ABOUT THE PROJECT
WHY FERMENTATION?
At its core, fermentation is primarily a functional step within the washed coffee process, helping producers process larger volumes of coffee more effectively while reducing challenges during drying. However, fermentation is also a critical moment of flavour development, offering an opportunity to experiment and better understand the impact different approaches can have on the final cup profile.
THE PROJECT:
Each coffee in this set is from the same farm, but the fruit is removed from the seeds in different ways under different conditions. The results are subtle but discernible. From a sensory perspective, our goal was to select a coffee that clearly showcases the nuance of fermentation while remaining clean, sweet, and approachable and we believe these lots achieve that balance very well. When people taste “fermented” coffees, they rarely get to taste the un-fermented version for comparison! The sets of four coffees were made available as raw green coffee to roasters around the world to purchase and roast ahead of a communal live tasting event. The live tasting is set for Saturday October 3rd and will be done as a livestream on James Hoffmann’s YouTube channel.
THE COFFEE:
The farm is Finca San Miguel Urias, owned by Hector and Lilian Leal, operated under Rueda Farms, Antigua Valley (genuine Antigua), between Ciudad Vieja and San Miguel Dueñas, and the variety is ~85% Caturra, ~15% H1 and some Bourbon. All of these lots were processed by Lucia Solis, who worked closely with the farm team to ensure the coffee was pulped, fermented, washed, and dried according to specification.
1. Mechanically Demucilaged (No Fermentation)
Processed without fermentation to serve as the control. The profile of this coffee comes from growing practices and genetic varietal characteristics.
2. Wild Fermentation
Fermented for 48 hours with local wild microbes. This is the traditional method most coffees experience, where the mucilage is removed by the local microbe population.
3. Lactobacillus Inoculated Fermentation
Fermented for 48 hours, this fermentation enhances the production of organic acids, impacting the brightness and complexity of the coffee.
4. Saccharomyces Yeast Inoculated Fermentation
Fermented for 48 hours, this fermentation enhances the production of flavor precursors, impacting the body and complexity of the coffee.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROJECT:
Lucia Solis
Lucia Solis, Fermentation Consultant
Lucia studied Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, specializing in microbiology and fermentation science. She spent nine years working in wine production in Napa Valley before transitioning her focus to coffee in 2014. Today, she is a coffee fermentation and processing specialist with over 12 years of international experience, having worked alongside producers in more than 15 countries.
James Hoffmann
James Hoffmann is an award-winning coffee professional, author, and communicator known for his influential work in specialty coffee. He won the World Barista Championship in 2007 and has since become one of the industry’s most respected voices through his educational YouTube channel, books, and global projects.
AERO COFFEE ROASTERS ROLE IN THIS PROJECT:
We are one of 3 specialty coffee roasters in all of New England where you can purchase the entire set of coffees
for The Fermentation Project. Each purchase will be shipped to you well in advance of the global cupping. We encourage you to join us during the live cupping event and share your experience on social media tagging @aerocoffeeroasters.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
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Your set of 4 coffees from the project.
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A coffee grinder, ideally a burr grinder
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4 cups or small bowls. Ideally the same size. These can be between 150ml (5oz) and 250ml (8oz). You can use bigger if you want.
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A digital scale, accurate to at least 1g.
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A spoon per person. Ideally a coffee tasting spoon, but a soup spoon or dessert spoon is also totally fine.
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A kettle
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Suitable brew water (More detail further down)
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Internet access and a device for streaming video
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A way of taking notes. You can use this tasting sheet linked here.
PREPARE BEFOREHAND:
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During the tasting video we’ll be weighing and grinding the coffee. However, you may want to be ahead of the game. You can weigh out the coffees at a ratio of 60g/l of water.
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PLEASE NOTE: a 250ml cup will not hold 250ml of water and coffee. Aim for 80% of the capacity. So for a 250ml cup, I would grind 12g of coffee and add 200g of boiling water.
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The grind should be medium fine.
HELPFUL VIDEOS: