PRODUCER: Pranoy Thipaiah

ESTATE: Kerehaklu

LOCATION: Chikmagalur, Karnataka

VARIETY: S9

PROCESS: *Culture-washed

*Fermentation: with controlled starter culture in aerobic conditions. Sequential / two-step fermentation for 37 hours with regular mixing for homogeneity 

*Starter: made using previous microbes and sugars to kickstart ferment   

*Drying: First 2 days in on raised beds in shade / covered area, followed by 19 days within polyhouse on raised beds

*Raking / turning on raised beds: By hand every 45 mins
Ageing: for 40 days before milling

ORANGE CREAM, CLOVE, GRAHAM CRACKER

Kerehaklu Estate, located in Chikmagalur, India, is run by Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah, a father and son team. The 97-hectare farm has a unique charm, blending a sense of timelessness with cutting-edge practices.

Unlike the coffee fields found in much of the producing world, where clear-cutting of forest for high productivity has become the norm, the coffee plants at Kerehaklu grow within dense, old-growth jungle, with tall Coffea Liberica plants scattered throughout the hedgerows.

Stepping into the coffee processing area, however, there is no mistaking the modern approach taken by Pranoy, who applies his undergraduate biology degree to push the boundaries of coffee processing and potential under the microscope.

Pranoy’s father, Ajoy, has encyclopedic knowledge when it comes to agronomy and agriculture - always looking to work in harmony with the local biodiversity. His 35 years of experience at Kerehaklu has helped to mold how they approach not just coffee but life in this quiet nook of India.