How Does The Fermentation Process Affect Coffee Flavor?

Sasa mentioned that most people have a limited understanding of fermentation, but it is very important.

He mentioned at the conference: "I flew to countries worldwide to taste coffee and experimented with coffee processing procedures with more than 50 farmers. I also experimented on my own farm and found that there were too many unstable traditional processing methods in the past. factors, the most unstable of which is the effect of fermentation."

He mentions that, in fact, there are examples of how fermentation can improve or reduce the quality of a coffee by as much as eight points. When most specialty coffee scores are defined as 80-92 out of 100, eight can be a surprising difference.

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In simple terms, fermentation is the process of breaking down sugars and starches into acids or alcohols, and let's dive deeper. Sasa says yeast and strains are important for fermentation.

Yeast fermentation, called "Sacromises cerevisiae", "is a naturally occurring wild yeast that is also found in grapes, cocoa beans, and other fruits. It is currently used in winemaking, cocoa bean processing, and coffee processing."

The strain is Lactobacillus.

During the natural fermentation of coffee, different biodegradation programs take place, and enzymes produced by yeast and bacteria begin to break down the sugars in the pectin layer. Sugars break down lipids, proteins, and acids into alkyds, which change the bean's smell, color, pH, and composition of the pectin layer.

There are many different fermentation methods in the world, but they are mainly divided into dry fermentation and wet fermentation.

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After the pulp is removed, the coffee with the endocarp is placed in the fermentation tank. Fermentation contributes to the sweetness, chocolate, and fruit flavors of the coffee, but one challenge of fermentation is temperature control. Since temperature can affect the degree of fermentation, it can also negatively affect the stability of the process and its flavor.

We fermented the coffee at an average temperature of 16 degrees for 24 hours, and the coffee tasted great and had a good balance of flavors.

Fermented at 26 degrees for 24 hours, when we spend too much time fermenting coffee, the alcoholic acidity dominates the fermentation, resulting in too much acetic acid, dryness, and a metallic taste.

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You may have heard wet fermentation described as double wash, double fermentation, Kenyan wash, etc. This is common in East African countries and is known for its clean and clear flavor profile, but Sasa describes this treatment as adding flavor to the cup.

When we remove the pulp and put the coffee with the endocarp into the water, the water will help prolong the fermentation time, giving the coffee a softer body, richer acidity, and more elegant flavor profile.

Of course, that doesn't mean the treatment isn't challenging, and Sasa mentioned that temperature and water quality could affect the results.

Sasa: ​​"A few years ago, I did an experiment with Raul Riviera, the owner of the Santa Rosa estate in El Salvador. We used rainwater instead of spring water for fermentation. Rainwater absorbs a lot of fruit flavors and sugars from the coffee berries, resulting in cupping scores. Down five points, the coffee tastes bland and lacks a distinct flavor. There's a lot more to study on the impact of the water used for fermentation."

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Sasa is one of the leaders in coffee processing experiments, from his novel ice processing to the famous water-washed carbon dioxide maceration.

Since there is very little research in the coffee industry, Sasa started with wine and beer brewing techniques. Tim Kirk, the owner of Clonakilla Winery in my hometown of Canberra, has been very helpful and inspirational to me.

"When I first visited, I was very impressed with his equipment. He knew exactly where the rain would fall on the vineyard, and he also knew the temperature of the wind and how it would affect the flavor of the wine. It was really fascinating. People. I've never seen anyone know so much about climate and how it affects products."

But it's not appropriate to describe Tim as knowing the weather because he can even control the weather.

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Tim can control the temperature and humidity of the fermentation environment, and he says that by controlling the temperature and time, he can achieve different flavor levels in the wine.

"He uses double-insulated stainless steel vessels to increase the clarity of the fermentation. He monitors and records pH, alcohol, and carbon dioxide levels to ensure that he has the desired brewing results."

This data-driven approach has allowed Sasa to change the way he handles coffee. Fermentation experiment

"Imagine a cup of washed and natural coffee with great flavor and character. I wanted to create a process that would bring out the coffee aroma flavor and have a good balance of acidity sweetness. And then, more importantly, I Want to create a technology that is replicable on the farm, just like Tim does with his wines."

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The peel and pulp are first removed in stainless steel barrels. "Stainless steel is used because we can process a cleaner flavored coffee, plus we can move the container around depending on the temperature of the space; we can also seal the barrels."

Moving the barrel indoors next, where the temperature is easier to manage, but Sasa is still collecting data on how this affects coffee processing. However, he has observed some valuable conclusions: "If you want rich acidity, you should ferment at a lower temperature (4-8°C). For more sweetness, use a higher temperature fermentation. (18-20°C)".

Next, the barrel is sealed. "In my experience, more aromas develop at this stage, adding floral aromas to the coffee."

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The last, and most important step, is the injection of carbon dioxide. "The reason why we choose to inject carbon dioxide is that as long as there is no oxygen, the decomposition of sugar in the pectin layer will be reduced, and the range of pH changes will also be greatly reduced, which means that we can reduce the production of alcoholic acids."

"CO2 can extend the fermentation time to three days at 22 degrees, and even at low temperatures for a longer period of time, without developing the dryness and the pungent acidity of acetic acid - which often occurs in dry fermentation for three days."

Sasa wants to have the same data as Tim does. "We also measure and record the pH, carbon dioxide, and temperature of the fermentation process, and then we can replicate these fermentation conditions every time."

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Sasa pushed herself to find more ways to improve the flavor of coffee through fermentation. Last year, he drank the coffee from Jamison's Morgon estate in Panama, and it was delicious. But I wanted more sweetness, deeper flavors, more floral notes, and we decided to go for the carbon dioxide maceration process.

But this is different from the previous carbon dioxide maceration method, "We decided to use a higher temperature of 20°C for fermentation to promote the sweetness of the coffee, and extended the carbon dioxide maceration and fermentation time to 65 hours to promote more richness of flavor. development." As a result, we get more sweetness, better texture, clearer flavor profile. The cupping score for the final coffee improved by 2.5 points.

Through this treatment, he brings out the desired flavor, and they provide more opportunities for consumers, baristas, coffee contestants to get good coffee, and producers can get a stable price.

I believe there is no such thing as a perfect coffee variety and no perfect processing method. However, suppose we can understand the underlying flavor properties of different coffee varieties and their strengths and weaknesses and deal with them through carbon dioxide maceration or other controlled fermentation methods. In that case, we can enhance the strengths of these coffees and smooth out the weaknesses. We can replicate this wonderful flavor when we get good processing data in the fermentation process.

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