Lot 004 - Iced Natural

Rob Shluter & Marie-Elodie Proust
For Rob and Marie, Pekerau Hills has always been a labour of passion rather than profit. What began in 1998 with just a handful of coffee trees planted amongst their subtropical gardens has grown into New Zealand's first commercial coffee farm through decades of patience, observation and relentless experimentation. Together, they have challenged conventional thinking about where great coffee can be grown, dedicating themselves to understanding both the unique New Zealand environment and the rare Laurina variety. Today, every harvest reflects their unwavering commitment to quality, innovation and craftsmanship, producing coffees that are not only exceptionally rare, but tell the story of two pioneers redefining what is possible in specialty coffee.

ANAEROBIC ICED NATURAL
The Ice Natural is Pekerau Hills' most adventurous processing method, designed to amplify the complexity of the Laurina variety while preserving its remarkable clarity. Perfectly ripe cherries are hand-picked before undergoing a 72-hour anaerobic fermentation in sealed GrainPro bags, submerged in temperature-controlled water to maintain a stable fermentation environment. At the end of fermentation, the cherries undergo a brief thermal shock by being frozen for a short period of time before being rinsed and slowly dried on raised beds.

ARABICA VAR. LAURINA
Laurina, also known as Bourbon Pointu, is one of the world's rarest Arabica coffee varieties. Originating from a natural mutation of the Bourbon lineage on Réunion Island, it is prized for its exceptional cup quality rather than its productivity. Naturally containing around half the caffeine of typical Arabica, Laurina is celebrated for its delicate floral aromatics, vibrant fruit character, honey-like sweetness and elegant acidity. Its low yields and demanding nature have meant it has largely disappeared from commercial production, surviving today only on a handful of specialty farms around the world.

At Pekerau Hills, Rob and Marie discovered Laurina in 2014 and recognised its potential to thrive in New Zealand's unique climate. The farm's cool temperatures and exceptionally long twelve-month cherry maturation produce dense beans with remarkable sweetness, clarity and complexity. Rather than replicating Laurina from tropical origins, Pekerau Hills has developed a distinctly New Zealand expression of the variety- bright, fruit-driven and unlike coffee grown anywhere else in the world.

Our approach is simple: champion producers who are redefining what's possible. Pekerau Hills is one of the most ambitious coffee projects in the world, and producing coffee in New Zealand comes at an extraordinary cost. With green coffee costing close to $300 per kilogram (over ten times the cost of many specialty coffees) every purchase helps support innovation, rewards years of dedication, and ensures pioneering producers like Rob and Marie can continue pushing the boundaries of coffee.

For a V60 style brewer:

Dose: 15 g coffee
Water: 250 g
Ratio: 1:16.6
Grind: medium-fine, slightly coarser than typical V60 if the coffee is very soluble
Water temperature: 92–94°C
Total brew time: 2:30–3:10
Water: soft to moderately mineralized, around 50–100 ppm alkalinity-adjusted brewing water if possible (Tongariro water in the supermarkets is a good starting point)

Pour Structure

0:00 - Bloom
Pour 45 g water.
Swirl gently.
Bloom for 40–45 seconds.

0:45 - Main pour
Pour from 45 g to 150 g in slow circles.

1:20 - Final pour
Pour from 150 g to 250 g in slow circles, then finish with a gentle center pour.

Target Taste

You’re looking for:
high sweetness, round acidity, clean tropical fruit, soft winey aromatics, and a silky finish.

If it tastes too boozy or heavy, go coarser or drop the temperature to 91–92°C.
If it tastes thin or sour, grind a little finer or push the ratio closer to 1:16.