MOOLEH MANAY, Carbonic Maceration Natural

Selection 3 is India's most widely planted Arabica variety, developed in the 1940s by crossing Kent with S228, a Mysore (CCRI) selection. Produces a balanced, medium-bodied cup with mild acidity and notes of chocolate and nuts. Well-suited to the elevations and conditions of Karnataka and Coorg, and remains the backbone of Indian Arabica production. 288 was a Tree Coffee - Arabica tetra plaid hybrid with the SH3 rust resistance gene.

An Arabica selection developed in Mysore (present-day Karnataka) in the early twentieth century, named after the British planter L. P. Kent of the Doddengudda Estate. It was selected from Typica populations and was among the first Indian Arabicas to show resistance to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), the disease that devastated South Indian plantations from the late 1800s. That resistance later broke down as new races of the fungus emerged, but Kent stayed in use as a breeding parent. It is best known as a parent of S795 (S288 × Kent), India's most widely planted Arabica. Early work on Kent was recorded by the Mysore Coffee Experiment Station at Balehonnur, founded in 1925, which went on to become the Central Coffee Research Institute under the Coffee Board of India. It was grown mainly across Mysore, Chikkamagaluru, Baba Budan Giri and the Coorg highlands in traditional shaded systems.

Selection 5a is a high-quality Arabica selection bred from a cross of Rume Sudan and Devmachy, two varieties known for cup quality. Prized for its complex acidity and fruit-forward profile rather than high yield. Relatively rare in the field and grown mainly on specialty-focused estates that prioritise cup character over volume. It was also planted in non-traditional regions due to its ability to be low-intervention.

Selection 6 is an Arabica selection released by the Coffee Board of India with balanced cup quality and moderate disease resistance. Grown across Karnataka and Coorg and suited to mid-altitude cultivation. Produces a clean, commercially reliable cup and is often found alongside S795 on larger estates. Genetically it's Kent crossed with Canephora and back crossed again with Kent.

Selection 9 is a hybrid Arabica selection combining the cup quality of the Ethiopian Tafarikela variety with the disease resistance of Híbrido de Timor. Produces a clean, bright cup with good acidity and some complexity. Part of the Coffee Board's programme to develop varieties suited to Indian growing conditions while maintaining cup quality.

Chandragiri is a cross between Villa Sarchi (a natural mutation of Bourbon) and Hybrid de Timor (a spontaneous cross between Arabica and Canephora, also known as Robusta, on the island of Timor in the 1920s). This semi-dwarf Sarchimor variety was introduced to India in 2007 by the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) and is often referred to as “Selection 13”. It's characterised by drooping branches with loose clusters of cherries, which promote uniform development. The plant produces relatively long seeds for Arabica and shows excellent tolerance to both leaf rust and white stem berry borer. Additionally, it offers a good quality cup profile.

Old Peradeniya is a traditional Canephora variety with roots in the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens in Sri Lanka, from which early planting material was distributed across South India. One of the oldest Canephora selections cultivated in Karnataka, it is noted for more distinctive cup character relative to typical commercial Robusta, particularly when carefully harvested and processed.

A Canephora variety developed by the Coffee Board of India and one of the most widely cultivated Robusta selections in Karnataka. S274 is valued for high yield and a comparatively clean, full-bodied cup when properly processed. It is frequently used in espresso blends and forms the commercial backbone of India's Canephora output.

A naturally occurring interspecific hybrid of Coffea canephora and Coffea congensis, developed and propagated in India. CXR is more compact in stature than standard Canephora, while offering moderate cup quality with good body. Owing to its genetic position between cultivated Robusta and a wild African species, it has drawn interest as a potential bridge variety in breeding programs. It is also considered better adapted to regions with excessive soil moisture and high rainfall conditions.

The dry/natural process is the oldest and simplest method of preparing green coffee. Well-suited to environments with limited water access and hot climates, this process typically uses no water and requires no specialised equipment.

After harvesting, coffee cherries are dried until they reach about 20% moisture content. They're then usually rested for a few weeks in bags before being sent to a mill for hulling and export preparation.

The cherries can be dried on large patios or raised African beds, large trays with a mesh base that allow increased airflow for even drying. Best practices include keeping the drying coffee in shade during the hottest parts of the day and avoiding re-wetting by rain or condensation. Regular turning and good ventilation are also crucial to prevent mould formation.

To avoid defective seeds and sour fermentation off-flavours, it's best to sort the harvested cherries during the initial drying stage when under-ripe, over-ripe, and damaged cherries are easily spotted. After just a couple of days, the cherries turn a dark red-brown colour before becoming black, making it impossible to visually identify problem cherries.

Coffee begins fermenting from the moment it's picked and continues while there's enough moisture and high temperatures, conditions that favour microbial growth. This uncontrolled fermentation leads to the development of wild, fruity flavours and an increased perception of sweetness and body.

Often referred to as anaerobic fermentation, "anoxic" is the correct term for the environment where fermentation occurs. While fermentation itself is inherently anaerobic (not requiring oxygen), many other microbial processes happening simultaneously do need oxygen. One such process is the production of acetic acid, which can be pleasant in small amounts but leads to very sour, vinegar-like notes and "farmyard" aromas when concentrated. By fermenting coffee without oxygen, you can slow acetic acid production while encouraging more intense fruit flavours. This process can be carried out in various vessels, sometimes with added CO₂ (carbonic maceration), and at different stages, either with whole fruit or after the coffee has been pulped.