yemen and Ethiopia Yemen Mocha and Ethiopian Mocha respectively.

So here we find the true origin of Mocha – Yemen.

Difficult growth history

1

Harsh geographical environment

Yemen's geographical environment is not very advantageous. Located in the Arabian Peninsula, desert, drought and storm are another kind of scenery. Just like the countries hidden in North Africa and West Asia, it is full of dry Gobi and desert. Although it is located on the coast of the Red Sea, it still maintains the most complete Arab tradition.

Such geography and environment have created the unique Yemeni Mocha.

The coffee here grows in the arid mountainous areas without the use of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Some farmers even pick the coffee berries directly after they dry on the trees.

2

Wild and natural taste

Mocha coffee beans are smaller and rounder than most coffee beans, and are light green, which makes them look more like peas. Mocha coffee beans are similar in appearance to Ethiopian Harar coffee beans, with small particles, high acidity, and a strange and indescribable fermentation taste.

Yemen Mocha has the same chocolate flavor as Ethiopian Mocha, but Yemen Mocha is wilder and more natural.

A good glass of Yemeni Mocha can fully satisfy what we want: "rich taste", "fresh aroma", "smoothness", "sweetness", "good mellowness", "sweet and lingering aftertaste"... and the red wine aroma that continues in the aftertaste is also one of its major features.

Of course, the Yemeni Mocha, which is loved by coffee connoisseurs, may not necessarily be favored by those who prefer light tastes because of its strong personality and wild and rich taste.

Yemeni Mocha coffee has distinct flavor characteristics, special taste, and varied layers. It has a strong sour taste, the kind of pleasant fruity acidity, and a distinct chocolate flavor. The stronger the coffee, the easier it is to taste the chocolate flavor.

Therefore, in order to better experience the unique taste of Yemeni Mocha coffee, people now add hot chocolate to coffee to make fancy Mocha coffee.

Feelings make prices

The price of Yemeni coffee in the international market has always been high, mainly because Yemeni coffee is very popular in countries and regions where "Turkish" coffee is popular.

In Saudi Arabia, Yemeni Mocha is so favored that people there would rather pay a high price for Mocha coffee of lower quality. This special love for Mocha makes the price of Mocha coffee in the world coffee market remain high.

Due to low production and dwindling coffee plantations, Yemeni Mocha is becoming increasingly popular, but it is difficult to taste authentic Yemeni Mocha in ordinary coffee shops.

The legend continues

Many years ago, the external transportation industry of the coffee-producing countries in the entire Middle East and Africa was not prosperous. Mocha, Yemen was the main export commercial port near the Red Sea at that time. Most of the coffee produced in Africa was first transported to the port of Mocha, Yemen, and then exported to Europe.

Many years later, African coffee countries have gradually developed their own export ports and no longer rely on Mocha Port. Mocha Port has also retreated inland due to siltation. Instead, Mombasa Port, Durban Port, Beiva Port, etc. have become some of the emerging coffee export ports in Africa, but Yemen Mocha is still continuing the coffee legend in its own way...