How Yemeni coffee is prepared traditionally

Unique Beverages

Like in most Middle Eastern countries, Yemen coffee culture uses an ibrik they call it also Cezve (algazwah). This is a brewing method that requires only a specialized pot with a long handle being put on top of a little kerosene stove (Aldafoor) or in modern days stove. This is called an ibrik, although most countries have their own name for it. Egger, S., & Orr, R. A. (2016). The home barista: How to bring out the best in every coffee bean. The Experiment.

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To make this type of coffee, you need very fine ground coffee and water. You boil them together for a few moments and, unlike most other coffee beverages nowadays, the coffee isn’t filtered out. This makes for a very thick beverage which is also more flavorful.

This grind size is sometimes called “powder size” because of how fine it is. Espresso grind is acceptable, but not ideal.

This type of coffee is also commonly spiced. In Yemen, cinnamon and fresh ginger are the most popular spices as they are one of the best combinations for the flavor of coffee.

Then, there is qishr. A unique Yemeni preparation which is both resourceful and delightful.

Qishr

Growing coffee is a very tedious process. It grows in small trees, often called bushes. Their fruit is very small, so they are referred to as coffee cherries.

These cherries contain one, two coffee beans inside if you’re lucky. To get those valuable beans, you have to separate them from their husks, which actually have a rather pleasant flavor. There’s just hardly any flesh for one to eat.

With the years, Yemeni farmers figured out a way to enjoy this amazing flavor. They sun dried these husks and then used them to make tea. The result is a flavor that is actually nothing like the coffee you know, but way more fruity and sweet.

Qishr is made by steeping coffee cherry husks in hot water. It is flavored with ground cinnamon, freshly grated ginger, and sugar. The result is a vibrant, fruity beverage which is an explosion of flavor.

Most coffee farmers drink this, as the husks are a byproduct of coffee farming. It is inexpensive, as it is a byproduct of coffee farming. It used to be thought of as something that held no real value, and now it is a gourmet beverage that people all over the world enjoy.

Similar drinks can also be found in Bolivia, called Sultana. Ethiopia also has its own version of this tea. Qishr, however,stands out as the most flavorful and the one with a much longer tradition that goes back more than five centuries.