Malabar Coffee

Monsooned Malabar - Coffee from India

Monsooned Malabar coffee is an exceptional Indian coffee that is exposed to the monsoon and winds on the Malabar Coast during processing.

The coffee from India not only excels with its special aromas imparted by the monsoon, but it also has everything we expect from a socially responsible coffee. Monsooned Malabar is direct and fair trade, and organically grown. The MASS cooperative, founded in 2001, is also an NGO.

Where does Monsooned Malabar originate?

Monsooned Malabar is cultivated in the Indian state of Kerala, which means “Land of Coconut Palms” in the local language, located in the southernmost west at the tip of India. The Malabar Coast, also known as the Pepper Coast, is 650 km long and extends further north into the state of Karnataka. Only coffee originating from the Malabar Coast in the states of Kerala and Karnataka and processed here is protected by geographical indication and may be called Monsooned Malabar.

Within the state of Kerala lies the Idukki district. Idukki is considered one of the world's 25 top biodiversity hotspots. The mountainous region boasts numerous protected areas and national parks. In addition to its diverse flora, the vast area also allows fauna to flourish. The Arabica coffee itself comes from a small, beautiful, remote, high-altitude village – Keezhanthoor. Keezhanthoor belongs to an association of five villages renowned for their coffee and spices. The association is called Anchunad, and the villages are Karayoor, Marayoor, Kottakudi, Kanthalloor, and Keezhanthoor. All these villages are situated in the Mannavan Shola Forest, part of the Anamudi Shola National Park. North of Kanthalloor lies the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, now one of 18 protected areas in Kerala. The UNESCO committee is considering adding Chinnar Wildlife to the World Heritage list.

Aha! In Keezhanthoor itself, 200 farming families have been cultivating vegetables, fruits, and spices alongside coffee for generations. Arabica coffee is grown at altitudes of 1,500 meters above sea level and higher.

MASS - NGO and Coffee Farmers' Cooperative

MASS, the Manarcadu Social Service Society, was founded in 2001 by regional smallholder farmers. Even before that, the focus was on organic cultivation and fair trade. However, it was only with MASS that direct access to the international market was created. Local coffee traders, who held a monopoly and dictated prices, could thus be bypassed. And not only the local traders but also the international coffee exchange can be excluded from the process through direct trade.

Direct trade makes it possible to positively transform income and self-determination. MASS focuses on sustainability in cultivation and thus on sustainable sources of income, on the realization of schools, educational and health facilities, as well as technologically improved developments. The coffee farmers qualify and professionalize themselves with the acquired knowledge in organic agriculture. Biogas is produced as an alternative to firewood for cooking, and the coffee processing plant is powered solely by regeneratively generated solar and biogas electricity.

Monsooned Malabar - What is Monsooning?

Monsooned Malabar is harvested by hand. Only ripe coffee cherries are washed using the wet processing method and sun-dried at the processing center. Coffee processed with wet method is called washed coffee. Environmentally efficient depulpers are also used in wet processing.

Monsooned Malabar bears this melodious name due to its exceptional post-processing. After harvesting and wet processing, the coffee is deliberately exposed to monsoon winds and humidity. By absorbing moisture, the coffee beans expand, gain volume, and change color to the gold-yellow to straw-brown typical of Monsooned Malabar. Subsequently filled into jute sacks, the coffee sacks are stacked with ample space in between in houses specifically designed for monsooning. This allows the monsoon wind to continue circulating around them. The “monsooning” process lasts 2-3 months before the beans can embark on their journey into the world.

The Result: Through this special treatment, the coffee beans acquire a very distinctive flavor note and unique mildness.

Aha! In earlier times, “monsooning” occurred directly on the sailing ships that transported coffee to Europe. The coffee was exposed to the salty air on the ships and underwent the process there. Even then, the extraordinary taste and mildness of Monsooned Malabar were highly appreciated.

Monsooned Malabar from Keezhanthoor - Multi-Certified

Monsooned Malabar from Keezhanthoor is multi-certified. In its home country, it has been awarded the Organic Seal, the Bioland Seal, and the Fairtrade Seal. These certifications guarantee that the coffee is cultivated according to the respective ecological aspects of the seals and under the principles of fair trade. Furthermore, the coffee is exported through direct trade, which brings additional benefits for the coffee farmers, as well as for cooperative partners like us. Other quality features include cultivation in the highlands and hand-picking.

Aha! The seals with which Monsooned Malabar is certified are not found on the coffee bags. Why is that? Even though the seals are for the European and German markets, we, from the Kaffeerösterei, would have to go through the certification process again to be allowed to use the seals. Since this involves significant costs, both for us and for you as the end customer, we have not done so. You are welcome to view the certifications at our Kaffeerösterei. We look forward to your interest.

Malabar Coffee and its Exceptional Taste

Through monsooning, Malabar coffee gains a flavor that is unique in the world. The cup profile of Monsooned Malabar reveals a complex, heavy, yet balanced body that is unparalleled. It impresses with a pleasant acidity and a velvety mildness, as well as a hint of spice. Dry, sharp notes resonate, paired with an individual, multifaceted flavor profile that reveals nuances of chocolate and nuts. Malabar coffee is versatile and unique, just like the nature it calls home.

The cultivation of various plant species in the same area further enriches the flavor diversity of Malabar coffee. In the immediate vicinity, cocoa and tea, spices, vegetables and fruits such as oranges, bananas, mangoes, and jackfruit, and nuts like coconuts and cashews thrive, which also ensure nutrient richness in the black forest soil. This cultivation system with shade trees and intercropping is called an agroforestry system.

The Washed Processing of Malabar Coffee

Monsooned Malabar from Keezhanthoor is processed as washed and natural. We chose the washed coffee because wet processing is considered higher quality and allows the flavor to best unfold. The hand-selected coffee cherries are sun-dried after washing and then hand-sorted again. Wet processing is carried out using resource-saving depulpers that work ecologically with the available water.

The Roasting at Kaffeerösterei Kirmse

After a long journey by ship to the port of Hamburg, Monsooned Malabar begins its trip to us at Kaffeerösterei Kirmse in Zwiesel. Here, it is refined into Malabar coffee with a medium roast. The Indian Malabar coffee is also available as Espresso Malabar and as Malabar Coffee Blend.

INDIA MONSOON MALABAR ORGANIC

• Type: Arabica Cherry AA
• Origin: India, Kerala
• Region: Keezhanthoor (Hill region)
• Cooperative: Plantrich/MAAS
• Altitude: from 1500m above sea level
• Soil: black forest soil
• Cultivation: Organic in agroforestry systems
• Harvest: Hand selection Sept.–Oct.
• Quantity: 26 t annually

"Monsoon Malabar" is an exceptional coffee. This designation is due to the fact that the coffee is indeed exposed to the monsoon and winds of the Malabar Coast during the processing. Coffee beans processed on the Malabar Coast of Karnataka and Kerala are protected under Indian geographical indication law, making them unique.