Country: India
Region: Chikmagalur District, Karnataka, Western Ghats
Farm: Kerehaklu Estate
Coordinates: 13°15'07.2"N 75°35'31.2"E
Producer: Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah
Altitude: 1025-1175 m.a.s.l.
Lot ID: Lot FF
Varieties: S9
Processing: Culture-inoculated washed
Marks: 014-0643-2025-99
Reference ID: HA-25242-14
Humidity: 11.00%
Density: 1.15 g/ml;
Harvest Date: March, 2025
Arrival Date: August, 2025
SCA Cupping Score: 86.00
Tariff Cost: $1.49/lb
At Kerehaklu Estate, Pranoy isolates local microbes and cultures them. This enables Pranoy to control dominant microbes during fermentation while still preserving the estate’s ecological fingerprint.
This “lime culture” is added to the coffee while it undergoes submerged fermentation for 36 hours.
[kay-ray-huck-loo] — noun
Meaning: “Shelter by the lake,” from 11th–12th century Kannada language.
Kerehaklu is a 250 acre family estate in Chikmagalur, nestled within the Western Ghats. The landscape is alive with rich biodiversity of flora, fauna, and fungi and is shaped by a history of cultivation that began in 1953.
The estate is home to multiple Arabica varieties alongside Canephora selections as well as small plantings of Liberica and Excelsa.
Kerehaklu is also an ecolodge and grows secondary crops like avocado, peppercorn and other seasonal produce.
Ajoy- A fourth-generation coffee grower whose lifelong dedication has combined traditional knowledge with scientific practice.
Pranoy - A biologist by training, Pranoy highlights the estate’s biodiversity while leading its post-harvest and processing focus, ensuring Kerehaklu coffees reach roasters worldwide.
Prashun (alumnus) - After documenting wildlife on the estate, Prashun now works in conservation with Melbourne Water in Australia.
Kivi- A loyal beagle and daily companion in the fields, often spotted alongside Pranoy and Ajoy.
The work at Kerehaklu is rooted in conservation and coexistence.
Each harvest reflects a careful balance between cultivation and the natural environment, where native microbes play a central role in fermentation. These microorganisms are unique to the estate’s soils and shape cup character while bringing a sense of place to each lot.
Since 2019, the family has invested in infrastructure to refine post-harvest processing. From extended fermentations to experimental drying methods, their focus has been on elevating cup quality while preserving the estate’s ecological integrity.
The result is a range of coffees that connect roasters to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats through both flavor and story.