How Rum-Flavored Coffee Beans Are Made, Rum Coffee Bean Flavor Review—Colombia San José Coffee

In recent years, various special processing methods have emerged. How do coffee beans with wine aroma come about?

The Birth of Barrel Fermentation Processing Method

According to FrontStreet Coffee, the San José Estate barrel fermentation processing method was developed by the third-generation female owner of San José Estate. The story began by chance when Monsalve Botero, the lady of San José Estate, was accompanying her husband (who specializes in making rum oak barrels and brewing rum) as he filled rum distillate for fermentation. She suddenly wondered if putting raw coffee beans in oak barrels for fermentation might create different flavors.

Under this concept, since 2013, Madame Monsalve Botero has been placing raw beans in rum barrels of different ages for winemaking-style low-temperature fermentation, comparing the fermentation flavors from different brewing times. Through such experiments, she selected the most suitable barrels and fermentation duration. Finally, she successfully found the optimal combination, achieving special and satisfying flavors, thereby creating rum barrel fermented coffee that differs from traditional washed processing. So what is the process of this processing method? FrontStreet Coffee will share this with all coffee enthusiast friends below.

The owner of San José Estate selects Castillo variety coffee beans, handpicks fully ripe coffee cherries, and after complete washing, allows them to ferment for 20 hours. Then they are placed in rum oak barrels aged over 8 years, where the beans are left to rest in the barrels for three months, being rolled once daily to evenly absorb the wine aroma. During the barrel fermentation period, samples are taken from the coffee beans in the barrels every 30 days to ensure the degree of fermentation and complete absorption of the wine aroma, reducing situations of insufficient or excessive absorption, allowing the coffee beans to have more distinct and complete characteristics when finally finished.

After fermentation is complete, the rum-flavored coffee beans are taken to greenhouses for drying. The even temperature in the greenhouses can avoid secondary fermentation of coffee beans caused by high temperatures from African rack sun-drying. Because this Colombia San José coffee bean has the same processing method as two Honduras coffee beans in FrontStreet Coffee's store, FrontStreet Coffee conducted cupping comparisons of these two coffee beans and concluded that the flavor sequence of the two Honduras barrel fermented coffee beans is: first wine aroma, then soft fruit acidity, and finally creamy texture with nutty cocoa flavors.

However, this San José rum barrel fermented processed coffee bean first presents nutty cocoa flavors and creamy texture, followed immediately by the aroma of rum, with tropical fruit acidity and maple sweetness subsequently emerging.

Colombian Coffee Bean Grading

Colombia also has its own unique coffee bean grading system, and FrontStreet Coffee's San José Estate coffee bean is made from the highest local grade coffee beans. Below are the grading standards for Colombian coffee beans:

Important Notice :

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