Does Anaerobic Fermentation Processing Result in Higher Coffee Body? Exploring Flavor and Mouthfeel

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FrontStreet Coffee Introduction: Anaerobic Fermentation Processing Method

The Anaerobic Fermentation Process

Anaerobic fermentation processing, also known as carbon dioxide maceration, is a new method applied in winemaking where grapes are placed in carbon dioxide gas, allowing them to enter an oxygen-free state. In this way, grapes can convert their own fructose into alcohol even without yeast, resulting in special aromas, and the produced wine has gentle aromas and rich mouthfeel.

The coffee beans used by Sasa Sestic himself in the 2015 WBC were from Las Nubes farm in Colombia—the Rume Sudan variety. According to him, the anaerobic fermentation treatment of these coffee beans mainly involved placing mature coffee cherries in sealed metal containers (stainless steel barrels), injecting carbon dioxide, and expelling oxygen, allowing fermentation and decomposition to occur in an oxygen-free environment. This method enables effective control over factors such as pH value, gas composition, humidity, temperature, and even the types and quantities of bacteria involved in the fermentation process, developing better sweetness and more balanced flavors.

However, the current anaerobic fermentation processing methods used by various processing plants and those claiming to be anaerobic fermented green beans are actually quite different. After all, this type of processing method is still in its development stage, so there are no standard and absolute versions. Most of what we hear today is based on the coffee bean processing method used by Sasa at that time, or modifications of this version. For example, recent experimental processing methods such as anaerobic natural, anaerobic washed, and double anaerobic have emerged successively, which are also very exciting.

Characteristics of Anaerobic Fermentation Processing

• Using stainless steel containers (which don't absorb previous coffee bean flavors) to place coffee cherries allows for cleaner flavors.
• Fermentation in a sealed environment makes various factors easier to control, resulting in more consistent coffee beans with each batch, and aromatic substances are less likely to volatilize.
• Fermentation in an oxygen-free environment produces rounder flavors, often with cheese and cream aromas.
• Coffee beans processed using this method typically have fuller body and wine-like aromas.

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