MOOLEH MANAY, Natural Carbonic Maceration

At Mooleh Manay, Akshay takes processing extremely seriously, and each year produces a handful of new experiments and improves his protocols and infrastructure.

Cherries are hand-picked individually, never strip-picked. Only fully ripe cherries with rich red or purplish hues (depending on the variety) are selected, ensuring optimal sugar levels crucial for precise fermentation and flavour clarity.

Shortly after harvest, cherries undergo water flotation sorting. Dense, ripe cherries sink and continue to processing, while underripe or damaged "floaters" are removed. The sorted cherries then undergo pre-drying to reduce surface moisture. This initiates a more controlled fermentation by lowering initial water activity, which enables better fermentation while reducing the risk of uncontrolled microbial growth.

Next, the cherries move to sealed tanks for carbonic maceration and inoculated with a custom culture to create a controlled environment. Fermentation continues for 60 hours, after which the cherries are spread onto raised beds inside a polyhouse and regularly raked to ensure even drying and prevent hotspots. They dry gradually over 7–10 days, depending on weather conditions. Each evening, the drying coffees are covered to protect them from moisture and dew, maintaining a steady, safe drying process.

Moisture levels are carefully monitored throughout, and once cherries reach 11–12% moisture, they're stable and ready for storage. This specific moisture range is essential for preserving the coffee during storage, preventing mould while maintaining those delicate flavours and aromas.

Mooleh Manay Estate is located near the beautiful backwaters of the Harangi Reservoir in Coorg, Karnataka. The farm is now managed by Komal and Akshay, who took over from 4th generation coffee planter, Ms. G.G. Padmashree.

They take a data-driven approach to farming and coffee processing, believing that data is essential for optimizing agricultural practices and ensuring the highest quality coffee production. The farm cultivates a variety of coffee species, including Arabica, Robusta, and Excelsa, and uses meticulous processing methods.

Komal also runs the exporting company, South India Coffee Company, and together they have founded a research and development wing, SICC Labs, focusing on low-intervention Coffea species for the future.

SLN 6, or Selection 6, is an interspecific hybridization (crossing different species) of the Kent variety with the Robusta clone S.274. The resulting plants were then backcrossed (crossing the hybrid back to one of the parent species) with Kent. This hybrid variety was developed by the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in India to combine the desirable cup quality of Arabica with the disease resistance of Robusta. Known for its adaptability to diverse growing conditions and resistance to pests and diseases, it offers a good balance between yield and cup quality.

India Selection 9 is a variety of Arabica coffee known for its high quality and adaptability. This hybrid combines the superior cup quality of Tafarikela, an Ethiopian variety, with the robustness of Hybrido-de-Timor. Selection 9 features tall plants with drooping branches and dark bronze leaves. The coffee cherries are dark red, oblong, and large. This variety thrives in various growing conditions, including drought-prone areas, and is particularly popular in regions like Araku Valley.

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 variety was introduced to India in 2007 by the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI). It's characterized 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.

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 specialized 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.