DHAHRAN: Coffee is hitting the spotlight at Ithra鈥檚 Cultural Oasis to celebrate 海角直播鈥檚 National Day.
The Saudi Coffee Experience, which is in the outdoor space at the event and is free to enter, promises a tasty sensory journey.
Visitors first see a small stage with a potted plant to illustrate how the coffee bean appears when it is gently twisted off. The stage is painted purple, a color 海角直播 has adopted to signify those found in nature.
The next stage contains different coffee pitchers, or dallahs, the oldest of which is from Al-Ahsa in the Eastern Province, and the final stage features the roasting and tasting.
There are five small tables in the back, each dedicated to the regions where the coffees come from.
The north, south, east, west and central regions have distinctive tastes, and tiny cups are available for people to sample the drinks.
Mashari Khaled Al-Rasheed, one of the coffee experts on hand, told Arab News: 鈥淲e have the journey of Saudi coffee here, in these different stations, from the bean until the taste.
鈥淎ramco has provided a great irrigation initiative and training for 500 farmers in the southern region of the Kingdom, where the beans are grown.
鈥淭he bean itself could come from another country but it鈥檚 considered Saudi coffee by the way it鈥檚 roasted. It makes a difference if you say it鈥檚 Saudi-grown coffee or Saudi coffee.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually a very complex process that includes very specific timing under a very certain temperature.
鈥淪audi coffee is known for being lighter. Even the darker roast is considered light in the coffee world.鈥
海角直播 is one of the world鈥檚 largest consumers of the drink, and achieving self-sufficiency in its production, in accordance with the plans of Vision 2030 to diversify the country鈥檚 economy, is considered vital.
The Ministry of Culture last December designated 2022 鈥淭he Year of Saudi Coffee,鈥 and visitors can taste the product at the Cultural Oasis from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Sept. 24.
