Source
Our best-seller features the best of both worlds: Natural Robusta and Honey-fermented Arabica. Both are grown in the highlands of the Nilgiris by the Irula tribe in an agroforestry model with other crops like millets, fruits and spices. Together they form a potent combination for a perfect cup of milk-based coffee.
Process
Both the Robusta and Arabica coffees are harvested by hand once the cherries are fully ripened. The processing though is very different.The Robusta cherries are dried in partial-shade before being hulled. This process enhances the natural flavor profiles of the Robusta beans.
The Arabica, though, undergoes a totally different process called honey fermentation. The cherries are depulped to remove the outer skin while keeping the sugar rich mucilage in place. This mucilage gives the coffee a sweet almost honey-like flavour, hence the name. The honey process has nothing to do with actual honey. These depulped cherries are then allowed to ferment for up to 3 days resulting in bringing out the sweetness and reducing the acidity of the beans to an optimum level. The fermented coffee beans are then sun-dried in partial shade before getting hulled and cleaned.
Roasting
The procured green beans go through a multi step rigorous process called “garbling”. This includes cleaning, grading and sorting. This important process ensures that only the very best quality coffee beans are used and the defective (broken, chipped, black, etc.) ones are discarded. The garbled beans are then finally ready for the last (and perhaps the most important) process called “roasting”. This is what distinguishes good coffee from a great one! Our roasting takes place using state of the art coffee roaster with utmost care and precision. Each batch of 5 kgs is meticulously roasted to do justice to the hard work of the farmers. This crucial step gives coffee its body, its character and the complex flavour profile so that it can delight you in every sip.
Grinding
The reason we provide whole beans instead of ground beans is simple: freshly ground coffee is way more flavourful! We recommend grinding the roasted coffee beans in small batches at home. This ensures that the freshness stays for the longest time and the heady aroma of the freshly ground coffee is something to cherish every single time. The grinding process varies based on the brewing method, but anywhere from extra fine to extra course can be easily achieved from any regular coffee grinder with practice. We hope this slightly inconvenient method will allow you to experiment at home and thereby make you appreciate the coffee even more.
Brewing Recommendation
Once the coffee beans are ground, it’s time to brew! The Nilgiris blend features a 50-50 combination of both Robusta and Arabica for a well-balanced cup of coffee. The nutty and bold flavours of robusta perfectly complement the slightly acidic and sweet taste of Arabica. We feel there are several ways of brewing this coffee but our top 2 suggestions are: moka pot and traditional South Indian filter. Enjoy!
Tasting Notes
Caramel, Cacao, Nutty (Robusta)
Citrus, Nutmeg, Molasses (Arabica)
Tip: We recommend experimenting with the grind size and strength (gm/ml) of the coffee in order to figure out the most optimum brew for your palate. Be creative and have fun!
Storage
We recommend keeping the coffee (both beans and ground) in an airtight container in a cool, dark place away from sunlight. The package we are using is resealable and easily reusable. Also, we don’t recommend storing the coffee in a refrigerator as excessive humidity/moisture can ruin it.