Sunlight, washing, honey treatment, all these coffee post-processing unexpectedly have to undergo fermentation!

The "treatment" of raw coffee beans refers to the operation of removing impurities (all substances except raw beans) from coffee fruits and turning them into coffee beans. At the same time, it is also an important link that can affect the flavor trend of coffee beans.

Among them, anaerobic fermentation treatment is a controversial method of coffee treatment in recent years (anaerobic fermentation, dipping fermentation, enzyme washing, etc.). Because its fermentation taste is very unique, people who like it like it very much, while those who don't like it have no feeling about it. This is the difference caused by different tastes, each has its own preference. But you know what? In fact, it is not only anaerobic treatment that has fermentation links. Conventional treatments such as water washing, sun exposure and honey treatment all need the help of fermentation to add more flavor to beans. First of all, it's not the fermentation you think it is! )

What is fermentation? Fermentation is a chemical reaction that is prepared or decomposed into other substances by the life activities of microorganisms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Generally speaking, the substances that undergo fermentation are mainly sugars, and when fermentation begins, microbes continue to generate heat, which converts sugars into a variety of compounds, such as alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is reasonable that the beginning of fermentation is very simple, only need to mix sugar and water, then there will be this natural change. As it happens, coffee fruits are rich in water and sugar, so the moment we pick them, fermentation has already begun!

Types of fermentation when coffee fruits are harvested, these fruits will undergo different types of fermentation processes due to different treatments. Aerobic fermentation: this is easy to understand, which means that raw coffee beans are fermented in an oxygen-filled environment! Conventional treatments such as sun exposure and honey treatment that expose coffee fruits / beans to the air for a long time belong to aerobic fermentation.

Anaerobic fermentation: anaerobic fermentation is actually easy to understand, that is, the coffee beans are soaked in a container full of liquid, so that the microbes in the beans will run out and ferment!

It can also be sealed in a sealed barrel and then extracted from the oxygen to form an oxygen-free space for fermentation, but this kind of fermentation requires strict control of all the data during fermentation to avoid excessive fermentation!

What is the effect of fermentation on coffee? Fermentation is a complex process, which can stimulate the different potential of coffee beans. Different treatments will have different fermentation time, fermentation intensity, correct / appropriate fermentation can improve the quality of coffee, so that coffee has a richer level. However, if it is not properly controlled, resulting in insufficient or excessive fermentation, it will directly bring irreversible damage to the quality of these coffees, such as mildew, rotten fruit, chemicals and other negative flavors.

The time and intensity of fermentation affect the flavor trend of coffee beans, such as sun, honey treatment, such as long-term fermentation will bring coffee dried fruit, preserved fruit, wine and other similar fruit fermentation flavor, the overall level will be more rich! On the other hand, short-term / low-intensity fermentation such as water washing will bring bright acidity to the coffee, and the whole is very clean, because they will ferment more evenly and better controlled than long-term fermentation. less prone to negative, messy drinking experiences.

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