{"product_id":"india-kerehaklu-robusta-natural","title":"India Kerehaklu Robusta Natural","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe specialty coffee industry may be focused on Arabica, but we want to demonstrate that other coffee species are worth a try, too. Growing a variety of species is increasingly crucial for farmers adapting to changing climate, and each brings its own flavour profile and ecological strengths. \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is our very first Robusta coffee,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and our good friend Pranoy Thipaiah of Kerehaklu used his expert processing skills to bring it to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beans themselves are slightly different shape, very cute and round, and this one is naturally processed for a surprisingly creamy and complex cup with notes of cashew, pumpkin, and oolong tea. (For those who have been lucky enough to try Urrak, it reminds us of that traditional Indian fermented cashew beverage.) We've chosen not to give this coffee a cup score, as the scoring system is designed for Arabica – but we feel confident that your preconceptions about Robusta will be challenged with this coffee! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKerehaklu is a stunning and biodiverse coffee plantation in the Southern Ghats region of Karnataka in South India, run by father and son team Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah. (Our colleague Will has visited twice, and wrote about the wildlife and the agronomy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.skylark.coffee\/blogs\/news\/kerehaklu\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.) Pranoy strongly prefers washed process coffees (though Kerehaklu also produces some great naturals) and has been finessing his techniques with every harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKerehaklu is spread across 250 acres and has been chemical-free since 2016. The biodiversity there is incredible, with macaques, parrots, snakes, deer, civets, and boars regularly roaming, and even some occasional tigers. It has been run by the Thipaiah family for five generations. Today, Ajoy mainly looks after the growing and agronomy side, while Pranoy manages processing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey primarily grow arabica coffee, but also two other species, canephora (Robusta) and liberica. Some plants on the estate are more than 100 years old, so the land and plant matter are well adapted to one another. Most of the varietals are Indian cultivars called 'Selection' — these are hybridised from other varieties to grow well in their environment. The Thipaiahs keep a plant nursery where they look after young plants from seed, including various 'Selection' arabicas, Obata, and SL28. They also have lots of avocados and pepper vines, both of which they produce to a very high standard and sell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe estate is home to many beautiful cluster fig trees (some estimated to be 400 years old) that grow around other trees slowly and eventually engulf them. The cluster figs aren't particularly tasty to humans, but they are much beloved by the many birds that live there, and the birds' guano is an excellent fertiliser for the coffee. These fig trees are the secondary canopy, with the highest canopy coming primarily from citrus trees. The ample shade means the coffee can grow and mature slowly. As a result, the output on an estate like this is much, much lower than more intensive \"monocrop\" coffee farms, but if you take a wider look at the total sum of outputs from all the crops, they are incredibly productive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElevation: 1200 Meters above Sea Level\u003cbr\u003eVarietal: Robusta\u003cbr\u003eCup score: n\/a\u003cbr\u003ePrice paid per kg: £9.50\u003cbr\u003eProcess: Natural\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"India","offers":[{"title":"250g \/ Whole Bean","offer_id":56960747372930,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"250g \/ Ground for Espresso (fine)","offer_id":56960747405698,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"250g \/ Ground for Aeropress (medium fine)","offer_id":56960747438466,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"250g \/ Ground for Filter (medium coarse)","offer_id":56960747471234,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"250g \/ Ground for Cafetière (coarse)","offer_id":56960747504002,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Whole Bean","offer_id":56960747536770,"sku":null,"price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Ground for Espresso (fine)","offer_id":56960747569538,"sku":null,"price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Ground for Aeropress (medium fine)","offer_id":56960747602306,"sku":null,"price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Ground for Filter (medium coarse)","offer_id":56960747635074,"sku":null,"price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Ground for Cafetière (coarse)","offer_id":56960747667842,"sku":null,"price":36.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0274\/9566\/1686\/files\/IMG-9543.heic?v=1725797929","url":"https:\/\/www.skylark.coffee\/products\/india-kerehaklu-robusta-natural","provider":"Skylark Coffee","version":"1.0","type":"link"}