Rare - India, Ratnagiri Carbonic Maceration Natural

Rare: Experimental Processing, Limited Runs

Rare is where we put the coffees that break the mould. Experimental processing, tiny lots, and flavours you won't find on our shelves for long. If you're curious about experimental and lesser-known processing methods, our Rare coffees are for you.

To kick things off, we've got something special.

India, Ratnagiri

This first release comes from Ratnagiri Estate in India, a farm that's been going since 1920. It's owned and run by Ashok Patre, who put a huge amount of care into this particular lot. Ashok described the process for this lot as follows:
"This is a 96-hour extended carbonic maceration natural processed coffee. It is from the Hemavathi varietal grown on our farm at 4500 feet from the block called Sivermara Patte. The Brix of the coffee cherries was 25.9 when harvested and they were put in the Bio fermenters after floater removal. The coffee was inoculated with a mix of different lab-grown cultures. The tanks were then purged with carbon dioxide gas, and the coffee was fermented for 96 hours. After removing the coffee, they were directly put on raised beds for slow drying. The coffee was then dried slowly with constant stirring over the next 31 days".

What is carbonic maceration?

Carbonic maceration is borrowed from winemaking. Instead of drying the coffee cherries straight away, they go into a sealed tank that gets flooded with carbon dioxide. With no oxygen in the mix, the fruit ferments slowly from the inside out. That's what builds the bright, intense fruit character these coffees are known for. It's a hands-on, carefully controlled process, and small changes make a big difference to how the cup turns out.

In the cup and how to brew

Expect notes of mango, orange and marzipan, and a surprisingly clean cup considering the extended processing. We think this coffee really shines as a filter brew, without milk. A pour over method such as the Hario V60 will really help to bring out the tasting notes described. Of course, you can enjoy this coffee using any brew method you like, with or without milk.