Coffee from India: Best Beans and Buying Guide

You may or may not know this, but India is an emerging coffee-growing region. It’s now gaining some well-deserved attention from experts. The country has a long history of growing the Robusta coffee beans used in blends and instant coffees. In recent years, more farmers are producing high-end Arabica beans to rival the world’s best.

Keep reading to learn all about India’s expanding coffee production and the best ways for you to enjoy the delicious results.

The 3 Best Indian Coffees in 2023

For decades, India has provided the world with Robusta beans found in espresso blends. But, only recently has it emerged as a player in the specialty Arabica market. To experience this latest development, here are three great coffees to try.

1. Volcanica Monsoon Malabar AA – Best Overall

Specifications

• Bean type: Arabica

• Best for: French press, moka pot, espresso
• Ground or whole bean: Either

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To really get a feel for Indian coffee, it’s crucial that you first sample the utterly unique Monsoon Malabar beans. These coffee beans go through a specific process found NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, giving the resultant java a distinct flavor and full-body texture.

Volcanica Coffee’s Monsoon Malabar uses AA grade beans, the highest grade available. They are sourced from various small farmers throughout the region and certified by the Rainforest Alliance. This certification ensures that their production was in line with environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

In general, Monsooned Malabar beans have a thick texture and woody or earthy flavors. People frequently compare it to beans from other Pacific regions like Sumatra or Sulawesi. This medium roast from Volcanica is a perfect example. 

It has notes of earthiness, spice, wood, tobacco, and smoke. But this odd-sounding combination is beautifully smooth thanks to low acidity and natural sweetness. Try it with a brewing method that showcases its rich texture, like a French press or espresso.

2. Deckan Coffee Indian Peaberry Giri Estates – Runner Up

Specifications

• Bean type: Arabica

• Best for: Pour over, Aeropress
• Ground or whole bean: Whole bean

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Peaberry coffee is rare, so it’s always a special treat. It’s the result of a natural mutation in which a coffee fruit produces a single bean rather than two. That single bean, the peaberry, absorbs all the nutrients it would usually share, producing what many believe to be a sweeter and more flavorful brew.

This example from Deckan coffee roasters certainly seems to support that theory. It has a mild flavor with light acidity and a smooth body, but its defining characteristic is its surprising sweetness. If you usually opt to add sugar to your brew, you might no longer find it necessary. 

The coffee is grown in the Giri Mountains of the Karnataka region of southern India, one of the country’s main coffee-regions. The plants are naturally shaded and surrounded by abundant biodiversity. The coffee is hand-picked to sort out the peaberries, ensuring only the finest beans make the cut.

3. Out of the Grey Indian Monsoon French – Darkest Roast

Specifications

• Bean type: not specified

• Best for: Espresso, cold brew
• Ground or whole bean: Either

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Out of the Grey Coffee is a relative newcomer to the coffee scene, but in a few short years has grown from a small family-run cafe to a speciality roasters. As well as an extensive range of blends, the brand offers a wide range of single origin beans, including this Indian Monsoon coffee.

The “French” here refers to the roast, a dark roast to highlight the unique characteristics of monsooned coffee. There’s a deep chocolate flavor with a hint of smoke, balanced by the sweetness of orange and ripe peach. This is one for those who appreciate the more intense flavors that come from Indian coffee, and is perfect for espresso brewing.

All About Coffee in India

image	product	details
Best Overall Best Overall	Volcanica Monsoon Malabar AA	Arabica coffee French press, moka pot, espresso methods Ground and whole bean	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE
Runner Up Runner Up	Deckan Coffee Indian Peaberry Giri Estates	Arabica coffee Pour over and Aeropress methods Whole bean	SEE ON AMAZON
	Out of the Grey Indian Monsoon French	Bean type not specified Espresso, cold brew Ground and whole bean	Click to check price

This guide has everything you need to know about the past, present, and future of Indian coffee. Read through it to learn all about this up-and-coming origin and how to choose the best Indian coffee beans.

History and Growing Regions

The story of how coffee came to India is one of the better ones in coffee history. Though coffee has a long history in India, it isn’t native to the region. It is said to have been smuggled there from Yemen, at great personal risk, hidden in the beard of Brother Baba Budan. Baba Budan established the first coffee plantations in Karnataka, in southwest India, in the 16th century (1). 

And today?

Today India is the 7th largest producer globally, and the southern region continues to dominate the cultivation of coffee. The leading coffee-growing areas are Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, with Karnataka accounting for over 70% of production. Some coffee is also grown to the east in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. 

Indian coffee is usually sweet and low in acidity, though this can vary between specific origins. According to the Coffee Board of India, most coffee in the country is shade-grown. This is due to the climate’s demands, but a happy side effect is a rich biodiversity it promotes.

While coffee from India has historically been considered lower quality than specialty regions like Colombia or Ethiopia, that is starting to change. Both foreign and domestic drinkers are developing a taste for quality Indian Arabica coffee.

Although coffee consumption is growing in India, particularly in the southern states, tea is less beloved. However, they still export over 70% of beans. This is mainly to European countries like Italy and Germany, but North American and Asian buyers are fueling a market for specialty and micro-lot coffees.

Arabica and Robusta

Arabica and Robusta are the two many types of coffee beans. Specialty coffee fans generally prefer Arabica beans because they are sweeter and have more subtle flavors, like these bucket list coffees. But Robusta beans have their place as well. They’re easier to grow, providing a more reliable income for farmers, and they often contribute a dark richness to espresso blends.

Unlike many growing regions, shown here on our world coffee map, both Robusta and Arabica beans are cultivated widely in India. Robusta is the main coffee crop, accounting for about 70% of production, though this number is falling.

India’s climate and the prevalence of coffee leaf rust make Robusta a safer choice for farmers, and the beans are still in high demand for European espresso drinkers.

Monsoon Malabar Coffee

If Indian coffee has a defining feature, it’s Monsooned Malabar coffee, a now protected term. So if you want to get to know this origin, this is an important one to sample. Long before talk of terroir or specialty origins became commonplace, India had this unique offering. 

So what is it?

Originally, Monsooned Malabar coffee was a happy accident. Coffee beans being sent from India to England on ships were exposed to the monsoons’ winds and rains along the Malabar Coast. This process caused them to swell, grow pale in color, and take on a distinct flavor. Today, this processing is done in a much more controlled fashion designed to mimic the beans’ exposure once faced on their ocean journey.

According to Mmuso Matsapola, co-owner of The Coffee Mafia roastery, the process also mutes the beans’ intensity and lowers the acidity. Anyone looking for an ultra-smooth brew will love this coffee (2).

Therefore, the flavors tend to be earthy and woody, with notes of chocolate, spices, and nuts, and a full body — similar to the flavors of coffee beans grown in Thailand. Monsooned coffee is often compared with Sumatran coffee, which undergoes a similar wet process. 

Grades

The Coffee Board of India grades coffee in India. The Indian Board has quite a complicated grading system that extends to all different types of coffee beans, including Robusta. We won’t dive into the system’s nuances, but essentially beans are graded based on their moisture and size. For Monsoon Malabar beans, AA is the highest grade.

These small beans result from a natural mutation that occurs in about 5% of coffee plants. It causes each coffee cherry to grow only one bean instead of two, so that single bean, the peaberry, is thought to be much more flavorful. It is always worth trying a peaberry coffee if you can get your hands on one. Still, they tend to be a bit more expensive as they need to be hand-picked and carefully sorted.

The Verdict

Although the coffee industry in India has been around for a long time, its high-end coffee production is just taking off. If you want to get in on the ground floor of what is sure to be an exceptional growing region, now is the time to try some Indian coffee. 

A great place to start is with the outstanding Monsoon Malabar coffee from Volcanica. That’s a taste of India’s coffee past and future all in one.

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