India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed

About This Coffee

Most Indian Arabica available to home roasters comes from single estates. This lot is different: a community lot grown within B.R. Hills’ agroforestry, intercropped growing system, sourced through Black Baza Coffee Co, a direct trade partner building long-term producer relationships across the Western Ghats and Nilgiris since 2016.

The Chandragiri varietal is valued for its balance of yield and cup quality, performing well in the shaded, lower-input conditions typical of B.R. Hills smallholdings. Hand-pulping removes the skin and pulp by hand shortly after harvest, careful handling that reduces the risk of damage to individual beans before parchment drying on raised beds.

Growers are paid 1,000 rupees per kilo, 2.4 times Black Baza’s own fair trade minimum, based on quality and biodiversity practice rather than commodity rates. This is direct-sourced, traceable green coffee, grower-to-roaster, fully traceable back to the specific collective and grower behind it.

Where Does It Come From?

• Country: India
• Region: BRT Tiger Reserve, B.R. Hills, Karnataka
• Farm: B.R. Hills Collective
• Altitude: 1,000 – 1,200 MASL
• Variety: Arabica (Chandragiri)
• Grade: Specialty
• Lot Type: Community Lot, Limited Allocation
• Process: Washed
• Drying: Patio
• Farming: Non-certified Organic, Chemical-Free, Wildlife-Friendly
• SCA Score: 84 points

B.R. Hills sits at the meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats, a landscape of moist deciduous forest that supports one of South India’s most biodiverse coffee growing regions. Coffee here grows under native, high-canopy forest structure, intercropped rather than cleared for higher yields, at elevations of 1,000 – 1,200 metres, cool enough to slow cherry maturation and build the density this lot’s cup depends on.

This lot is sourced through a direct trade relationship with Black Baza Coffee Co, founded in 2016 by Dr. Arshiya Bose to build equitable, conservation-adjacent markets for smallholder growers, beginning with just 100 kilos from four farms in Coorg and now spanning B.R. Hills, Palani Hills, the Nilgiris, and Wayanad. Grower Kethamma, part of the Soliga community, is one of the growers behind this collective lot.

Grown almost entirely as an understory crop beneath multiple canopy layers of native trees rather than in open sun, this shade structure moderates temperature swings, slows cherry ripening, and builds organic matter in the soil over time. Farmed without synthetic inputs, though not certified organic, this is chemical-free, low-intervention growing within a genuine wildlife corridor, home to the Soliga tribe’s centuries of ecological knowledge.

Flavour Potential

India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed delivers a clean, structured cup with familiar, approachable character. At medium roast, expect to unlock:

🍫 Dark Chocolate – rich, rounded, upfront
🍯 Brown Sugar – warm sweetness through the body

Flavour potential is indicative only. Final cup profile depends on roast level and brewing method. Per SCA cupping standards.

Washed processing keeps this lot consistent and even, with balanced acidity and a clean finish. Dark chocolate and brown sugar notes develop fully without tipping into bitterness, a versatile, everyday cup that performs equally well black or with milk.

What Is Washed Processing?

If you are new to green coffee, this processing method explains why India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed tastes the way it does.

Washed Processing means:

• Cherries are hand-pulped shortly after harvest, a careful, small-batch method that reduces the risk of damage to individual beans
• The skin and pulp are removed by hand, keeping each bean intact
• Remaining mucilage is washed away before the beans dry on patio
• Beans dry evenly, without the fruit sugars natural processing leaves in contact with the bean

Why this matters for home roasters:

• Produces a clean, predictable roast curve, with even size and moisture content going into the roaster
• Keeps the Chandragiri varietal’s natural sweetness balanced against clean, structured acidity
• Suits everyday drinking programs rather than single-occasion specialty cups
• A reliable, versatile lot that performs consistently across roast profiles

Roast Recommendation

Recommended Roast Range: Medium

Medium roast is how this lot is best roasted, chosen to balance the Chandragiri varietal’s natural sweetness against a clean, structured acidity. At this level, dark chocolate and brown sugar notes develop fully without tipping into bitterness, while the washed process keeps the bright acidity in check rather than heavy.

Roast guide:

• Roast Level: Medium
• Target Drop Temperature: 205°C – 215°C
• First Crack: Drop shortly after first crack completes
• Colour: Medium brown, minimal surface oil

Tips for home roasters:

• This lot suits roasters flexibility across both light-medium and medium roast profiles depending on house style
• Pushed slightly lighter, acidity and brightness come forward more
• Taken to a fuller medium, dark chocolate and brown sugar deepen and the body rounds out
• Either extreme avoids the flat, muted cup that under- or over-roasting a washed Arabica this clean tends to produce
• Rest 5 – 7 days after roasting before brewing for best results

Brewing Suggestion

Once roasted, India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed performs consistently across manual brewing methods, its clean, structured profile suited to everyday brewing.

Recommended brewing methods:
☕ Pour Over – highlights the acidity and clarity most clearly, 1:16 ratio recommended
☕ French Press – brings out more body and sweetness
☕ Filter/Drip – clean, balanced, structured profile comes through best
☕ Espresso – workable, though not this lot’s strongest format

Brewing tips:

• Water temperature: 92°C – 96°C
• Grind medium for pour over and filter, coarse for French Press
• Ratio 1:16 for pour over brewing
• Allow 5 – 7 days rest after roasting before brewing
• Performs well black or with milk

Is This Coffee Right For Me?

Yes, if you are:

• A home roaster wanting a clean, structured, everyday cup rather than a single-occasion specialty coffee
• Someone who enjoys familiar dark chocolate and brown sugar notes with balanced acidity
• Interested in supporting a direct trade, producer-partner sourcing model
• Curious about a genuinely traceable community lot, back to a specific collective and grower

Consider another origin, if you prefer:

• A bright, citrus-forward honey process, try our India B.R. Hills Arabica Honey Process
• A savory, spice-forward washed Robusta, try our India Coorg Robusta Washed AA, Pambukal Estate

How To Store Your Green Coffee Beans

Green coffee beans are incredibly stable when stored correctly, far more so than roasted coffee.

• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight
• A cupboard or pantry at room temperature is ideal
• Do not refrigerate or freeze
• Allow the beans to breathe, avoid fully airtight containers
• Stored correctly, green coffee beans remain fresh for up to 12 months

Why Buy From Roasters Hall?

Every coffee on Roasters Hall is chosen and shipped with Canadian home roasters in mind.

• Specialty grade only – every coffee we carry is SCA specialty grade 84 points and above
• Small retail packs – 200g, 350g, 500g and 1kg, perfect for home roasters
• Direct trade sourced – producer-partner relationships built on fair, quality-based pricing
• Ships across Canada – coast to coast, fast and reliable
• Farm-to-cup traceability – origin-to-roaster records on every lot we carry
• Home roaster focused – built for the Canadian home roasting community

Frequently Asked Questions

What is India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed green coffee?
It’s a community lot Chandragiri Arabica from B.R. Hills, Karnataka, India, grown within the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary and sourced through a direct trade relationship with Black Baza Coffee Co. Hand-pulped and washed, it delivers a clean cup of dark chocolate and brown sugar.

What does washed processing mean for this coffee?
Cherries are hand-pulped shortly after harvest, a careful method that reduces the risk of damage to individual beans. The remaining mucilage is washed away before drying on patio, producing a clean, even cup with balanced acidity.

What roast level is best for India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed?
Medium roast is recommended, balancing the Chandragiri varietal’s natural sweetness against clean, structured acidity. Lighter roasts bring acidity and brightness forward; a fuller medium deepens the chocolate and brown sugar character.

Is India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed good for beginner home roasters?
Yes. This is a reliable, versatile lot that performs consistently across roast profiles, making it a forgiving, everyday coffee to learn on.

Why is this coffee also known as Wanderoo?
Wanderoo is an ancient Sinhalese word meaning forest dweller. Black Baza Coffee Co named this lot to honor the Lion-tailed Macaque, an endangered primate endemic to the Western Ghats, connecting the cup to a specific ecosystem rather than a generic origin label.

How does India B.R. Hills Arabica Washed compare to India B.R. Hills Arabica Honey Process?
Both are community lots from the same B.R. Hills collective, but processed differently. The honey process lot delivers bright citrus acidity with jaggery-like sweetness, best at medium-light roast. This washed lot delivers a cleaner, more familiar cup of dark chocolate and brown sugar, best at medium roast. Same region and growers, two distinct everyday and specialty profiles.

Do you ship green coffee beans across Canada?
Yes. Roasters Hall ships specialty green coffee beans to all provinces across Canada. Orders are packed fresh and dispatched within 1 – 2 business days.