INDIA - DORA & KASUNAMMA

Filter Roast

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A BIT ABOUT THIS COFFEE

Appanna Dora and Kasunamma have produced one of the most exceptional washed coffees to come out of India’s Araku Valley this year, due in part, to their regenerative practices as well as a deep-rooted passion for producing exceptional coffee.

An international jury of 20 cuppers judged this coffee as the best of the washed coffees for 2023. Old Quarter’s roasting and barista legend, Nathan Schaefer, was one of the Jury members.

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WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

Coffee cultivation has been a part of Dora and Kasunamma’s families for generations. They have a strong commitment to sustainable and organic practices, as well as an unwavering passion for quality. The duo has nurtured a farm that is not only productive but also sustainable for years to come.

The cup is clean and candied with a light syrupy body, and some sweet fruit notes. This filter coffee has everything in wonderful balance. It makes us excited by the potential of clean and more refined coffees from India.

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HOW TO BREW

We love it as: Pour Over (Black) or Aeropress (Black).
Also good as: Plunger or Batch Brew (61g/litre). Enjoy!

Using V60? Try: 20g Dose, 30 second bloom, 300g Yield 2.45 Time

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THE STORY

Another superb offering from the beautiful Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats of India. In this region, coffee is a catalyst for environmental regeneration and improved opportunities for the communities that call Araku home.

Coffee was first introduced to Andhra Pradesh by the British in the 1920’s. During the 80’s & 90’s, the region began hitting a breaking point. Once a biodiversity hotspot, Araku became under immense environmental pressure and the people who called the valley home were experiencing deep poverty, low literacy levels, poor medical outcomes, and a high infant mortality rate.

After a period of civil unrest in the late 90’s, the Naandi Foundation (one of India's largest non-profit organisations) intervened. Over the last two and a half decades Naandi has been engaging with the tribal farmers of the Araku valley, which is now over 300,000 farmers from 1460 villages. Because of this, the region has dramatically transformed.

The goal has been to create biodiverse, organic, and climate-resistant farms and create sustainable avenues for long-term profits for the farmers who call Araku home. The Araku Valley is now one of the world's largest 100% certified organic coffee-growing regions. Both ecological and financial poverty are a thing of the past.

Appanna Dora and Kasunamma use regenerative, biodynamic, and organic practices to produce wonderfully healthy coffee trees, resulting in some seriously delicious beans. Yep, you read that right. Recent tests have shown that the health of the soil and trees is increasing the flavour compounds in the coffee leading to better quality coffee. What's good for the environment is also great for coffee! A win-win!

These sustainable techniques have become a cornerstone for the valley’s coffee farmers and are an important part of an awesome story of transformation. Thanks to ongoing training and support from the Naandi Foundation, the farmers of the Araku Valley have been building resilience, independence, and a long-term sustainable future for themselves.

This coffee offers the perfect introduction to Indian specialty, with its wonderfully refined flavour profile.