An Introduction to Ratnagiri
Ashok Patre is a visionary. As the third-generation to steward Ratnagiri Estate, Ashok has long been an entrepreneur, leading ventures across industries like telecommunications and travel. While he has long managed Ratnagiri Estate as a successful farm, it is only relatively recently that his entrepreneurial energy has zeroed in on coffee. With a clear ambition to elevate India as a top-tier producer of Specialty Coffee on the global stage, Mr. Ashok’s drive seems limitless—and it’s hard to bet against him.
A view of Ratnagiri
Photograph by David Shaub Stallings
Mr. Ashok’s approach to coffee is a fascinating blend of analytical precision and creative freedom. He’s able to bring a scientific rigor to his work without being constrained by dogma. This ability to think both methodically and outside the box makes him one of the most intriguing figures in Specialty Coffee today. Crucially, he has the resources to pursue his ideas to an extent many others in the industry simply cannot.
Seeing untapped potential in the science behind coffee production, Mr. Ashok views much of the current approach as almost primitive. To challenge this, he has spent the last two years collaborating with some of India’s top food scientists to design and build processing equipment that could revolutionize Specialty Coffee.
Mr. Ashok with one of his bioreactors
Photograph by David Shaub Stallings
This new equipment is the result of countless trials and experiments over the past half-decade. A few years ago, Mr. Ashok had custom stainless steel fermenters built, allowing him to purge oxygen from the chambers using gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These tanks were designed to enable fermentation under pressure. By measuring the brix content of the cherries and tracking the pH level of the fermentation mass, his team is able to carefully control the fermentation process, making adjustments as necessary and determining the ideal point to end fermentation.
As Mr. Ashok began to experiment with yeast-inoculated ferments, he was intrigued by the idea of how he could do so in a way that helped to retain a sense of Ratnagiri-terroir. This led him to pursue the identification and cultivation of yeasts and bacteria native to Ratnagiri. In order to make this happen, he had a team of scientists analyze organic matter on his farm. This led to the isolation of specific strains, which are now commercially produced exclusively for him.
To push for even greater consistency, Ashok began sterilizing coffee cherries before inoculation with specific microorganisms, ensuring that the desired strains could take hold and thrive without competition. This initiative inspired him to establish an on-site lab and hire a full-time microbiologist to monitor and analyze bacterial and yeast levels both before and after sterilization, among other exciting projects.
Fermentation wizardry.
Photograph by David Shaub Stallings
The Ratnagiri coffee featured in this month’s subscription is a prime example of his current work. Produced from the Hemavathi variety, this lot is a carbonic maceration natural process. Harvested at 25.4 brix, the coffee cherries were floated before being placed in stainless steel fermentation tanks, where oxygen was purged using carbon dioxide. After a 96-hour fermentation period, the coffee was dried on raised beds for 27 days. The resulting cup showcases an incredible complexity of fruit and dense sweetness, all thanks to Mr. Ashok’s meticulous processing. Without this care, the coffee likely would have presented more traditional flavors expected from this variety and terroir, such as black tea and nuttiness.
Yet, despite all of this progress, I don’t believe Mr. Ashok has reached the pinnacle of his work. He would likely agree. The upcoming harvest will be processed with his new line of equipment, developed in collaboration with one of India’s top food scientists. This will give him even greater control over variables and allow him to implement new techniques he’s gathered while traveling around the world and visiting coffee producers who are on the vanguard of production techniques.
The drying beds at Ratnagiri.
Photograph by David Shaub Stallings
Before I met Ashok Patre, about two years ago, I believed that processing should not “add” any flavor to the cup. I valued coffees where the variety and origin spoke the loudest. While I still don’t favor many coffees with heavy processing-imparted character, Mr. Ashok has completely shifted my view on the role processing plays in Specialty Coffee. I believe that Mr. Ashok has already placed Indian Specialty Coffee on the world stage.
I also believe that he is only just getting started.
