Coffee Story
Ratnagiri Estate is located in southwestern India, in the state of Karnataka, just outside the village of Athigiri and next to the 'coffee city' of Chikamagaluru. The farm is quite large at 120 acres, grows coffee at elevations between 1250 and 1450 MASL, and produces around 7 containers (approximately 140,000 kilograms) each year. Nestled in the historic cradle of Indian coffee, Chikmagalur, the Ratnagiri Estate stands as a testament to what happens when pristine natural terroir meets rigorous scientific innovation. Spanning 108 hectares under the stewardship of Ashok and Divya Patre, Ratnagiri—meaning "Pearl Mountain"—is redefining the global perception of specialty Indian coffee. Situated at a high altitude of 1,335 meters above sea level, the estate possesses the ideal climatic conditions to slow cherry maturation and develop complex sugars.
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Controlling Fermentation & the Terroir of Chikmagalur
In recent years, the true distinction of Ratnagiri lies not just in its geography and terroir, but in its forward-thinking approach to processing and fermentation, transforming an agricultural tradition into a precise, scientific art form. What Ratnagiri offers to the specialty coffee world is a masterclass in controlled fermentation, showcasing how a producer can manipulate the microbiome to unlock hidden flavour potential.
Thermal Shocked SLN 9
For their SLN 9 variety, the Patre family employs an intricate Anaerobic Natural process. Whole cherries are sealed inside stainless-steel bio-fermenters for 36 hours, driven by precisely selected, lab-isolated microbes. The defining crescendo of this process is a "thermal shock" intervention: the coffee is heated to a precise 40 to 45 degrees Celsius, then instantaneously plunged into a specialized glycol cooling system to near-freezing temperatures. This radical temperature swing halts fermentation instantly and locks in volatile aromatic compounds before the coffee spends 25 days slowly drying on raised beds. The result is a cup profile that promises extreme clarity, intense sweetness, and a complexity rarely seen in traditional naturals.
With this coffee having a relatively low moisture content (sub-10 %) but a higher-than-average density, we decided on a low-and-slow roasting approach. By doing this, we attempt to preserve the brighter citrus notes without taking on any astringency. Slowly removing heat throughout the middle phase of the roast allows the sugars to caramelize and develop deep cherry-like sweetness. The end goal is bright and vibrant yet deeply sweet.
