FLAVOUR PROFILE
Red Currants, Caramel, Persimmon
REGION
Araku Valley, Eastern Ghats, India
PARTNERSHIP
Since 2023
ELEVATION
1200m
PROCESS
Natural
VARIETY
SL9
INDIA - SURI BABU
Filter Roast
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A BIT ABOUT THIS COFFEE
Suri Babu was one of the early adopters of regenerative agriculture practices in his village, Gurra Garuvu. For nearly a decade, he has been nourishing the farm’s soil, garnering abundant organic matter and nutrients from various indigenous forest and fruit trees.
He now mentors young farmers on how to implement sustainability practices to produce exceptional coffee, such as this one.
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WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT
This natural lot was selected as one of the top 20 natural coffees produced in this region of India this year. It has a nice balance between both sweet and savoury fruit notes, a round mouthfeel, as well as a pleasant mix of caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla in the finish.
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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 delicious offering from the fertile 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 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.
As a volunteer trainer for Naandi, Suri Babu champions the ‘Araku way’ of growing coffee. He has been instrumental in skilling young farmers to transform their farms with his expertise, with a core focus on soil management. 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 Araju 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.