| India |
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 GEOGRAPHY
& CLIMATE:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan.
Upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling
plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in
north. Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate
in north.
COFFEE BACKGROUND:
A man called Baba Budan snuck some coffee seeds out of
Arabia (around 1585). Legend has it he bound seven coffee
seeds to his belly. When he reached his home, he found
a cave in the hills near Chikmagalgur in south India in
which he started the coffee seedlings off. Later he planted
coffee in the jungles near Chikmagalgur. Today, offspring
of these original coffee trees are officially known as
"Old Chick." Old Chick, as they say, still supplies
about one third of India's coffee.
 SPECIES:
Arabica & Robusta
ALTITUDE AT WHICH GROWN:
India's coffee grows between 2,900 and 5,900 feet above
sea level, usually on terraces in the mountainous regions.
Coffees produced in India have more in common with Indonesian
coffees. Good Indian coffees are grown in the states of
Karnatka (formerly Mysore - approximately 80% of Indian
coffee is grown here), Kerala, and Tamilnadu (formerly
Madras). In good years, these coffees can contain acidity
typical of Guatemalan coffee, and the full body of a good
Javanese coffee. In addition, these coffees incorporate
the unique spicy flavors of nutmeg, clove, cardamon and
pepper.
India also produces monsoon
coffees, in which green beans have
been exposed to the monsoon winds, blowing through open
warehouses in India's rainy season. This process reduces
acidity and enhances sweetness, making them similar to
Indonesian aged coffees. The "green" beans are
easily recognizable by their distinctive straw yellow
color.
In India, washed Arabica is called Plantation Coffee and
washed Robusta is called Parchment Coffee. Natural processed
Arabica and Robusta is called Cherry.
PREPARATION METHOD: “Washed” & “Dried” |
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