A more personal alternative to Blue Tokai.
Blue Tokai is one of the best-known specialty coffee companies in India, with roasteries, cafes in many cities, and a wide range of estate coffees. Many people who write to me started drinking good coffee because of them.
I am one person who roasts coffee at home in small batches. I am not trying to be a better company than they are. I am offering a different thing, and this page is meant to help you decide which one you want.
What is the same
We both buy Indian arabica and roast it lighter than the old supermarket brands. We both print roast dates. We both offer whole beans and grinds for common brewers, and we both ship across India.
What is different
They roast in volume on commercial machines and hold stock across cafes and warehouses. I roast a few hundred grams at a time in my kitchen, after your order comes in, so the bag is days old when you open it.
They offer many estates and processes. I offer one farm, three roast levels, and a roast made to the notes you ask for.
They are a company with staff. When you write to me, the roaster answers. Free shipping in India on every bag.
How the coffee reaches you
I buy green arabica from one small farm in the coffee hills of Karnataka, a few kilos at a time. I roast it at home on a small drum roaster, in batches of a few hundred grams, after my day job. I roast your bag after you order it, so it leaves within days of the roast and not months.
You choose light, medium, or dark, or you tell me the notes you like and I roast toward them. You can have whole beans, or tell me your brewer and I will grind for it. A 250 g bag is ₹750 and a 500 g bag is ₹1,200, with free shipping in India.
Questions people ask
Is this coffee better than Blue Tokai?
I would not say that. Their roasters are skilled and their supply chains are long and careful. Mine is fresher because it is roasted after you order it, and it is made by one person who will talk to you about it. Whether that is better depends on what you want from a bag of coffee.
Can I try before I commit?
Start with a 250 g bag of the medium roast. Tell me your brewer and I will grind for it. If you do not enjoy it, write to me and tell me what was wrong. I would rather know.
How long does delivery take?
I roast after you order, let the beans settle for a day, and hand the bag to the courier. Most cities in India receive it within a week of the order.
Is shipping really free?
Yes. Free shipping in India on every bag, 250 g or 500 g.
The shop has the three roasts and the custom roast. If you are not sure, write to me at chanda.sayonsom@gmail.com and tell me how you brew.
Go to the shop