Hi, I’m Aditya, and I’m in Bangalore with my parents on a coffee adventure. We are traveling to learn about coffee farms and how beans become special even before they reach a roaster. Today, we visited Harley Estate, and I felt really happy because this place showed me where Coffee Adventure truly begins.
Some people call me the youngest barista in India, but I always remember that I am still learning. I learn best when I can see the coffee journey with my own eyes, from farms to processing to roasting.
Why I Wanted to Visit Harley Estate
I can’t drink coffee yet, but coffee has been a big part of my life for a long time. love the smell of beans, the roasting process, and the warm air that fills the space when coffee is roasting. I also love how coffee makes people feel calm and happy.
When I roast at home, I always wonder about one thing. Where do these beans come from, and what happens before they reach the roaster? That is why visiting a coffee estate matters so much to me.
First Look at Harley Estate
When we reached Harley Estate, it did not feel like a simple farm. It felt like a green forest, with coffee plants growing under the shade of big trees. I learned that Harley Estate grows both arabica and robusta coffee and spans about 500 acres. They have been growing coffee since the 1860s.
The shade trees were very interesting to me. Coffee was growing under trees like silver oak, fig, and jackfruit, and it made the whole place feel cooler and calmer. It made me understand that coffee plants need a comfortable environment too.
Coffee Grows With Other Plants Here
One interesting thing is that coffee is not the only crop on this estate. Harley Estate also grows areca nut, cardamom, pepper, cocoa, and coffee.
It felt like a mixed forest, not a single crop farm. And it made me think that the place where coffee grows can affect how it smells and feels later, even after roasting.
The People Behind Harley Estate
I also learned that Harley Estate was originally a British plantation and is now run by Mr. DM Purnesh, a 4th-generation coffee grower, along with his daughters, Chandini and Tapaswini.
I like knowing about the people behind coffee because coffee is not only about beans. Coffee is also about families, experience, and knowledge that grows over many years.
Water and Processing: Something I Learned Today
At Harley Estate, I learned that they use natural spring water from within the estate for washing and processing the coffee cherries. This reminded me of something important.
Coffee quality starts before roasting begins. When coffee is processed cleanly and carefully, it can improve later during roasting, too.
The Most Exciting Part: Special Coffee Experiments I Learned About
This was my favourite part because it felt like coffee science and coffee fun together.
At Harley Estate, they do different processing experiments. They told us about cherries with high Brix %, which means the cherries are very sweet. They also explained something called floaters. Floaters are the cherries that float in water; usually, they are not the best ones, so they remove them.
Then they showed us different processes and flavour profiles. I enjoyed cupping some of their best beans. Even though I don’t taste coffee, I love learning the flavour notes because it helps me understand how processing changes the final cup.
1) Banana Black Honey (Pulped Sun-Dried)
Process
They told us this coffee is pulped and sun-dried, and it starts with sweet cherries.
- Cherries with high Brix % were chosen.
- They were washed
- The floaters were removed.
- Then the cherries were pulped (outer skin removed)
- Then they were fermented
- Then they were dried on raised beds.
Flavour profile
They told us it has a deep, heavy sweetness, like a “black honey” coffee. This is the kind of coffee that sounds rich and strong.
2) Red Honey (Pulp Sun-Dried)
Process
This is also pulp-dried, meaning the coffee is dried with a sticky fruit layer still attached.
Flavour profile
They said it tastes like:
- Mulberry
- Dark berries
- Cherry
- Jaggery sweetness
When I heard “jaggery sweetness,” I smiled because jaggery smells warm and sweet, and it made the Coffee Adventure feel like comfort.
3) Whisky Barrel Aged Coffee (Green Beans Aged)
This one sounded the most surprising to me.
Process
- Arabica green beans were put inside a whisky barrel.
- They were aged for 3 months.
Flavour profile
They said it tastes like:
- Irish cream
- Green apple
- Tropical fruits
I imagined it as a creamy, fruity smell mixed.
4) Vintage 24 (Fermented Naturals)
Process
They told us this is a fermented natural coffee.
- Cherries with high Brix % were chosen.
- They were sorted
- They were washed
- Floaters were removed
- Then they were fermented using a floral starter culture.
- Then they were dried.
Flavour profile
They said it tastes like:
- Floral bouquet
- Sweet orange
- Peach
This sounded like flowers and fruit together, which feels very bright and happy.
5) Pichia (Fermented Naturals)
Process
This one is also fermented naturally, but the culture used is different.
- Cherries with high Brix % were chosen.
- They were sorted
- They were washed
- Floaters were removed
- Then they were fermented using the Pichia culture.
- Then they were dried.
Flavour profile
They said it tastes like:
- Citrus
- Floral
This sounded fresh, like the smell of orange peel and flowers.
How This Farm Visit Changed the Way I Think About Roasting
At home, roasting is the part I enjoy the most because I love watching beans change colour and smelling the aroma fill the house. People have also written about me as the youngest coffee brewer, and I understand why it sounds surprising.
But after visiting Harley Estate, I realised something clearly. Roasting is not the beginning. Roasting is only one chapter. The Coffee Adventure story begins on farms like this, with shade, soil, water, people, and careful processing.
This visit made me feel more respectful about Coffee Adventure. If the farm works so hard to grow and process coffee properly, then roasting should be done with care and patience, too.
Ending Note
Visiting Harley Estate made me feel like coffee is not just something people drink. Coffee is land, shade, water, people, and a lot of careful work. I feel lucky that my parents take me to places like this so I can learn slowly and properly.
Stay tuned for my upcoming blogs describing my beautiful journey to Bangalore as the youngest barista in India.
