Did you know
If you’ve ever sipped on a cup of coffee that’s boasted tropical fruit flavours, a juicy acidity, or more unexpected wine-like notes, you’ve likely encountered extended fermentation – a coffee processing method that’s gained a reputation for its unique and unforgettable flavour profiles.
But what is it, how does it work, and what makes it so special for your morning brew? Let’s break it down.
Extended fermentation is a coffee processing method that stretches out the natural fermentation period during coffee production.
It’s a high-risk process where coffee beans are fermented for longer than usual. Entire crops can be lost if even slightly mismanaged. But, if performed successfully, it’ll bring out deeper, more complex flavours. Pushing boundaries and creating a coffee that’s as vibrant as it is layered.
Farmers manipulate environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels to slow down the fermentation process. This could involve methods such as:
In some cases, farmers remove oxygen from the fermentation environment, creating what’s called an anaerobic (oxygen-free) setting.
Imagine sealing the coffee cherries in an airtight container, like a tank or barrel. Without oxygen, specific microbes (like certain bacteria and yeast) thrive while others are suppressed. These microbes influence flavour development, often leading to coffee with clean, vibrant, and sometimes fruity or wine-like notes.
By controlling oxygen levels, farmers can steer the fermentation process in a particular direction, unlocking flavours that might not emerge in a typical, oxygen-rich environment.
Temperature plays a big role in fermentation. When farmers ferment coffee at cooler temperatures – by placing the beans in a refrigerated space or fermenting during colder nights – they slow down the entire process.
It’s a bit like keeping food fresh in a fridge. The same principle applies here. Slower fermentation allows the beans to develop more intricate and balanced flavours without rushing through the process.
This technique often creates a coffee with delicate sweetness, refined acidity, and complex flavour layers.
Cold fermenting gives farmers more control, making it easier to avoid over-fermentation or unpleasant, sharp notes.
Some farmers partially dry the coffee cherries partway through fermentation before completing the process.
Here, coffee cherries dry in the sun for a short period, locking in some of the fruity sugars, before fermentation continues. The partial drying changes how the microbes interact with the beans, adding depth and complexity to the final flavours.
This method often results in coffee with rich, syrupy sweetness and a fuller body, making it stand out from more traditionally processed beans.
Extended fermentation typically falls under the umbrella of washed coffee processing, a method where coffee is fermented and washed to remove the mucilage, and then dried. The extended time in fermentation allows beans to absorb more flavour, making each batch distinct.
This method isn’t for the faint of heart. Extended fermentation requires serious precision and close monitoring to avoid pitfalls like:
For farmers, it’s a high-stakes game, but the rewards can be well worth the effort.
The extended fermentation process amplifies the coffee’s natural flavour notes. Resulting in a coffee that’s layered and nuanced. You might taste floral sweetness, tropical fruits, bright citrus, or even rich, wine-like characteristics.
And because it’s risky and labour-intensive, extended fermentation coffee is often produced in small batches, making it a rare find on coffee menus.
To taste the complexity of extended-fermentation coffee, consider these tips:
Extended fermentation takes you to the highest peaks of speciality coffee. Where farmers go to great extents to bring something extraordinary to your cup. So, if you see ‘extended fermentation’ on one of our coffees, you’re really in for a treat.
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If you’ve ever sipped on a cup of coffee that’s boasted tropical fruit flavours, a juicy acidity, or more unexpected wine-like notes, you’ve likely encountered extended fermentation – a coffee processing method that’s gained a reputation for its unique and unforgettable flavour profiles.
But what is it, how does it work, and what makes it so special for your morning brew? Let’s break it down.
Extended fermentation is a coffee processing method that stretches out the natural fermentation period during coffee production.
It’s a high-risk process where coffee beans are fermented for longer than usual. Entire crops can be lost if even slightly mismanaged. But, if performed successfully, it’ll bring out deeper, more complex flavours. Pushing boundaries and creating a coffee that’s as vibrant as it is layered.
Farmers manipulate environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels to slow down the fermentation process. This could involve methods such as:
In some cases, farmers remove oxygen from the fermentation environment, creating what’s called an anaerobic (oxygen-free) setting.
Imagine sealing the coffee cherries in an airtight container, like a tank or barrel. Without oxygen, specific microbes (like certain bacteria and yeast) thrive while others are suppressed. These microbes influence flavour development, often leading to coffee with clean, vibrant, and sometimes fruity or wine-like notes.
By controlling oxygen levels, farmers can steer the fermentation process in a particular direction, unlocking flavours that might not emerge in a typical, oxygen-rich environment.
Temperature plays a big role in fermentation. When farmers ferment coffee at cooler temperatures – by placing the beans in a refrigerated space or fermenting during colder nights – they slow down the entire process.
It’s a bit like keeping food fresh in a fridge. The same principle applies here. Slower fermentation allows the beans to develop more intricate and balanced flavours without rushing through the process.
This technique often creates a coffee with delicate sweetness, refined acidity, and complex flavour layers.
Cold fermenting gives farmers more control, making it easier to avoid over-fermentation or unpleasant, sharp notes.
Some farmers partially dry the coffee cherries partway through fermentation before completing the process.
Here, coffee cherries dry in the sun for a short period, locking in some of the fruity sugars, before fermentation continues. The partial drying changes how the microbes interact with the beans, adding depth and complexity to the final flavours.
This method often results in coffee with rich, syrupy sweetness and a fuller body, making it stand out from more traditionally processed beans.
Extended fermentation typically falls under the umbrella of washed coffee processing, a method where coffee is fermented and washed to remove the mucilage, and then dried. The extended time in fermentation allows beans to absorb more flavour, making each batch distinct.
This method isn’t for the faint of heart. Extended fermentation requires serious precision and close monitoring to avoid pitfalls like:
For farmers, it’s a high-stakes game, but the rewards can be well worth the effort.
The extended fermentation process amplifies the coffee’s natural flavour notes. Resulting in a coffee that’s layered and nuanced. You might taste floral sweetness, tropical fruits, bright citrus, or even rich, wine-like characteristics.
And because it’s risky and labour-intensive, extended fermentation coffee is often produced in small batches, making it a rare find on coffee menus.
To taste the complexity of extended-fermentation coffee, consider these tips:
Extended fermentation takes you to the highest peaks of speciality coffee. Where farmers go to great extents to bring something extraordinary to your cup. So, if you see ‘extended fermentation’ on one of our coffees, you’re really in for a treat.
