[coffee fermentation] how coffee bean fermentation affects the quality of coffee beans

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What is fermentation?

Let's review the content of high school biology class: fermentation is a chemical reaction. Yeast, bacteria and other microbes break down one substance into other simpler substances. Usually, the substance to be decomposed is sugar. In this process, heat will be released. In addition, different kinds of enzymes become catalysts for the fermentation process.

To put it simply, fermentation is a natural change, and when you put sugar and water together, it is the starting point of the fermentation process. And coffee cherries happen to contain both. Therefore, when the coffee cherries are picked (sometimes before picking, depending on the humidity), the fermentation process begins.

The problem is that fermentation can both improve and destroy the flavor of coffee. It all depends on how the processor treats the fermentation process.

How does fermentation affect the quality of coffee?

There are many methods of fermentation, and with the increase of such experiments, we know more about the effect of fermentation on the quality of coffee.

As the fermentation process is very complex, there will be many potential results beyond imagination. Poor, uncontrolled fermentation can lead to coffee mildew and even chemical flavor-which is why handlers need to understand the process of raw coffee beans, monitor the whole process and make timely adjustments according to reality.

Because, once the fermentation is successful, it will greatly improve the flavor of coffee.

Carlos told me that O'Coffee 's fermentation experiment aims to "expand their product line to provide coffee beans with unique flavor and exotic flavor according to the needs of customers. Basically, these coffee beans contain the following characteristics: sweetness, acidity, mellow thickness, unique flavor, such as fruit, caramel, chocolate and so on. "

Dr. Britta Folmer wrote in the Technology and Science of Coffee, "washing fermentation not only removes the gum, but also emphasizes acidity and aroma, and reduces astringency. Honey treatment is a combination of washing and sunlight, which retains part of the gum and allows it to ferment to some extent during the drying stage. This can produce some special sweetness, which is closer to the sun treatment. "

But handlers must be treated with caution. Carlos told me, "too long fermentation time may lead to a significant decline in flavor quality, acidity, alcohol thickness and sweetness may be reduced to varying degrees."