Simplicity Coimbatore ,Coffee estate at Chikmagalur
A hot cup of filter coffee is something I have learned to savour in the recent years. If it’s served strong and frothy in a davara the joy in enjoying every sip is doubled. But I must confess that I did not really delve into the intricacies of how coffee is made.Despite being passionate about agriculture, wrapping one’s head around coffee plantations seemed a gargantuan task.
Earlier this month a road trip had a few of us meeting up at an altitude of 3500 feet,at a coffee estate in Chikmagalur.We entered what is known as a coffee corridor which consists of thick vegetation comprising of coffee shrubs, pepper vines and arecanut palms. With the recent rains the whole area was lush and vibrant, with pristine waterfalls adding to the scenic beauty.
A bumpy jeep ride through the inside of the plantation was a complete revelation.The actual source (fruit) is a far cry from the dark roasted coffee beans which we identify with as ‘coffee’. The beans are nestled inside the coffee fruit, referred to as the coffee cherry or cherry because of it’s shape and resemblance to the red berry of the same name ,though it’s much smaller.Each fruit contains 2 beans, occasionally a single bean is formed and is called peaberry coffee.
Our visit coincided with coffee cherry picking season.The recent rainfall having been more excessive than usual,delayed the ripening of the fruit,we were told. So the clusters that were peeking out of the leaves had some berries which were red, some an in-between colour and the rest which were green. The plants also had a few flowers yet to turn into fruit. The stark white of the coffee flowers in contrast to the ripe red coffee cherries looked just lovely. The colour and aroma of these blossoms are the exact opposite to that of the roasted coffee bean.
Coffee plantations ,we were told, concentrate on cultivating ,mainly two varieties, the Arabica and the Robusta. Out of the two it’s the Arabica which fetches a premium and is sought after by coffee buyers and coffee connoisseurs worldwide. Our coffee hosts ,at Sangameshwar estates are equally determined to bring out the best flavour profile that their Robusta cherries have to offer. The name Robusta has to do with the robustness of this species of coffee plants.The leaves and trunk are large and portray a more solid appearance than that of the Arabica. It was incredible to see the huge amount of work that goes into maintaining a healthy coffee plantation which slopes into hundreds of acres. The managing director ,S.Appadurai looks into the pre-harvest and spends a great deal of time walking through the coffee plants despite having to combat any degree of incline and dense vegetation to ensure the crop is healthy and thriving. This kind of constant monitoring is responsible for the stringent quality standards maintained at Sangameshwar coffee estates.
The diversity of vegetation thriving around the coffee plants is absolutely incredible.We spotted some cardamom lily plants growing at the bottom of the slope near a small flowing rivulet. The foliage,the bird calls,the unspoiled landscape and the mist which envelops it all like a blanket at dawn makes it hard to want to be any place else but right there,soaking it all in.
The women picking the fruit are taught the nuances of picking. A great deal depends on the harvesting and post harvest involves a lot of hard work, crucial in delivering a top quality grade of coffee bean.The women with their traditional Indian adornments and cheery smiles go about their work with practiced ease .Nimble fingers make quick work going from plant to the bags tied at their waist.
We watched as the estate manager Hemanth, squashed a fruit to reveal two coffee beans inside.The outer skin is thick ,similar to that of a sakkarai palam (Jamaica cherry) which grows here in Coimbatore. The coffee beans have a sticky pulp around them.The fruit tastes sweet and we were told that buyers often taste the fruit at the estate and determine from which lot they want to choose from .We marveled at the well trained palate necessary to distinguish the difference in taste from one fruit to the other. I must admit that the tasting of the fruit happened with a bit of hesitance ,I think we expected it to be bitter or acidic but it was sweet and very easy to eat. (I wonder what a coffee cherry jam would taste like?!)
There are various processes which happen after harvest. The director of marketing , Hamsini Appadurai is passionately involved in all what goes on post harvest. While she does encourage her team to try new techniques and ideas garnered from her travels and coffee workshops, we got a fair idea of the basics.The more familiar kinds of processes are ; washed,natural and honey coffee. The berries are first segregated into ripe and green. The green berries are just left to dry and sold in the domestic market. Here in India it is referred to as ‘cherry’ (grade).It is sold at a lesser rate and people sometimes add it to their blends to bring the cost down.
The ripe coffee berries when dried with the skin and pulp make for the natural coffee bean. It keeps the fruit flavours in the bean intact and the pulp is removed mechanically after the beans have dried.This fetches a premium in the export market.It’s vital to ensure that the berries dry at an even pace rather than getting scorched. Hamsini’s expertise at quality control plays a vital role at each stage of the process.
For wet processing ,the fruit is de-pulped .The beans are washed and fermented in vats and washed again thoroughly to remove the outer sticky coating (mucilage) before drying. This process takes a few days and has to be done diligently. Apparently this leads to a more balanced and complex taste profile and what is known as a ‘cleaner’ cup. Once it is dried the outer skin is removed , exposing the green bean which is then sold in the domestic market or exported.
The ‘honey coffee’ (I love the name) is a process where the fruit and pulp are removed but the sticky mucilage is left intact and is dried.This gives a golden coating to the bean almost as if it was basted with a glaze of wild honey from the mountains. When the honey coffee is placed side by side with the washed coffee bean ,the contrast is immediately apparent.
During all these processes one doesn’t get even the slightest whiff of the coffee aroma which we all know and love. Apparently this happens only when the beans are roasted; the beans then go from pale to the dark ‘coffee bean’ colour.
Roasted coffee beans hold on to their aroma for a short while. So it is mostly sold before roasting. The green coffee beans can last upto a year in that state,making it viable for exports.Roasting happens as and when required. Hence the term ‘freshly roasted and ground coffee’.
For people like me who are curious to know, the instant coffee, is a mix of blends and processes which are not as intense as the speciality coffees. In fact having switched to coffee in the last decade (tea drinker before) ,we used only instant granules at home. After investing in filters, percolators and most importantly,having tried the coffee blend from Sangameshwar estates, coffee addiction seems like a very real possibility !
The Blue Tokai brand sells premium Indian coffees grown in the South Of India,with Veer Attikan coffee (from Sangameshwar estates) being one of their best sellers. Blue tokai have ventured into speciality coffee cafés across the country and also sell on amazon.
It was an incredible revelation to understand the labour intensive process that the little red cherry goes through before becoming a hot cup of our much favoured brew. Not only do they have to deal with climatic conditions, the coffee planters must also keep in mind the friendly woodland creatures who like to feast on the berries.The civet cats are famous because of their ‘unique contribution’ to a ‘natural’ coffee processing technique (!) but the squirrels, mongoose and other little furries do enjoy their own share. Much later we were shown a large paw print of a bigger predator…yes these estates are visited by the big cats too!
The coffee estates are also largely self sufficient because of being far removed from the towns. So the workers and families at Sangameshwar estates are provided with basic medical care and several initiatives to educate their children. If you ever want to experience a top of the line blend where you not only get to enjoy the consciously processed coffee but also have the opportunity to contribute to so much more than just the business, give Sangameshwar coffee a try and do know that it is money well spent, worth every rupee!
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