Our first coffee from Kerehaklu!

We’ve been aware of producer Pranoy Thipaiah for a while. While his father Ajoy looks after the plantation, Pranoy focuses on post-harvest processing. Lucia Solis’ interviews with him on her podcast provide great insights into his thoughts on processing and fermentation.

With a background in biology, Pranoy uses a starter culture for his fermentation using native yeasts and bacteria from parchment coffee and mucilage. This way he can exert greater control over the process while still highlighting the local microbes in his farm.

After same-day floating during harvest, the coffee seeds undergo open-air ferment overnight. The coffee is then pulped and fermented inside sealed barrels filled with water and the starter culture, with stirring every few hours to introduce oxygen and ensure uniformity. After 35–37 hours, the lot is washed and moved to drying.

A super clean washed lot, with nicely tart orange and apricot impressions.

Producer Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah

Location Karnataka State, Chikmagalur, India

District Aldur Village

Farm Kerehaklu Estate

Elevation 1,200 masl

Variety Chandragiri (Sarchimor)

Process Sequentially fermented Washed using a frozen starter culture

US Importer Osito Coffee