Coffee Beans A Tryst with Coffee Quality

The Sona Group is one of the largest coffee growers in India. We specialize in growing quality Arabicas and Robustas, with emphasis on washed preparation. We offer coffee from two distinct regions and distinct taste profiles.

Our role in Indian Coffee History:

The Sona Group has had a tryst with Coffee destiny in India. In the early 18th century, a saint by the name Bababudan brought in seven coffee seeds from Arabia. These seven seeds of Coffee were sown in the high mountain ranges near Chikmagalur. Thus coffee came to the Indian soil in the year 1830.

Our quality estates, The Lalbagh and Valliappa plantations are situated on the very hill where coffee was first introduced by Bababudan.

Been in Coffee for 3 decades stamped with tradition and quality.

Cultivation Methods : To maintain the ecological balance and to preserve the flora and fauna of the coffee plantations, we follow a system of growing coffee under filtered shade. The shade trees serve a dual purpose of providing organic mulch, as also filtered shade. The organic mulch is further augmented by red laterite soil with a sprinkling of Mica and manganese which helps in developing bold beans of excellent quality. We, thus let nature tenderly take care of our coffee.

The shade trees are exotic : Atthi, Jack, Red Cedar, White Cedar, Rosewood can be seen amongst Silver Oak and Dadaps. These shade trees are also a host to beautiful birds, tigers, bisons and elephants.

Special Traits in our coffee:
The predominant strains of Arabica coffee found on our coffee plantations are the time tested and commercially viable strain of Sln. 795, an Indian selection which has the makings of a special coffee, with a balanced keel of Body and Acidity in the cup, laced with subtle notes of chocolate!!

Apart from this strain, the exstate also houses the selection 9, a strain resistant to drought and a good yielder; besides the Selection 4345 popularly know as Cauvery. These two strains have distinct cup quality and have the makings of Speciality coffees.

Small blocks on the estate have also been planted with the exotic HRC (Hawaiian Red Caturra) variety, to add to our exotic collection of plant strains.

Quality:

Our philosophy in quality coffee commences from the propagation of the seed material, through the growing processing and up to the time the quality beans are brewed-that is indeed our attention to detail.

The seed materials, prior to propagation, are subjected to stringent selection, inspection and quality approval, before the seeds are planted. Only quality seed material are planted to ensure the quality of the end product!.

All our coffees are selectively hand picked delicately pulped, carefully washed, tenderly sun dried, carefully processed/cure. The entire coffee processing line is the best and most up to date state of the art machinery imported from Brazil.

Harvesting of ripe red coffee cherries is carried out by selective hand picking. Sorting of berries and the use of a green bean separator, as an attachment to the pulper, reinforce and complement the selective picking of berries.

Only ripe red cherries are pulped in a vertical pulper, when the fruit skin is gently removed by the rotating drum, without any cuts or cracks to the parchment beans.

The pulped material is subjected to the important step of natural fermentation, which not only effectively removes the thick fruit mucilage, especially from the center cuts of the beans, but also helps in the dual benefit of flavour development and cleanliness in the cup. This step has been perfected, to highlight the intrinsic quality notes of the plant strains on our estate.

To reduce the water consumption and thus reduce the quantum of effluents to be treated, the naturally fermented coffee is passed through a washer. The resultant parchment is "pebble" clean.

Sun drying adds to the intrinsic value of our coffees. The washed coffee beans are spread on clean cemented barbeques, raked carefully and frequently and covered at night, for equalization of moisture content within the beans. A quality product is our goal.

The coffee is then cured on our estate at the state of the art curing equipment to clean and upgrade the quality and prepare bulks as per specific requirements of the market.

The clean coffees are packed in hydrocarbon double jute bags and stored in well ventilated warehouses, till shipment and into the final aromatic coffee cup!!

- A quality journey from the seed to the cup. We prepare and ensure quality coffee beans, to suit each and every discerning palate around the world. That’s our philosophy and tryst with destiny.

Yemmegundi Hills - Coorg, region housing the respected coffee community. First Coffee plantations that were introduced into India in the year mid 1800 by the first britishers who opened up the coffee plantations in India. The time tested plant material 795 is housed in specific blocks to help in preparation of special and speciality coffees.

The discerning feature here is the double canopy shade for the Arabicas on this estate with a mingling of exotic forest trees like the mahogany and cidar intermingling with fruit trees like oranges jackfruit and figs. The stately pepper vines surrounded by K.M. Hills famous for iron ore reserves, having organic mulch, coffee plants grow slowly in enriched soild yielding well developed dense beans.

Guest house on the estate-facility

We can take u across to our coffee plantation and provide accommodation. On the mountain top overlooking the blue waters of the bhadra on one side and one of the largest valley in Asia.

The famous elephat reserves of Joghra.

Get the taste of chettinad cuisine made to suit your palate.

Next to the famous Belur and Halebid temples.
Bullock card ride, Boad ride on the waters of the Bhadra,

Let us know of your itenary and we could arrange everything for your stay.

The authenticity and quality of coffee is been checked by CoffeeLab and they can be contacted at coffeelab@mailcity.com

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