It was in the Port of Makha in southwest Yemen that the first cup of coffee was brewed. Sufi Monks used the drink to stay awake and alert during late night meditations – a method that today’s society mimics, although for causes that are usually less meditative and instead have a more frenzied, deadline-looming nature.
When Yemen was first colonised its coffee plant was exported to other colonial countries, and Yemen went from being 100 per cent of the coffee market share to just one per cent at present. This Friday, however, will see a new strain of coffee from Yemen being brought to the Irish market by coffee roasters Cloud Picker, whose Pearse St cafe has acted as saviour and satisfier for students and Dubliners alike.
Since its foundation in 2013, Cloud Picker has made it a priority to work and build relationships with small farmers. Their new project in Yemen adopts the same approach. In conversation with The University Times, Sales and Development Manager for Cloud Picker Dustin Khan explains that in recent years, a new mother population of Coffee Arabica had been discovered in Yemen – the Yemenia Strand. The quality of the coffee, having been cupped by 24 leading international cupping experts, was then assessed by Qima Coffee in association with the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, and emerged as one of the highest-ranking coffees in the world.
The order that Cloud Picker will receive is the first of its kind in Ireland – however, its order is a small one. Yemen is currently in the midst of a civil war, and with major cities caught up in the crossfire, it is extremely difficult for farmers, most of whom farm in remote regions, to receive supplies.
Conscious of the ongoing turmoil, Cloud Picker are donating 100 per cent of the proceeds of their Yemen Coffee to UNICEF, to be directed towards supplies and support for children in Yemen. Khan notes that UNICEF “helps create better models for equality in every aspect – from children gaining full education to structured and environmentally sustainable practises on the farm”. This is a focus and drive that they direct not only on Yemen, but within all of their partnered growing regions.
While the flavour profile of the coffee will not be released until Friday, Mr. Khan notes that what one can usually expect from Yemen coffee is a “jack in the box” of flavours, a diverse mix of “complex acidity, delicate notes of florals, candied fruits, citrus, berries and dark chocolate and a distinctive winey undertone with a really amazing lingering finish”. The flavours are “uniquely Yemen, due to the diverse topography”. With a landscape that, as seen on Cloud Picker’s social media, combines volcanic mountains, large coastlines and desert plains, it is no surprise that the coffee beans it produces are ones of a distinct flavour and aroma. The Yemen coffee that Cloud Picker will be roasting, Khan tells me “is very different and separate to what we’d normally taste”.
For a company that revolves around small-farmer trading, sustainability, and that has adopted a clean and distinct aesthetic – while also serving up arguably the best cup of coffee in Dublin – their current project seems destined to be yet another success in their favour. In being transparent about where their coffee comes from and informing the customer on its history, Khan notes that in the greater scheme of things, “improvements begin with customers understanding the true value of a cup of coffee”.
Cloud Picker’s new coffee will launch next week, with online ordering launching tomorrow. Visit the shop on Pearse Street to delight your taste buds, kickstart your brain, and contribute to a very worthwhile cause.
Correction: May 6th, 2021
An earlier version of this article stated that Cloud Picker’s new coffee will launch on Friday, May 7th. Cloud Picker have since told this newspaper that the launch is being delayed to the week of May 10th. It will still be available to order from Friday. This article has been updated to reflect this.
