Mocha coffee bean

The Mocha coffee bean is a variety of coffee bean originally from Mocha, Yemen. It is harvested from the coffee-plant species Coffea arabica, which is native to Yemen. In appearance it is very small, hard, round with an irregular shape, and olive green to pale yellow in colour. The Mocha coffee bean has a distinct flavor. Due to the similar name, it is sometimes confused with a chocolate-flavored coffee.

In the 17th century, the Mocha coffee bean was available only from the port city of Mocha in Yemen, shipped only after roasting to prevent propagation. Sailors arriving in Mocha were frequently traveling home to the Indonesian island of Java, and a blend of the two countries' coffees today known as Mocha Java naturally developed with the high acidity Mocha complementing the naturally rounded flavors of Java.

See also

• Caffè mocha

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