Experimental processing guide - anaerobic fermentation
In our ongoing guide to the kind of experimental coffees you will find at Sticky Toffee Coffee, we take a look at anaerobic coffees
Of all the new and experimental coffee processes that we taste on a daily basis here Sticky Toffee, anaerobically fermented varieties are the ones closest to breaking through into the coffee mainstream. These days you don´t have to look too far to find a large roaster offering at least one of these beans in their selection. What though does it mean to anaerobically ferment a coffee bean and what does it do to the flavour?
Anaerobic coffee fermentation is a processing method for coffee beans where the fermentation process takes place in the absence of oxygen. This method involves fermenting the coffee cherries or mucilage in airtight containers, leading to the production of unique and complex flavours due to the metabolic activities of the yeast and bacteria involved in the fermentation process. This process can take anything from 24 hours all the way up to a coffee we tasted recently that had been fermented this way for a week! The results of anaerobic fermentation can range from fruity and sweet to tangy and sour, depending on the duration and conditions of the process but we mostly see intense strawberry, banana and other exotic fruit flavours from these coffees.
This coffee might be going mainstream but it still offers a far from mainstream taste profile if roasted with care.
