BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Coffee Craft: Sorting the Beans

This is an optional process in which any silver skin that remains on the beans after hulling is removed in a polishing machine. Polished beans are considered superior to unpolished ones.

Now the coffee beans are even more precisely sorted by size and weight. They will also be rigorously evaluated for colour flaws or other imperfections and defective beans are removed.

The beans are now ready to be exported and locally roasted before sale.

FGCO12111

Indian Monsoon Malabar Coffee Beans 250g

Net Weight: 250g

£20.00
The moist monsoon air lends a complexity of flavour and spice to our Indian Monsoon Malabar beans. A full-bodied and highly sought after roast with a smooth and velvety aftertaste.

The East India Company - Lifestyle

Coffee

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£20.00
SPECIFICATION DELIVERY & RETURNS
Product Detail Experience How to Ingredients
India is a significant coffee player, the 5th largest producer in the world.

Just as with tea, it was once again the British who in the 1840s established coffee plantations in Southern India, home to perfect coffee conditions of tropical climate, plentiful rainfall, altitude and humus-rich soils.

Shipping the green beans back to Europe meant a 4 to 6 month trip via the Cape of Good Hope. Stored in the highly humid hold, the beans changed enroute, becoming pale gold and doubling in size. The resultant roasted bean had specific characteristics that were enjoyed and became in demand.
So, when transport improved and Suez shorten the trip, these characteristics were lost. But there had been a market established and so a process was developed called ‘monsooning’ that produced a bean similar to those previously enjoyed.

Still continuing today, this monsooning process consists of exposing small piles of top-grade Arabica cherries (processed initially using the ‘dry method’) to the the monsoon months, in well-ventilated warehouses on the Western Malabar coast of India.

During a 3 to 4 month process, the beans which are raked, bagged, rebagged throughout, swell to double the size and lighten in colour. They are then stored ready to be shipped and roasted.
The exposure of the beans to months of the moist monsoon winds impacts the flavour and character greatly.

Not surprisingly, the process removes much of the acidity. What is the left is a light-bodied coffee with a mellow richness, with notes and warmth of liquorice and ginger.
The bold flavours of Monsoon Malabar make it an ideal bean for an espresso, delivering an excellent crema.

Excellent drunk black and well complemented by a dark chocolate pudding for desert or accompanied by a butter shortbread biscuit or biscotti.
The following guidance assumes the use of a cafetiere – we can provide other grinds if you prefer.

Freshly ground Indian Monsoon Malabar coffee to a course grind.

Use 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 220ml [an average mug or large cup size].

Filtered water is best, poured on the coffee just under the boiling point.

Brew for 3 to 5 minutes.
If you would like you coffee beans to be freshly ground by our team, please add your requirement at the checkout.

Grind level options are:

1: Extra Fine - for Turkish
3: Fine - for Espresso Machine
5: Medium - for Drip
7: Medium-Course - for Home Coffee Maker
9: Course - for Cafetiere
Origin: India

Bean: 100% Arabica

Body: 1/5

Acidity: 1/5

Roast: Dark Roast
We are happy to grind your beans for you of course - your ground coffee will remain at its best for a few weeks once opened. If you plan to use over an extended period, we recommend buying whole beans and to then grind only the exact amount required for each drinking occasion. Using a 'burr' grinder avoids heating up the beans as regular blade grinders do.

Store your beans or your ground coffee in an airtight container, in a cool [not refrigerated], dark place, away from other flavours. This will best preserve your coffee’s freshness and flavours.

Stories

The Story of the French Press

A little like the tea bag, what came to be known as the French Press was probably invented by accident.

Legend has it that an unnamed Frenchmen was preparing a pot of coffee on an open fire in the 1850s, when he realised he forgotten to add the coffee first. Adding it later meant the coffee grounds sat on the surface and wouldn’t brew properly. So, with a metal stick, he pushed a small piece of metal screen to the bottom, carrying with it the coffee grounds. Expecting the worst, the coffee was the best he had ever had. A new way of brewing coffee was invented.
Maybe that’s what happened.

What is true is the first patent issued for a coffee making device that closely resembles the modern French Press was by Attilio Callimani in 1929, an Italian from Milan, by which time Italian’s referred to it as a Cafetiere.

Nowadays, cafetieres are generally made with Borosilicate glass, which is very strong, together with stainless steel. It’s a cost effective and easy way of making an outstanding cup of coffee.

Our spirit delivers no ordinary products

  • FAQ

    What is the difference between Robusta beans and Arabica beans?
    Robusta and Arabica are simply the 2 main species of the coffee plant. Arabica is thought to be indigenous to Arabia and grows best at higher altitudes with shade and rainfall required, thus tending to be a little more expensive than the easier to grow Robusta. Arabica now accounts for the majority of coffee consumed, because the flavour is smooth and has a natural sweetness, with chocolate and berry undertones, whereas robusta can be quite bitter with a slightly burnt after taste - but is higher in caffeine and produces a better crema in an espresso.

    What sort of grind should I buy – I know there are different grades. Or should I buy beans?
    If you are an occasional coffee drinker then you probably don’t have a coffee bean grinder, in which case, the grind to buy depends on how you intend to brew your coffee. A French Press or Cafetiere requires a course grind and a longer brew, whilst making in the Turkish style means extra fine is required for this distinctive very strong brew. Do make sure you keep your ground coffee in a cool, dark place, well wrapped up. A coffee grinder can be good investment that allows you to buy beans which stay fresher for longer.

  • Delivery & Returns

    UK Standard Delivery: £3.95
    UK Next Day Delivery (mainland UK only): £9.95 (Order before 12pm)
    International Delivery is available, please see our delivery page for details. For more information and Terms & Conditions, please see our Delivery page.

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