Kerehaklu - India  

Lemon Iced Tea | Fig | Brown Sugar

Producer: Ajoy & Pranoy Thipaiah
Country: India  
Region:  Karnataka State, Chikmagalur District, Alder Village
Variety: Selection 9
Process: Washed 
Altitude: 1200 m.a.s.l

Kerehaklu Estate, located in Chikmagalur, is run by Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah. This father and son's 97-hectare farm has a unique charm, blending a sense of timelessness with cutting edge practices. Unlike the coffee fields found in many parts of the producing world, where clear-cutting of forest for high productivity has become the norm, the coffee plants of Kerehaklu grow within dense, old-growth jungle with tall Coffea Liberica and Coffea Excelsa plants scattered throughout the hedgerows.

Stepping into the coffee processing area, however, it becomes immediately evident that Pranoy applies his biology degree to push the boundaries of processing and maximise the coffee's potential through this modern approach. Pray strives to produce the highest quality Indian coffees that bring benefits to the people and the land of India, as well as being enjoyed by consumers worldwide. This thoughtful and insightful approach extends beyond just the coffee itself, engaging with the biggest and most difficult topics within the world of coffee - colonialism, environmental impacts of coffee production, marketing of coffees to consumers and how to define quality.

Ajoy, Pranoy's father, brings an encyclopaedic knowledge of agronomy and agriculture, looking to work in harmony with the local biodiversity. His 35+ of experience at Kerehaklu has shaped the local area as well as the coffee being produced in this part of India.

Careful experimentation and meticulous note-taking are the name of the game for Pranoy and the result is coffee processing that is simultaneously representative of Indian terroir and genetics, and pushing the envelope for the quality and complexity of washed coffees from this area.

This lot has been sequentially fermented; it was picked and delivered to the processing yard. The cherries are allowed to ferment, in cherry, until the next morning when they are pulped and fermented a second time before being mechanically washed then carefully dried. This processing allows for lots of bright and clean citrus to be accompanied by a lot of sweetness! It's such an easy and enjoyable brew across the spectrum of filter brewing methods and we've been partial to it as an espresso too! 

This coffee is not only delicious but a testament to the vision of Ajoy and Pranoy, showcasing some of the potential being uncovered in Indian coffee! We have a limited amount of this coffee so grab some before it's gone!