We’re thrilled to introduce you to Producer Series Lot 9, Natural Anaerobic Fermentation, by Ashok and Divya Patre from the Rainforest Alliance certified Ratnagiri Estate in Chikmagalur.
Ratnagiri literally means ‘Pearl Mountains’ and gets this name from the dense Silver Oaks that tower over coffee plants, lending a silver hue to the hills where the farm sits. The farm is home to Arabica and pepper with a diverse and rich ecosystem! Ratnagiri Estate has been featured several times in our Producer Series — a celebration of our highest scoring nano lots.
The Patre family has looked after the farm since 1927 and their approach to farming has always placed ecology and harmony with the environment at the forefront of their work. Ashok and Divya are always pushing boundaries in coffee processing methods and this lot is no different.
The ripest cherries were picked from catuai plants, their floaters removed and the cherries transferred to stainless steel tanks. Then they were inoculated with a new strain of yeast specifically designed to develop a complex flavour profile. After that, oxygen was emptied out of the tanks and the resultant beans underwent natural anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours.
Ashok especially enjoys brewing this coffee as a Pour Over. The layered flavours of honey, blueberry and red currant stand out to him the most. “We were thrilled to produce this lot as we were using a new strain of yeast which was supposed to highlight a lot of complex flavours,” says Ashok. “The coffee turned out just as we had expected!”.
Divya’s role revolves around overseeing the care provided to ripe coffee cherries, including managing the processing equipment and pulpers. On being a woman in a male dominated industry, she says, “Most of the workers at the farm are women so it’s easier to connect. I show them how to pick cherries and ensure no fungus or unwanted beans mix with the lot.”
“It’s amazing to see women who had never stepped out of their homes now being involved at the farm,” she says. Divya really enjoys the naturally processed coffees from their estate “because they’re quite juicy with light acidity and a nice sweetness. I could drink multiple cups a day.”
Limited edition Producer Series coffees are always exciting for everyone involved, right from the producers, to the roasters and those of you who get to brew it. These smaller lots are processed under highly controlled experimental conditions which makes these coffees much more special and expensive as we only get a few chances to nail the roast profile.
Our Senior Roaster who profiled this coffee, Shubham Das shares his experience with us, “Working with very small lots for Producer Series is always exciting, especially Ratnagiri Estate. It is an opportunity to develop new roasting skills and learn more about how these coffees react in the roaster.”
He chose to profile this coffee slightly darker than our usual light roasted Producer Series coffees. Once the first trial roast was done, he realised that this coffee would taste better if the caramelisation was extended. “I wanted to roast this slightly darker than light roast, as it is a dense coffee, right on the verge of a medium roast.” says Das.
This extended roast time and extended caramelisation gave the coffee its characteristic fruity and syrupy mouthfeel, while accentuating its natural flavours of caramelized citrus peel, red apple, molasses, cinnamon and Earl Grey tea. This coffee works extremely well with a range of brewing methods, especially as a Pour Over or using an AeroPress.
To get your fill of our latest limited edition Producer Series coffee, click here.
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