Ratnagiri Estate – Culture Naturals Strawberry

Co-fermentation has opened an intriguing new chapter in specialty coffee. At its best, it isn’t about masking the coffee with flavour, but using fermentation as a creative tool—building on what is already present in the fruit and exploring just how expressive a familiar varietal can become. This Catuai from Ashok Patre at Ratnagiri Estate is a delicious example of that philosophy. There’s an exuberance to it from the first sip: fruit-driven, intensely sweet and almost dessert-like, yet composed enough to keep you coming back. It feels distinctly different from a conventional natural, with layers of sweetness and fruit unfolding as the cup cools rather than arriving all at once. For a farm we know for meticulous processing and constant experimentation, this feels like another confident step into new territory. Expect something playful, unconventional and thoroughly unexpected—a coffee that makes a strong first impression and then gives you plenty more to discover.