Monsooned Malabar is a variety of dry processed coffee beans. The harvested and processed beans are exposed to the monsoon winds for a period of about three to four months, causing the beans to swell and lose the original acidity, resulting in a sweet and syrupy brew.[1] The coffee is unique to the Malabar Coast of Karnataka and Kerala and has protected status under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act.[2][3] The name Monsooned Malabar is derived from exposure to the monsoon winds of the Malabar coast.[4]
The blend is heavy bodied, pungent and is considered to be dry with a musty, chocolatey aroma and notes of spice and nuts.[5][6][7]
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The origins of Monsooned Malabar date back to the times of the British Raj, when, during the months that the beans were transported by sea from India to Europe, the humidity and the sea winds combined to cause the coffee to ripen from the fresh green to a more aged pale yellow.[8] When transportation was modernised, the length of this journey was dramatically reduced and the beans were much better protected from the fierce elements. However, the Europeans noticed that the coffee beans now arriving in their ports lacked the depth and character of the coffee beans received in days gone by.[9]
It was determined that in the past the coffee beans had been transformed by exposure to the sea air and monsoon winds and rain. An alternative process was implemented to replicate these conditions, so that these incredible coffee beans could be enjoyed once again.[10]
Whole crop cherry coffee are selected and sun-dried in expansive barbecues. The dried beans are cured and sorted into 'AA' and 'A' grades, after which, they are stored in warehouses till the onset of monsoon. From June through September, the selected beans are exposed to moisture-laden monsoon winds in well-ventilated warehouses (12 to 16 weeks time). The monsooning process involves careful handling, repeated spreading, raking and turning around in regular intervals. The beans absorb moisture and get significantly large, turning into pale golden in colour. Further micro-sorting is done to separate fully monsooned beans.