That Coffee Roasters: Who's Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the Monk of Mokha?

martes, 6 de febrero de 2018

Who's Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the Monk of Mokha?

Facing war and personal hardship, he's helped redefine Yemen's coffee.

Two places on Earth are known to be the probable birthplace of coffee. One is Ethiopia, and the other one is Yemen. Hundreds of years ago, the city of Mokha was worldwide known for coffee trade, and the Port of Mokha was the most renowned coffee port for many years. Eventually, that changed, and much of the magic behind Yemeni coffee was lost because the producers had to stop growing more profitable products.

Mokhtar Alkhanshali, an American from Yemen

Nevertheless, the seed was still there. As many African families that have come to the U.S. looking for a chance to improve their lives, Mokhtar Alkhanshali’s family arrived at San Francisco searching better opportunities in the land of the “American Dream.” There he grew up without ever thinking about the possibility of going back to Yemen. That was until one day he tasted his first cup of specialty coffee from Ethiopia and discovered that coffee was so much more than just a bitter drink that boosted energy. He discovered that it was, in fact, a beverage full of flavors and nuances that was worth exploring. He found his passion.

At the same time, Alkhanshali had always wanted to have an impact on people’s lives, finding a way to help society. Even though it was unexpected, he actually found a way in the coffee world. He studied coffee culture and became a professional in the art of coffee production. He realized that there was great potential hidden behind Yemeni coffee and that it could be uncovered if only Yemeni farmers were educated on specialty coffee production, in a way that would allow them to get better prices for their crops.

A story of perseverance

Famous author and journalist, Dave Eggers, met Alkhanshali and eventually became fascinated with his story. Mokhtar had spent three years traveling all across Yemen to study Yemeni crops and farms. He took note of the soils, water levels and the needs of the farmers. All with one vision: persuade farmers to elevate the quality of their beans, they would get paid a higher price, and would embrace growing coffee again. The story of how he accomplished it inspired the new Eggers’ biography book: The Monk of Mokha, in which he tells all the hardships and challenges Alkhanshali had to face to bring the magic of Yemeni coffee back.

According to Mokhtar’s website:

Mokhtar had to educate and train farmers on best practices. Everything from using organic fertilizers to harvesting only ripe fruit to drying and processing. He brought in the first moisture analyzers and built modern drying beds. He organized farmers into collectives with the requirement that the boards be comprised of 50% women. And he provided interest-free micro loans to farmers to free them from the debt cycles perpetuated by loan sharks. When farmers followed these new protocols, they were compensated over 33% higher prices for their beans. The Mokha Method was born.

After all the hard work, Mokhtar wanted to take Yemeni coffee and show it to the world. But in 2015, Yemeni civil war exploded. The United States embassy closed and he got stuck in his original homeland. Braving war and taking a fishing boat in the Port of Mokha, he escaped the country through the Red Sea and made his way to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) in Seattle. Yemeni coffee was awarded a 90+, beating out many coffees from world-renowned farms.

If you want to learn more about Mokhtar’s extraordinary journey and the world of specialty coffee, what it takes to bring one single bean from every farm to the cup, be sure to read Pulitzer finalist The Monk of Mokha, by Dave Eggers. At That Coffee Roasters, we know that coffee, more than a drink, is part of a story of tradition, culture, and passion. We love learning all about the complexities of the world of specialty coffee! Read more about it as we continue exploring it on our blog!