Over the past decade or so, superior processing strategies have develop into a trademark of specialty espresso. When you have observed a proliferation of phrases like “anaerobic fermentation” and “thermal shock” on espresso packaging lately, you’re not alone.

Demand for these coffees largely stems from continued curiosity in distinctive and weird flavour profiles. This finally drives some producers to experiment even additional – successfully redefining present processing strategies or creating fully new ones.

Innovation is an inherent and welcome a part of the trade, particularly at this degree of the availability chain. However as some producers constantly tweak their processing strategies to distinguish themselves available in the market, the chance of miscommunicating how they obtain sure flavour profiles can improve.

This then begs the query: is it essential that roasters know precisely what these new experimental processing strategies contain? And in the event that they don’t, how does this impression the patron? Roland Horne, founder and CEO of WatchHouse, and Vicente Mejia, founder and CEO of Clearpath Espresso, give their perception.

You might also like our article on what roasters have to learn about lactic fermentation.

How the marketplace for experimentally processed coffees has diversified

There was a time within the espresso trade when honey processing was thought of unconventional (with the exception of Costa Rica, which pioneered this methodology within the late 2000s). In as we speak’s market, nevertheless, this system is among the “huge three” alongside pure and washed processing.

This shift demonstrates the spectacular degree of innovation that has taken place in espresso processing over the past practically twenty years. As producers developed new strategies to face out available in the market, shoppers have been uncovered to extra attention-grabbing and sophisticated flavour profiles. 

Demand began to extend, and competitions just like the World Barista Championship additional fuelled curiosity. On the 2015 occasion, winner Sasa Sestic used a carbonic macerated Ethiopian Sudan Rume in his routine, which thrust experimental processing into the highlight.

Like different superior processing strategies, carbonic maceration leverages fermentation to amplify sure flavour attributes or introduce new ones – broadening the spectrum of espresso flavour in methods hardly ever achieved on a industrial scale.

Within the years for the reason that 2015 WBC, the variety of superior processing methods has exploded in specialty espresso. A few of the most notable examples embody:

• Anaerobic fermentation – an more and more fashionable processing methodology the place producers management fermentation in a low-oxygen setting
• Thermal shock – created by Diego Bermudez, farmers wash cherries in sizzling water (at round 40ºC or 104ºF) earlier than instantly operating them underneath colder water (at round 12ºC or 54ºF)
• Lactic fermentation – a kind of anaerobic fermentation the place producers encourage the expansion of Lactic Acid Micro organism (LAB), which converts easy carbohydrates into lactic acid

The push for experimentation with espresso processing remains to be ongoing. Phrases like “anoxic” and “acetic” fermentation are more and more showing on packaging as producers search for new methods to govern flavour and enhance cup scores.

Can we strictly outline these new espresso processing methods?

In case you ask espresso professionals and fans to explain most experimental processing methods, it’s possible that many will at the least have the ability to present a free definition. However provided that extra producers are placing their very own spin on superior processing strategies, in addition to creating new ones, it’s develop into more and more troublesome for the broader trade to maintain up.

Furthermore, the similarities between sure processing strategies could make it troublesome to completely distinguish between them. Anaerobic and anoxic fermentation, for example, basically depend on very related situations and might create virtually an identical flavour profiles – additional including to confusion.

That is an comprehensible concern for roasters specifically. Usually appearing because the bridge between shoppers and the remainder of the availability chain, they’re accountable for speaking as a lot details about their espresso as attainable.

Roland Horne is the founder and CEO of WatchHouse within the US and UK, which not too long ago celebrated its tenth anniversary. He confirms that it may be troublesome for roasters to know precisely what new experimental processing strategies entail.

“Most roasters don’t have the chance to go to farms which are finishing up experimental processing,” he says. “Since they’re by no means uncovered to those strategies firsthand, and there are not any trade requirements for naming them, there’s little settlement on what they really imply.”

Vicente Mejia is the founder and CEO of Clearpath Espresso, a specialty espresso exporter in Colombia. He agrees with this angle, saying: “There are numerous complicated steps in espresso processing and most roasters don’t have the time to study all the small print.”

Do roasters want to completely perceive them?

Customers definitely need to know extra about experimental processing strategies and the way they impression flavour profile. However do roasters have to share info in meticulous element?

Vicente doesn’t assume so, and believes it truly detracts from extra urgent points within the trade.

“The larger downside is the dearth of transparency about infused and co-fermented coffees,” he says. “Some farmers declare they’ll produce sure flavour notes by means of fermentation alone, however in actuality, they’re including substances to attain these outcomes.”

Finally, there’s the worry that if infused coffees aren’t marketed or bought transparently then shoppers will understand these flavours as inherent to terroir and selection. This is able to be an inaccurate illustration of the espresso, and will mislead perceptions of comparable processing strategies or flavour profiles.

Roland, in the meantime, believes the language used to explain superior processing can muddy the waters even additional.

“Since a few of these processing strategies are so new, there’s a altering nomenclature that creates numerous pointless phrases as a substitute of specializing in what is actually essential,” he tells me. “As a substitute, we must always emphasise that these coffees are fermented in a managed setting for a selected time frame at a sure temperature with a transparent flavour aim in thoughts.

“I feel it’s much less essential that we’re particular about 96 hours versus 72 hours, 25ºC versus 20ºC, or which strains of micro organism are used,” he provides. “I feel this solely provides to confusion.”

Equally, Vicente highlights that the majority shoppers don’t derive numerous worth from studying particular particulars about processing.

“The tip shopper doesn’t want, and generally doesn’t need, to know all the small print of a really complicated fermentation course of,” he says. “As a substitute, we have to make specialty espresso extra accessible and fulfilling.”

Establishing a suggestions loop

Though Roland and Vicente each agree that roasters don’t want to completely perceive new experimental processing strategies, this doesn’t counsel that much less transparency is extra beneficial. 

Actually, the other is usually true. Two-way communication between roasters and producers will inevitably make it simpler to cater to altering shopper tastes and preferences, and guarantee novel processing nonetheless meets market demand for differentiated flavour experiences.

“Making a suggestions loop means we are able to study from one another and enhance our processes,” Roland explains. “We will inform producers about what our prospects consider these coffees in order that they’ll adapt their processing strategies.”

Conversely, producers can share info with roasters about what does and doesn’t work for them. Constructing belief within the partnership reassures producers that they’ll ask for extra assist or assets to hold out sure experimental processing strategies, or to experiment with creating their very own, in order that they don’t have to soak up all the chance.

Within the years to come back, we’re prone to see an increasing number of superior processing strategies create new and numerous espresso flavours. As demand will increase, it’s essential that roasters have a baseline of information about what these methods contain.

However understanding the particular nuances of novel processing is usually pointless. As a substitute, so as to add extra worth to the trade, roasters and producers can work carefully collectively to supply differentiated sensory experiences.

Loved this? Then learn our article on why transparency is vital for infused coffees.

Photograph credit: Darren Rowlands, Massimo Shyrbi

Excellent Day by day Grind

Need to learn extra articles like this? Join our publication!