Yemenia: Bigger than Gesha?

The Auction: allianceforcof...
The Lots: www.qimacoffee...
More on Yemenia: www.qimacoffee...
Thank you to Qima for taking the time to speak with me, and also for providing additional footage from Yemen.
The full interview will be available on Patreon soon. It may be published here in the future.
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[@hashem8533]

I really would like an educational video on the genetic variety of coffee

[@scalwi]

Agreed, that would be great.

[@onmingz170]

yes please.

[@vincentnicholson3946]

For real. I always hear about varietals and have no doubted tastes many different ones, but have no concept of what the differences are and what the “coffee map” looks like.

[@Wellthisisnotwhatiintended]

@@vincentnicholson3946 his book is called coffee atlas for a reason xD

[@hybridce99]

@@vincentnicholson3946 Agreed, his book is very well written and informative, highly recommend.

[@meznaalhaddad9093]

As a Yemeni I'm so proud of him and what he's doing for Yemen. It seems like all the news from Yemen are bad and to see something positive coming from my country just makes me feel happy and excited for the future of Yemen. 💜

[@endoalley680]

I hope all is well wih you if you are in Yemen. Itcertainly doesnt seem fair to the average citizen what is going on there.

[@YusifM411]

I’m from Yemen as well do you live in Yemen ?

[@saphone9758]

Yemen is the origin of coffee!

[@brekkoh]

This guy seems like a great orator to have at the spearhead of the Yemenia coffee initiative. Not too much wax poetic, despite the fact he is clearly super passionate about it.

[@reallivebluescat]

Right?

[@ali-kv3qt]

كفوو يالشيباني ، أنشاء الله البراند رقم واحد بالعالم حضرمي مر من هنا

[@NickLashinsky0]

passionate about... extra demand and margin on the coffee he's already been sourcing and selling? sorry, I'm skeptical this is not much more than marketing fluff.

[@MegaMegaman2011]

@@NickLashinsky0 it's not just marketing fluff. It's a complete fabrication. Look at this article world coffee research put out last week apparently in response to this. worldcoffeeresearch.org/work/measuring-genetic-diversity-coffea-arabica/yemeni-coffeehow-genetically-diverse-it/ Keep in mind that this is the same organization that his only researcher on the project used to be the president of.

[@antoniogiovannicatanese4788]

@@NickLashinsky0 I don't think that they discovered anything, no new strain, yemenia varieties are as old as the world. It seems that there has been a war down there..

[@brekkoh]

I appreciate the wardrobe consistency between the intro and the actual interview

[@ushere5791]

yes! i too found these nice gentlemen very harmonious to watch.

[@suyashjoshi5851]

I came in here to comment just this! This guy is professionalism personified!

[@mrrizkhan3000]

The work he is doing at promoting Yemen and ensuring farmers get the most from this is truly inspiring. Yemen has suffered so much, it is very exciting that coffee has the potential to help the people of Yemen both financially and in giving them a spot on the world stage of coffee. They are able to better their circumstances and we get an exciting new type of coffee to enjoy. Truly a win win scenario.

[@cjj7107]

Hmmm would be an exciting update for The World Atlas of Coffee book (version 3?) :) As a simple coffee drinker, I'm glad to have read your book so I get to understand what you two were talking about.

[@chens8830]

CJ J i just ordered the second edition. Looks like i should have waited for this content to be put in LOL.

[@cjj7107]

@@chens8830 Haha but still - yay! Good for you. You won't regret the knowledge you'll gain from the 2nd edition (i feel) :)

[@athenosadamson9713]

This is the most fascinating thing I’ve watched all day. Thank you.

[@michaelbjansen]

I lived in Yemen when I was growing up and spent a lot of time in farms just like the ones shown in the video. There is no country more deserving of the kind of benefits that a strong coffee industry and sustainable supply chain can bring. And I'm so happy to see this being led by Faris and the team. Really beautiful.

[@satanismybrother]

I live how keen Qima is to educate. From telling the story of Yemen, to publishing scientific papers and collaborating with Kew Gardens. Really inspiring!

[@bottledxviolence5436]

Thank you James for putting focus on this war torn region. Had some coffee from Yemen this year, Al-Enab provided by Coffee Collective. Super complex, sweet nut flavours along with fig. The high price was 100% worth it, expecially when you see that farmers get 800+ percent of the regular price. A couple of month to go but it's my coffee of the year so far.

[@jononthejourney]

“A social crop” such a great way to view it. The passion from Qima was absolutely wonderful and engaging.

[@TS-ws8mh]

Yesss, I’ve been hoping for more interview based videos from you! This is spectacular

[@TheVirtualMantis]

This is absolutely fascinating! I worry about the future of coffee, in regard to climate change and sustainability. An entirely new variety is so exciting, and it's wonderful that new innovations are still being found. Thank you for allowing us this insight.

[@nomansaeed4972]

Interesting conversation. Would love to see more coffee discussions.

[@animeshjain4539]

Simply blown away by this discovery of a new group of coffee varieties and bowled over by the passion of the man behind it. Thanks James for introducing Faris into our lives.

[@mr_glasses]

I really enjoyed this and would love to see similar chats in the future. I feel like I learned a lot more than just "here's a new variety/group of coffee" but about all that is or can be involved in the process. I'm also really really curious about trying some and hope I can some time in the future :) Thanks for this.

[@noahdale3750]

What an exciting conversation and discovery. Here’s to Yemen and its future!

[@MangoTheRetriever]

It is so cool that he cares and remembers his heritage while doing something he loves.

[@The_T-Man]

This sounds like a fascinating coffee and I would support this endeavor just based on its concept. I am a huge proponent of providing farmers more access to markets and margins so yes I would pay more for it providing that the quality is there.

[@Robinzorz]

This conversation is super interesting, the man representing the coffee and the country is knowledgeable and likeable and I really want to try some Yemenia coffee!

[@remedioslomax1503]

Seeing someone so passionate about coffee really encourages me to learn more about it! What a great insight!

[@rdpsysium7340]

I love when passionate people talk to each other. The enthusiasm is palpable! Also, those terraces were beautiful. Would love to see more of Yemen. Looking forward to trying Yemenia when it becomes widely available. Thanks James!

[@hybridce99]

Hi James! Love the channel. To answer your question: I love Geisha coffee, though I've only had it from Esmeralda, a Costa Rican farm, and a Columbian farm. Esmeralda's was just delicious and so subtle/nuanced. I paid a lot for it, but well worth it. I definitely am excited about Yemenia coffee, would love to try it. I would pay more for it....coffee for me is like liquor for a lot of folks...you buy a pricey bottle every now and then as a treat.

[@ehtikhet]

Fascinating! Absolutely brilliant interview, let’s hope that insights like this can help Yemeni coffees to flourish and develop in the midst of a terrifying conflict.

[@_orodrigofernandes]

James Hoffmann is just fascinating. How this man can talk about coffee so deeply passionately is a real joy to watch. I drink mostly insta coffee, but love to watch this man content. Keep going, James!

[@vaughanchapman2930]

This got me excited! Legit! The discovery, the quality, the way forward: tracing, distribution and making sure the right people reap the rewards. This is really awesome! This got me a lot more excited than an equipment review. Thank you!

[@jelena27]

Thank you James! This was such an interesting topic

[@thisamericanwifepod]

Fascinating, thank you, this was a lovely way to learn about this rather than just reading an article.

[@aprillou]

First heard about Yemeni coffee when I read the “Monk of Mokha” book by David Eggers. Great interview, btw!

[@Aaron_French]

I’m living in Daegu, South Korea and recently got to try some Yemeni coffee. Really fantastic stuff

[@hybridce99]

Curious, how do you get specialty coffee in South Korea? I visit Korea about once every 2 years, primarily Seoul, and the coffee culture there seems to be focused on either amazing milk based coffee drinks or iced americanos. I never saw a place with pour overs with beans from central america or africa. Curious what your experience is.

[@soccerjunho]

@@hybridce99 Next time you visit Seoul, Korea, search google map for Coffee Libre, Terarosa coffee, Namusairo Coffee. They have multiple coffee shop locations throughout Seoul which serves various high-end pour-overs. FourB has a great americano, Coffee Temple has award-winning barista Sa-hong Kim with his specialty: tangerine latte.

[@hybridce99]

@@soccerjunho Ooh thanks for the tip! Tangerine latte...is that made using Cheju tangerines? Definitely will check those places out, thanks!

[@soccerjunho]

@@hybridce99 I am pretty sure that most of Korean tangerine is from Jeju island. Coffee Temple recently opened a coffee shop located in one of the tangerine orchards in Jeju which gives us more evidence of using Jeju tangerine. Check out a Korean bloggers post. shorturl.at/prwU1

[@arcoirisaycaramba2857]

@@hybridce99 I don't know how they acquire it, but I can tell you that specialty pourovers are quite common in South Korea. It is usually just the big coffee chains or the extremely small cafes that focus solely on espresso-based drinks. Most mid-sized privately run cafes would offer a range of specialty beans.

[@dannisantiago7252]

My bucket list keeps on growing & growing! Never had coffee from Yemen and now it’s making me so intrigued & I have to find some!

[@claudio7664]

One of the best coffee I ever had was from Yemen, it was on par with cup of excellence winning coffee in my opinion. Very unique flavor and super delicious. Almost like a piece of delicious cake, hints of almonds yet sweet. Unfortunately, the quality varies quite a lot, but definitely worth a try. I'm not an expert, just a coffee-loving person. Just my personal opinion.

[@Alice_Walker]

I could listen to Qima talk for hours, what a fabulous conversation 💜 I would absolutely pay more to support an industry that was this special!

[@marcdefaoite]

Such an articulate and passionate chap. More coffee interviews like this please.

[@nabaomer5245]

Loving this, way to go Qima Coffee!

[@darrenmain7711]

Please, the prettiest of pleases. Do a podcast. I need this kind of content in a format I can enjoy on a long drive!!

[@armLocalhost]

I knew a founder of another coffee company from Yemen called Port of Mokha. He also worked with farms and helped them to set up modern coffee processing facilities and the coffee imported from their farms was amazing.

[@dannisantiago7252]

Knowing the story about how things get into the cup, being so labor intensive, and having that meticulous picking & processing will make more people understand and appreciate that part of where their money goes. And so, stories like these has to be shared. Gotta educate people!

[@mattbowditch4236]

Loved that discussion so much. It's almost enough to make me sign up to your Patreon just to access the full version!

[@caleblatreille8224]

really amazing discussion! Definitely plan on splurging on Yemenia in future and hope to see more of this kind of thing on the channel. I've always wondered why Italy's model of Protected Designation of Origin hasn't spread to other countries and industries. There may be downsides I'm not aware of but seems like it's not only protective of farmers but also has downstream benefits for tourism, etc.

[@Austrianman11]

In Europe it's actually quite common to have protected regional foods. Think Champagne for instance but it exists all across the EU at least and through the whole culinary sector

[@willismason6447]

Just saw this episode on discovery of Yemeni in your playlist. For me it is one of your most interesting videos you have made. I would love to see a series of videos where you teach us about different coffee growing regions, different coffee bean varieties and their growing conditions, processing techniques and general resulting flavor characteristics. Also about the associated grower communities and what conditions they face being a coffee growing community. Finally an episode about the environmental and climate change threats to coffee growing and any work to improve genetic diversity in coffee plants while maintaining the unique and flavorful taste characteristics. Thanks for your awesome shows.

[@danh.owdoyoudo]

Loved the conversation, really looking forward to trying the coffee

[@buzzing8365]

Finally we have someone talking about our best product highlighting it and showing and displaying it . Thank you and keep up the good work and may Allah bless you. Love ❤️ from Yemen 🇾🇪

[@OrlaHoulihan]

Halfway through the video I ordered some Yemenia direct from Qima, and am looking forward to trying it. Thanks for sharing this with us and making it easy for us to support the efforts of Faris and his team.

[@StuffdPup]

Damn, this was so good. I absolutely love learning more about world coffee culture, and this was wonderful. I'd love even more about this topic, even something like the original brewing method!

[@InmoRealty]

You are not just incredibly articulate but also a great interviewer. Many interviewers interrupt too much. Your questions were so good and to the point that Mr. Qima just had to tell his story with the structure that your questions provided.

[@DancingSpacePotato]

When I know my money goes to who it should be going to I’m willing to spend more. Especially if it’s a new product or an emerging market. I hope to be able to splurge on coffees when I see Yeminia pop up somewhere around me. Another thing I’m quite excited about it simply learning more. I’ll be poking around for papers written about this. Maybe even an update to the World Atlas of Coffee 👀

[@Steve-iv5nn]

I agree, but if you look at the latest auction prices for Yemenia beans, I do not think I can afford to help them this round. There were 20 lots averaging $54 per pound with the highest being $207 per pound. I assume shipping, handling, storage, roasting, and profit will be added to this cost.

[@simonmitchell9274]

I got your book as a Christmas present and found the section on Yemeni coffee so I ordered some. It is delicious, full of dark fruits, deliciously distinctive as well as superior to most varieties I have tasted so far. So, thank you for the introduction, I am now hooked on my new best friend from Yemen.

[@kaeptnkrunch9212]

I saw this video today and it was so wonderful to hear the conversation. I learned a lot more about coffee culture and history of coffee culture in Yemen. I also placed my first Batch Yemenia Order today. I'm so excited to test this Coffee and share this with some friends.

[@irunchef752]

when I saw the bean pop up in your Square Mile online store I immediately ordered it and then came back to watch the video a second time to really get excited for it getting delivered!!

[@michaelsherwin456]

This is the most exciting discovery I've watched here In a while!! And... I've never been bored. Well done guys!

[@dubDJfallen]

Really fantastic! I really look forward to not only tasting but also seeing the impact of Yemenia in the coming years. New flavor profiles are always exciting but what really had me appreciating this discovery is the potential it has to safeguard the future of coffee. This may be the beginning of a more resilient/hardy variety which simply put, would be an incredible success! Cheers ☕

[@YunisRajab]

This is the kind of stuff that makes proud to be from Yemen. I'm really excited to see the coffee blow up because I've never had better coffee than what I had back home.

[@peterr4390]

Colonna’s Yemeni release from Qima was one of the most interesting coffees I have had the past few years

[@slacktheman]

I absolutely love the intelligent and well-informed questions that you ask (not that I expected any less!)

[@heatherens6941]

A very good book related to this topic is The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers. It's an incredible read and touches on a lot of challenges faced trying to export coffee from Yemen.

[@idukes]

Thank you James! This was so exciting and fascinating what a terrific topic and guest!

[@flvera]

An amazing conversation. Really interesting not only to coffee enthusiast, but also to people looking for new values in his markets and territories.

[@noohoozfurra]

I think Qima's addendum, was one of the most touching and inspiring things I've heard, concerning any food or drink item, at any time in recent history. Beauty and hope, through crisis...wonderful...

[@TNUni167]

Yemen Mocha coffee is one of my favorite. It's extremely low acidity and very chocolatey. It's very rare and expensive if you find it. Do yourself a favor and try this coffee if you can.

[@abdulwahabcenan4168]

Yes, u r right

[@arvedpi1784]

Made my day! So interesting and fascinating, keep up the great work, love your videos!!!

[@JeffJacquesmd]

Absolutely wonderful interview and great to hear about this new varietal. Can't wait to get assess to.some myself and dial it in at home

[@ronnedejong7641]

Wow! This is so interesting! Thanks for giving this man a platform!

[@lecolintube]

I’d love to hear a follow up on this! Thanks so much for a wonderful interview and video!

[@dan110024]

This is one of the best coffee videos I've watched. I need more!

[@eggmayo9507]

This is such exciting news. I wish these farmers all the best. Thanks for bringing us this story, James.

[@richardemerson8075]

What an amazing story -- really fascinating, so full of hope, and communicated with such passion. Thanks to Qima and thanks to you James for bringing this to us. Wonderful :D

[@matthewsleeman6716]

Super interesting and exciting. Great stuff! Qima's wrap up at the end was inspirational.

[@anguswalker104]

I have tried some Yemen coffee roasted locally by Colonna (Bath, UK). It was lovely and I'm really looking forward to more of it becoming available later this year.

[@Yupppi]

More of this kind of videos please, if just possible in the future! Very, very interesting!

[@ozzy1280]

Very eye opening and exciting! Thanks for sharing this James.

[@bbqribz570]

wildly excited about this discovery. i wasn't into coffee during the discovery of Geisha and once i finally had some, i wasn't terribly impressed. Seriously can't wait to get my hands on some. Also, i noticed on the Qima website, on the Auction page, the Square mile link, is linking to a different website.

[@Lofimanify]

Hi, James! Love the videos. Could you do one on Turkish coffee? Maybe it could even evolve into a series where you discuss different styles from all over the world.

[@LookingForAnotherPlanet]

From the trouble he takes to get rid of the fines in a French press brew (wait, let the particulates settle to the bottom), I would guess that Turkish coffee is the exact opposite of what James likes.

[@Ragoom_]

Heck yes sign me up for these coffees as soon as they're around.

[@janetruedrich6354]

Good for you for helping him get this info out to people!

[@ethan073]

Loved listening to him. Fascinating conversation!

[@KahveSakal]

Every Yemeni coffee I ever tried surprised me! I'm not waiting non less from Yemenia. Very excited! It's a shame that this beautiful country with big heritage suffering right now cuz of politics. Insallah peace come them soon and we can enjoy our Yemenia coffees in Yemen. As-salamu alaykum

[@kaikai8012]

love your videos, learned a lot about coffee from you. Keep up the good work

[@tlniec]

I'm definitely intrigued by the possibilities Yemenia presents, and look forward to trying it. But I'm perhaps even more interested in learning more of the incredible story behind Yemenia that Qima outlined near the end of the interview!

[@quarkraven]

James, this in my opinion is one of your best videos ever. The best I've seen. I bet I don't have to explain why, but just in case: this video is dynamic, historical, interviews a fascinating person, and represents both a country and a people who are underrepresented not only in coffee, but online and in general in the world. So thank you. I know it's more work but you'd make a Patron out of me with more such videos.

[@melldot]

Super excited thank you for this info. Excellent interview.

[@tjleonardo530]

I finally got hold of some as it came available today (3rd Aug '21) from Qima, my word, what a different and amazing coffee, if this is one possible coffee future due to the ravages of climate change then there's big silver lining in the cloud. My coffee is very mildly funky, quite fermenty but in a softly fermented dark fruit heading towards really nice alcohol territory, such a great place to be. Wow, wow, wow. Mr Hoffman you are such a bad influence on me.

[@JunglePplAssmanSam]

I'm not a coffee expert but I appreciate the passion and thoughtfulness within the conversation. I'd give it a go.

[@accesser]

Lovely interview, please do more with this subject

[@thomashewlett277]

"This treasure within the ruins..." A beautiful story indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing how this unfolds for the farmers of Yemen and coffee lovers around the world.

[@daltoncanter]

In terms of Gesha/Geisha I find generally I’m not always in love with the quality to cost ratio. I’ve drank several cups that were absolutely mesmerizing, but I’ve also been let down and disappointed. Yemenia, on the other hand, seems to have tons more potential considering the loads of varietals possibly buried within the family. My question largely becomes, would Square Mile consider buying Yemenia in quantities similar to Gesha purchases, and what would that price point look like both for Square Mile and the industry at large?

[@BBB_025]

I am sure everyone will be closely watching the results of the auction for these lots! I suspect the price(s) will be quite volatile for the first many auctions/lots.

[@rubendariobatistabocharel7561]

The problem with your comparison is... Geisha IS a variety; but yemenia is not, is an umbrella term, so who knows what varietal you tasted.

[@BBB_025]

Qima Coffee posted some nearly illegible screenshots of the Auction results on their Instagram. Looks like most of the lots sold well over $100 (USD?) per pound with at least one of them selling for $203 per pound. You can imagine by the time shipping and roasting is added o the value chain, these first lots will be very expensive for end users. I also didn't see Square Mile listed a winning bidder on any lots. Alliance for Coffee members may be able to see the results but it doesn't look like they have been posted for general users.

[@danmatthewtan8027]

For a person whose relatively just getting into the deep dive of the coffee world, this just sounds completely mind blowing to me!

[@XiangYu94]

Qima Coffee & James Hoffman are doing some historic stuff - This is essentially what the Argentinian Merlot producers did successfully in the 90's: Exporting geography via genetic brands.

[@julescg]

Fascinating! Kudos to Faris for doing actual work to improve outcomes for Yemeni farmers, not to mention bringing new flavours to coffee enthusiasts.

[@bradyvilhauer4445]

James smiles, good to know XD Super interesting talk here. I'll support Yemenia at some point! Sounds dope

[@CoffeeReviews]

I've tried quite a few Yemen cofffees and I'm surprised by the immense history of coffee from that region. Will be reviewing a Yemeni from George Howell in a few weeks on my channel

[@nathancutler232]

Is it a Yemenia coffee or Yameni coffee? Because it sounds like all the other varieties exist in Yemen as well.

[@YoshBagoche]

@@nathancutler232 it's definitely not the new variety. The first lots won't be auctioned until later this month.

[@CoffeeReviews]

@@nathancutler232 it sounds like you're right. Looks like it's a Ja’adi varietal which sounds like it is originally from Yemen. Could be mistaken

[@CoffeeReviews]

@@YoshBagoche sounds like you're right too. It's pretty exciting that there could be a bunch of new varieties coming up though!

[@zixzysm]

This is easily the most interesting thing I’ve seen in coffee in the last decade. It brings hope! Plus I used to revere Yemeni coffee in the end of the 90’s when I was able to get it as green beans at the local tea/coffee shop, it was special. No other origin was quite like it, or that is at least how I remember it. To my untrained palate, it was a little bit like an Ethiopian Yirg, with a similar ability to choke the grinder but a whole other set of tastes on top of the yirg body. But then the locakl shop ran out of stock of Yemen (as everyone did), and the few times I managed to get it since then, I wasn’t even sure it was all Yemen... it just was not the same thing.

[@samuel02654]

Hope some roasters here in Melbourne, Australia get a hold of this, very excited about the discovery but even more excited at the potential benefits for the people of Yemen, to see coffee being an instrument of help to the Yemeni people is actually really heartwarming. I'm both equally excited for tasting the coffee and seeing the development of Yemenia. Thanks for bringing this to light.

[@samuel02654]

@Ben Bicknell that's amazing news to hear, might be getting a order in as soon as it goes live.

[@samuel02654]

@Ben Bicknell saw it on Instagram, will probably place an order soon, any chance to grab a recipe for a Comandante grinder and a V60 brew?

[@medsa666]

Genuinely interesting video! Can't wait to hear more about the Yemen coffee compass

[@l2etranger]

What an inspiration, may he get all the success in his endeavor to brighten that silver lining over this unnecessary war.

[@eligonzalez3825]

I really enjoyed listening to this very passionate ambassador for the Yemen coffee industry. I very interested in tasting this coffee, now.

[@Bacms]

This is awesome thank you very much for sharing James. I worked until last year as bioinformatician research in the field of crop sciences. As a coffee aficionado, I couldn't believe my luck when I got a chance to work on the genome sequencing of the coffee arabica and was truly fascinated by the coffee genetic diversity or lack therefore. One thing I believe you could improve is providing links to the publications mentioned pon your videos I am sure I am not the only one that will go straight to find the publication and have a proper read at it

[@amperstandheart]

Damn! You said exciting and I was like, 'well okay I'm interested I guess' but damn! This is proper exciting! Not only is this hugely cool and awesome, this whole project is something amazing I can definitely get behind. Your questions were great, their story is great, the long term impact is stupid cool and just every angle is bringing something. Can't wait to learn more about this ocean and maybe get my hands on some!

[@invebe2452]

I got coffee from Yemen from our local roaster. I love It so much - it smells and tastes amazing.

[@renjaninja]

Wow so excited about this!!👏🏻 would love to try it someday

[@ronaldthompson2328]

I had a cup of Yemen at Sump in St. Louis a couple years back. It tasted like jam and felt one of a kind. I still talk about it every time someone will listen. I am very excited to see more. Thanks for the video.

[@ppac300]

Do you have their website?