The road to Chikmagalur rises from the Deccan plateau into mist. You notice the temperature drop before you see the coffee — the air changes first, turning cooler and carrying the faint green smell of canopy and wet laterite soil.
The Krishnamurthy estate, 700 metres above sea level, grows exclusively the Peaberry mutation of the S795 arabica variety. This is where every gram of filter coffee at Tambi begins.
The Economics of Peaberry
A peaberry forms when only one of the two seeds inside a coffee cherry develops, absorbing the full nutrient supply of the fruit. This produces a single, round, dense bean — typically 5–7% of any given harvest. Because of the additional sorting required and the smaller yield, peaberry commands a market premium.
For small estates, that premium matters enormously. The Krishnamurthy family employs twelve people year-round and adds seasonal pickers during harvest. The fair-price contract we operate on guarantees them 40% above commodity market rate, independent of global coffee price fluctuations.
Shade Growing and Soil Commitment
The estate practices traditional shade growing under a canopy of silver oak, jackfruit, and pepper vine. These trees prevent soil erosion, provide habitat for native bird species that control pests naturally, and create the temperature stability that arabica prefers.
Chemical fertiliser has not touched this soil in fourteen years. The composting system uses coffee cherry pulp — the discarded outer fruit — returned to the soil as the primary nutrient input. The result is a coffee that tastes of its altitude and its specific terroir.
The Partnership Model
We visit the estate twice a year. Once before the harvest to assess crop health, and once post-harvest to review quality together. These are not inspection visits — they are working relationships built over six growing seasons.
When we serve filter coffee at Tambi, we are serving a place. That place has a family, a history, and an elevation. We think you should know where your cup comes from.