Coorg, popularly known as a coffee country for the abundance of coffee that is grown in this region, with the rich soil and ideal climatic conditions, produces some of the best coffee in India. Coffee was first introduced in India in the Chikmagalur hills by a visiting Sufi saint from Yemen, from across the Arabian Sea. On a small patch of land, where he made himself a home, he scattered some of the coffee beans he had brought with him, and they quite liked their new home. The British planters eventually discovered his little garden of coffee in the Baba Budanagiri Hills (named after the saint) and after that, there was no stopping its spread to other parts of this countryside. As they say, the rest is history.
The walk takes you through a coffee plantation and offers you a better understanding of your favourite beverage. You will learn about the methods used in its products which are unique to India; you will get lessons on differentiating the Arabica and Robusta plant and bean from each other and lots more. Indian coffee plantations are unique because all our coffees are shade-grown. Which also means, it gives us the opportunity to grow a lot more than just coffee. Pepper is one such additional crop, which was also considered to be black gold, and can sometimes give the coffees some beautiful spice notes!
You are sure to have a deeper appreciation for your morning cuppa after this!
Our tour begins with a visit at a coffee plantation where you will be guided through the various processes of coffee production from a coffee planter. You will be shown how to differentiate between Arabia and Robusta, the two popular coffee varieties. Arabica it appears has a smoother, sweeter taste, with flavour notes of chocolate and sugar. They often also have hints of fruits or berries. Robusta, on the other hand, has a stronger, harsher and bitterer taste, with grainy or rubbery overtones. You will then be taken to a roastery and get to see how coffee is roasted. You will get to enjoy some freshly brewed local coffee that was grown on the same estate. We will visit a local coffee shop and get to know all about the intriguing civet cat coffee.Civet coffee, or what is known as Luwark coffee, is expensive because of an uncommon method of producing such a coffee. It is produced from the coffee digested by the civet cat.The faeces of this cat are collected, processed and the sold. The civet cat it seems delights in only eating the flesh of the coffee cherries and not the bean itself!