Yemen Mocca Mattari Sana’a Governorate Yemen: Mocca Mattari, Sana’a Governorate

OK, this one sure caught me by surprise... I take back all the things I thought about you when I first inspected the beans. This was my first experience with a Yemen and when I saw the very small and irregular looking beans I thought you sent me the "leftovers" from the bottom of the bag. I remembered "it's all about the cup" and decided to go ahead and roast some... WOW, this is a really good coffee! Maybe you should include a little about it's appearance in the description to prepare newbies for what to expect. Thanks for all the good service and coffees!

Matari is my favorite bean. However, the size of the coffee beans is not constant. Also, there are more defects than other beans. You must do a hand pick. This is a bean that requires a lot of effort. However, it is very fragrant and has a good flavor. It is not always possible to buy from this site, so it is recommended to try it when it is in stock.

Yemeni beans have become harder and harder to find, particularly well handled beans, due mostly to the on-going war in Yemen. As a result, I've taken to keeping a Google alert for Yemen coffee beans, and every so often, some make it into the U.S. market, notwithstanding the U.S. condoned war there. I'm rarely disappointed for the wait. I'm a big lover of many types of African coffee beans, particularly Ethiopian. And I find Yemeni beans to be comparable and sometimes better than even some of the best Ethiopian beans. The five pounds I ordered here have lived up to my expectations. Although they were small and of different quality (which leads to a challenge in obtaining a consistent roast), the flavor of the beans (at a second crack dark or City roast) includes dark chocolate and fruit tones, with a smooth (not acidic) finish. If you've never tried Yemeni beans, but you like African coffees (or more particularly, Ethiopian coffees), take the plunge! You won't be disappointed!

First I tried roasting it to my usual medium-dark, and the result was a scorched, bitter, over-roasted cup. Then I roasted it to medium (17 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius), and discovered that that is where this coffee shines. The result was a rich complexity, smooth yet bold. Not easy for me to describe. I ended up mixing it 50-50 with medium roast Brazilian Fazenda da Lagoa which gave it a mild chocolatey flavor. Every drop was delightful. I sold it under the label 'Fazenda Mocca.'

I got a pound of Ishmali along with some Java to make some classic Mocha Java purely for nostaligic reasons, but after trying the Ishmali I forgot all about the Java, LOL. I sent most of what I roasted to my kids so they could experience first hand why chocolate flavored coffee is called "Mocha." But when I tried to order more, OF COURSE the Ishmali was no longer available :-( so I tried the Matari. My memory is not the best but it seems to be not quite as chocolaty as the Ismali, but still, from espresso to Cafe au Lait, no matter how you brew this the chocolaty goodness is evident. I just wish I could afford to drink it all the time.

Hands down best coffee in circulation! City roast for best experience.

One of the finest coffees I have ever tasted and worth every penny.

Excellent coffee. Worth the extra cost. Get it while it's still available.

This Yemen has a very unique flavor and does well with pourovers. I like to roast light and the flavor does not disappoint. I wait 72 hours after roasting to drink. It has great body with a hint of brightness. Excellent. Highly recommended.

A real Holiday treat! Roasted medium it has wonderful med-heavy body, hints of Smokey dark chocolate. Love coffees from Yemen but these beans are superior.

A big fan of Yemen coffee. Definitely one to keep on hand and roast for that special cup for weekends and other special occasions. Price point does not make this an everyday drinker. I roast just a touch into 2nd crack. Yes, bean are irregular, hard to hear 2nd crack, lots of chaff, but makes an exception cup of coffee.

Maybe the best coffee made available by CBC, Yemen beans are to hard to come by, these are my all time favorite. I find them a bit temperamental to dial in but the result always pleases. I edge the roast up to Vienna, I just prefer darker roasts but somewhere slotted between full city + and a dark roast is the sweet spot for my tastes. Well balanced, rich as Yemen should be, earthy with a dark cocoa and birch beer note. The aroma is unmistakable. If you read up on the origins of Yemeni coffee you can almost taste it in the cup and fully appreciate the luxury of this bean. This is more than just a cup of morning joe, this is truly an exploration of a distinct taste of an old world coffee that delivers on its history.

Initial reaction to the green beans: 1. small and irregular with some larger beans thrown in. Typical of Arabica (fragile) beans 2. it had a distinct aroma almost like alcohol as if fermenting almost like they were old beans. Roasting: 1. Many beans did not roast and were discarded 2. A lot of chaff and some stuck to the beans and not removed Grinding: 1. Aroma much different than was expected (a good unexpected') Brewing: 1. Aroma much different than was expected (a good unexpected') Taste: 1. WOW I cannot believe this is the same coffee described above - Delicious! 2. Packaging is not always indicative of the prize inside! 3. This is one of the finest coffees I have ever had! 4. Treat yourself and try this coffee you will not be disappointed! 5. I definitely would order this again!

High Quality I strongly recommend it; the beans were roasted to medium for espresso (chocolate milk color like maybe slightly darker), made a cafe latte with a ratio 1 oz espresso shot to 5 oz of foamed milk, the result was a very smooth nut taste Latte without the bitterness and sourness.

I am suspecting that this is an acquired taste. Shocking at first but by the second cup I started enjoying it.

mixed 1 part mocha with 2 parts Indonesian java and we are very pleased with the deep rich flavor that resulted. After allowing it to breathe for 3 days, we have now this this our Sunday coffee go-to. I personally recommend roasting it from a full city-roast to almost a French roast. This tends to give it a lot more flavor.

The Yemeni Mocca - matari is an excellent coffee. I buy different varieties of unroasted beans, both Arabica and Robusta for my morning cup. I roasted the moccaa - matari to a full city roast. The flavor is amazingly great, lingers on your tongue for a while. It has a good chocolaty , winey flavor. I strongly recommend this coffee to any coffee lover. As a matter of fact coffee bean corral has the lowest price per pound. I will buy this coffee again.

Balanced acidity brings out a wide range of flavors which could be summarized as a wild complex chocolate bomb when taken approx. 30 sec into 2nd crack. A fun exotic aromatic rich coffee. I really like it!

Russ, assuming this is from the same lot from which i purchased a short while ago, it's a winner. In addition to the "usual"..or unusual qualities in a Yemen, there was also a nice bottom end. I use it as a 15% component in my espresso blend as well. A reminder to those roasting this...let it rest at least 2 days...or 3...and it constantly changes as it ages! I like mine about 6 days after roast. I take mine just a couple of cracks into 2nd. Discard any ultra light beans, but keep the dark tan ones.
I don't think it's possible to say too much for personal preferences and your review exemplifies it - thank you.
TIP: learn what takes place at each phase of the roasting process (read "Roast Styles / Names" in the coffee school section) then roast your coffee the way you like it, to bring out the qualities you want - good job!!
Russ

how do you roast this bean?