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About Yemen Mustafa Ali Hasan Single Farm Lot

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Yemen Single Farmer Mustafa Ali Hasan Me'qabi nanolot, arrived February 2024, new crop, in muslin bags and Ecotact liners.

An opportunity to try a Yemeni Haraaz Red grown on a single small farm focused on quality in the mountainous region of Sharqi Haraaz in the village of Akamet al Me'qaab. Grown by Mustafa Ali Hasan Me'qabi Akamatul Me’Qaab. We acquired the entire production of this lot, roughly 250 pounds.

Producer Mustafa Ali Hasan

Mustafa's's farm is located in the Sarawat Mountain Range in Western Yemen. Coffee is grown between 6,500 and 8,000 feet in a relatively arid environment that depends entirely on rainfall for irrigation. Unlike many coffee groves throughout the world, trees are planted individually and retain their distinct tree or shrub like appearance throughout the steeply terraced hillsides. Coffee is produced in the Haraaz Mountains with ancient methods, resulting in natural, dry processed coffee. Steep, rocky terraces were carved into the rugged mountains centuries ago so it could be farmed. While not certified as such, Haraaz coffee doesn’t use any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, and all crops are rain fed. With almost no access to commercially available farming supplies, the coffee is grown in a natural environment that is free of pollution. These growing methods have not changed for centuries.

Coffee growing Yemen Harazi region
Coffee trees growing on steps carved into rock in Harazi

Each producer has a unique identity card for traceability

Coffee origins are deeply rooted in Yemen given its geographic proximity to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. There are heirloom varietals that are found nowhere else on Earth and this amazing coffee is a perfect example. Although given the Haraaz Red designation this particular coffee is comprised of two unique heirloom varieties, Ja’di and Dawairi. You have the unique opportunity to taste one of coffees oldest and most distinct lineage with the purchase of this Yemeni coffee.

Country: Yemen
Region: Haraaz
Producer: Mustafa Ali Hasan Me'qabi
Notable geography: Sarawat Mountain Range
Elevation: 2,169 meters (7,115 feet)
Varietals: Ja’d and Dawairi (heirloom)
Processing: Natural (Dry)
Drying: On raised beds for 21 to 28 days

Cherry was harvested in late 2022 and early 2023 before it was sun dried on African drying beds. It began its export journey in June of 2023 and arrived in the US at the beginning of 2024. As with all Yemeni coffees this lot is a full natural which means it was dried in the husk without fermentation and then milled. Mustafa works with our notable exporter and this coffee goes through an arduous and transparent process that rewards the producer with the bulk of money raised from its sale.

We work directly with an exporter in Yemen who culls true specialty grade coffee and ships it to the US in Ecotact bags that isolate the coffee from any taste and odor and while additionally controlling moisture. Our direct relationship is important because more often than not, when one attempts to buy coffee from Yemen, they may get a bag of beans with a variety of growing years all mixed together.

Our shipper works directly with growers and because of this you can be assured of evenly graded, new crop specialty coffee-- the real deal. It's expensive, but farmers are assured of much higher remuneration than they would typically receive, as well as investment in social programs. This is 100% authentic Yemen Mocha from a single, quality producing region. Yemen Harazi coffee comes from the Haraz Mountains. This is an ancient coffee growing region in the isolated northwest highlands of Yemen. Coffee is grown at very high altitudes and beans have a particularly hard density. The altitude of agricultural land in the region ranges from 4500 feet to an astounding 9000 feet. Flavor is intense and characteristic of the very best Mocha coffee Yemen has to offer.

Cherries are picked by hand and are placed on straw mats laid on village rooftops to dry in the sun. The farmers take extra measures to protect their coffee from contamination, mold, and any other negative conditions that may occur during the two-week-long drying period. Once dry, the beans are collected by the exporter in all the villages throughout this mountainous region and are transported to a collection center in the village of Al-Hutaib. Finally, they are conveyed to processing facility in Sanani for milling and bagging, then exported to eager international buyers.

In the last three decades of the twentieth century, farmers turned away from traditional crops, including coffee to grow Qat-- a narcotic, and far more lucrative endeavor. Apart from the illegality and moral issues, Qat farming strips the soil of its nutrients and scarce water supply. With the help and guidance of the 'Haraaz Project' and government incentives, many of the farmers in the Haraaz Mountains have turned their attention back to their traditional coffee roots.Haraaz coffee has always been known to be one of the best. Yemen Mocha fans choose this coffee for a most pleasant surprise, despite the high price tag. Fortunately, the quality is excellent and though it is expensive, represents the arguably best coffee originating from Yemen. This single farm coffee from Mustafa Ali Hasan represents our top pick from the individual farms we were offered this season.

Cupping Characteristics: Strawberry aroma. Flavors of prune, raisin, tamarind and nectarine. Luscious fruity notes followed by chocolate mouthfeel finish. Complex and refined. Highly concentrated flavors resulting, in part, from the extreme growing elevation.

Roasting Notes: Natural process coffees roast a bit quicker than washed. We like this coffee roasted to full city, preferring to pull the roast just as it begins second crack. However, taking it a little further into second crack will provide deeper tones, albeit at the expense of some floral notes. It's worth experimenting with the darkness of roast. If roasted more lightly some cinnamon notes are detectable. This Specialty A+ grade is entirely larger screen size beans and is the most uniform preparation you are likely to see coming out of Yemen.