Coffee-Brewing Heritage of Baha’s Mountain-Grown Shadawi Bean

The Shadawi coffee, a prized agricultural heritage in Baha’s Tihama area, thrives in the Shada Al-Asfal and Shada Al-Ala mountains, producing beans known for their exceptional flavor profile. The coffee requires meticulous care throughout its growth cycle, earning it a reputation as one of the most challenging crops to cultivate. For the people of the Shada mountains, cultivating this rare, flavorful coffee is a commitment to preserving a centuries-old coffee-farming tradition.

Historically, a single mountain’s yield ranged from 600 to 1,000 mudd, a traditional unit of measurement equivalent to 750 milliliters. The coffee’s journey spans three years, starting in late summer and harvesting at the beginning of summer in the fourth year. The post-harvest process is equally precise, with cherries dried and sorted, sun-dried on rooftops for three days, and stored indoors for two days before returning to rooftops for another five days.

The coffee’s careful process transforms the beans from red to black, concentrating flavors as moisture evaporates. Traditional grinding methods involve using millstones, with some farmers employing specially designed equipment. The final step separates the husk from the bean, allowing for customized sales based on customer preferences.

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