India Mysore Coffee – WS

From Southwest India in the Karnataka state (formerly Mysore area) comes this well balanced coffee that is full flavored, robust, winey and heavy bodied with low acidity, good aroma and deep color.

Coffee production in India is primarily found in the southern part of India, with the most production in Karnataka. Beans were first brought to India, as the story goes, by a saint (Baba Budan) who smuggled them out of Yemen in the late 1600’s. Coffee beans were not exported for many years after their initial planting, in fact it wasn’t until the mid 1800’s that the British began the exportation of these Indian beans. In the late 1800’s India’s coffee plantations began to be threatened. In Sri Lanka at this time, coffee plantations were damaged by the disease coffee rust and were slowly being taken over by the newly emerging tea plantations. India experienced both of these factors in the coffee industry, but not to the same extent as Sri Lanka.

In 2010/2011 annual reports, coffee production in India, while not as large as tea production, still boasted 220,800 plantations and farms; of which 218,000 were small growers who accounted for 70% of the total production. These coffee plantations are mostly found in southern India, whereas northern India consists of predominantly tea estates. On the whole Indians have traditionally consumed more tea (especially in the north) as coffee was largely exported. That has been shifting in recent years as coffee companies have changed packaging and advertising strategies. Coffee is now packaged more conveniently for home use and is being found in more self serve, convenient vending machines. Advertising is also targeting the younger generation, causing increases in consumption at home and at the numerous coffee house chains that are popping up around the country.

Many of the coffees grown in India are shade grown and can be found growing alongside spice crops like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg? This close proximity can lend a slight spiciness to these coffee beans. They tend to be well balanced, mild coffees with low acidity and light, subtle spicy notes.