Region :               Chikmaglur, Karnataka
Altitude :            1,100–1,200 masl
Process :              Monsooned
Variety :               Mixed
Grade :                  AA
Q SCORE :           81.5

Cupping notes coming soon

ABOUT

The color, shape, and size of these beans from India, as well as their aroma and taste, are the result of special post-harvest processing. Historically, coffee was shipped to Europe in wooden sailing vessels that took four to six months to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and up to their destinations. Stored below the water line and kept in an atmosphere made humid by seawater seeping through the wood, the beans underwent a transformation on their long journey to market. The bright-green beans would arrive pale gold, doubled in size and with an entirely new cup profile.

This “monsooning” process was later systematically replicated in India, with the goal of providing European customers with the cup profile they’d first become accustomed to from India and continued to demand.

The monsooning process consists of exposing natural coffee beans, in 4- to 6-inch-thick piles, to moisture-laden monsoon winds in a well-ventilated brick or concrete-floored warehouse. This process is carried out on the West Coast of India, making use of the winds from the Arabian Sea during the southwest Monsoon months of June through September.

To equalize moisture absorption, the beans are raked frequently, followed by bulking and re-bagging at regular intervals. During this 12- to 16-week process, the beans absorb moisture in stages, swelling to nearly twice their original size and developing colors ranging from pale gold to light brown. After several weeks, the coffee is re-bulked, graded again, bagged and moved to a drier region for longer-term storage.

The end result is a unique combination of flavor of dark chocolate, earth and spices that appeals to a group of ardent fans. It adds interesting notes to a blend and a rich crema to espresso.

Video of the Monsoon Malabar process:

NKG INDIA

Our  sister-company  NKG India are the leading coffee exporter in the country. Their main focus is on creating sustainable relationships between Indian coffee producers and roasters around the world. Their experience with a global customer base and their coffee expertise guarantee a consistent coffee quality meeting all recognized global standards.

In order to improve processing quality and operational efficiency, all milling operations are centralized in their “Hassan Mill”, a state-of-the-art dry-mill and one of the biggest coffee processing facilities in India.

Their Monsooning facility is strategically located in Mangalore (India’s main export port) and is a pioneer in this unique process.