Kerehaklu Robusta

Origin: India

Process: Anoxic Natural

Variety: Congusta

Importer: Osito

Harvest: 2025

Altitude: 1200 masl

Per-Kilogram green price: £8.60

Amount purchased: 180kg

This is the first coffee from the C.Canephora (Robusta) species we’ve bought, and it’s from Kerehaklu Estate, located in Chikmagalur, India. It’s run by Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah, a father and son team. The 97-hectare farm has a unique charm, blending a sense of timelessness with cutting-edge practices. Unlike the coffee fields found in much of the producing world, where clear-cutting of forest for high productivity has become the norm, the coffee plants at Kerehaklu grow within dense, old growth jungle, with tall Coffea Liberica and Coffea Excelsa plants scattered throughout the hedgerows. Stepping into the coffee processing area, however, there is no mistaking the modern approach taken by Pranoy, who applies his undergraduate biology degree to push the boundaries of coffee processing and potential under the microscope.

While both father and son—Ajoy and Thipaiah—are deeply involved in nearly every aspect of Kerehaklu Estate, each has naturally gravitated toward the areas where their experience and instincts best serve the farm. Broadly speaking, Mr. Ajoy oversees the plantation itself, focusing on plant health and overall agronomy, while Pranoy leads the post-harvest processing efforts. It has been remarkable to watch Pranoy’s approach to processing evolve over the past four seasons. He’s deeply curious about how processing can add nuance and character to coffee, but he’s equally committed to allowing plant genetics and the native microbiome to remain the dominant forces shaping flavor. Pranoy’s method has an analogue in sourdough bread. He creates a starter culture using parchment coffee and mucilage. The native yeasts and bacteria on the fruit activate within this mixture, which is then cultivated into a vibrant starter culture used to inoculate fermentations.