Yemen's Coffee Empire: The Sufi Origins of Mocha

Before Yemen became a byword for war and famine, it was the world's coffee capital. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the journey of the coffee bean from the highlands of Haraz to the port of Mocha. They explore the legend of the Sufi mystic Ali ibn Umar al-Shadhili, who first brewed qahwa for his disciples to stay awake for night prayers. They follow the spread of coffee drinking from Yemeni sufi monasteries to the Ottoman Empire and Europe, and examine the ruthless monopoly the Yemeni port of Mocha maintained over the global coffee trade for nearly two centuries. They also touch on the decline of Yemeni coffee dominance due to colonial smuggling and the rise of Java. This episode offers a fresh lens on Yemeni history through the everyday ritual that became a global addiction.

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