What is the Simon Special Processing Method? What is the Specific Process of Bag Fermentation Coffee Processing?

Whether natural or washed, coffee post-processing was originally just a step for drying coffee beans to facilitate storage. However, when people discovered that different processing methods would create distinct flavor changes in coffee, increasingly diverse processing methods emerged to serve flavor profiles. For example, the currently popular various special processing methods are new-generation players that can make coffee flavors more diverse.

FrontStreet Coffee is sharing today—the "Semeon Special Processing Method"—one such special processing approach that may be niche but is extremely interesting. Coffee beans processed through this method have one universally recognized notable characteristic—they're ugly.

As can be seen from the image above, beans processed through the Semeon special method indeed have an unappealing appearance. They not only look unattractive but also exhibit significant color variation. If a friend with obsessive-compulsive tendencies were to see them, they would inevitably "sort" through them for quite a while. But as the saying goes, "Don't judge a bean by its appearance!" Such a peculiar-looking coffee bean can actually emit rare coffee flavors like watermelon, mint, and guava. Many coffee enthusiasts have been captivated by the rich watermelon flavor in these beans, becoming loyal fans of FrontStreet Coffee's Semeon beans (coffee beans processed using the Semeon special processing method).

Beyond the appearance of the beans and the flavor of the coffee, the name of this processing method is also quite distinctive. Because to date, there are rarely processing names with such minimal information content. Most processing methods try to condense the processing steps or information from the process into their names—for example, processing entirely using sun exposure is called natural, removing the fruit pulp and soaking the beans in water for fermentation is called washed, or semi-natural, wet-hulled processing all adopt such naming conventions. The reason this processing method is named the Semeon Special Processing Method is because it was created by Mr. Semeon Abay.

Mr. Semeon Abay is Ethiopian, and his life, much like this processing method, can be described as truly extraordinary. Because he studied film in his youth, his first job was as a film actor. Later, he went to the United States to develop his career, where he met his mentor—the owner of Novo Coffee—and then "accidentally" became Novo's head roaster. However, just as the good days were beginning, Semeon Abay was diagnosed with cancer, which was during his fifth year working at Novo! As doctors declared his condition incurable, he ended his work at Novo, bid farewell to America, and returned to Ethiopia to await the end of his life. Unexpectedly, he miraculously survived! So, he began working in the Ethiopian coffee industry again, this time as the Processing Director at Ninety Plus (90+)!

I believe everyone is already familiar with 90+, which was one of the first companies to apply special processing methods to Geisha coffee. With his amazing talent and diligent efforts, Semeon Abay mastered various aspects of 90+ coffee processing, thus becoming the Processing Director at 90+. Furthermore, his innate spirit of bold experimentation and in-depth research into processing enabled him to create many novel processing methods! The Semeon Special Processing Method is one of them! The Semeon Special Processing Method is also known as "Bag Fermentation" because this processing method uses polypropylene bags to assist in bean fermentation. (Image for reference only)

The Specific Process

The specific process is as follows: After coffee cherries are harvested, they are immediately transported to the processing plant. First, bad fruits, unripe fruits, and debris are sorted out by soaking in water, then the high-quality cherries are packed into plastic bags and sealed, stacked in a cool, dry place for 5 days. During these 5 days, the bags are turned over every 12 hours to change the position of the coffee beans, moving the beans that were originally at the bottom to the top. By strictly limiting air flow in the bags, lactic acid bacteria proliferate significantly, allowing the coffee to develop distinctive and charming flavors. Because coffee cherries in different positions within the bags undergo varying degrees of fermentation, the resulting beans exhibit quite inconsistent external colors. Cherries at the top and bottom of the bags undergo heavier fermentation, resulting in relatively darker bean colors; while cherries in the middle of the bags undergo lighter fermentation, resulting in relatively lighter bean colors. After 5 days, the coffee cherries that completed bag fermentation are transferred to drying beds and spread thinly for drying. During the hottest part of the day, workers at the processing plant cover the coffee cherries with a protective layer to prevent direct exposure to strong sunlight, thereby extending the drying and fermentation time of the beans. Then they are covered again at night, this time to prevent moisture accumulation, allowing the coffee to dry more evenly.

Typically, this drying process takes about 20 days. When the coffee drying is complete, it is packed into jute bags for storage. Before export, these coffee beans are sent to a hulling machine to remove the already dried and shriveled coffee bean husks. At this point, the coffee bean processing stage can be officially declared complete.

The image above shows unroasted coffee beans processed using the Semeon special method. As you can see, the bean colors are uneven and vary greatly. Although the fermentation degrees vary, Mr. Semeon did not sort them accordingly. Because he believes that it is precisely because a batch of coffee beans contains coffee beans with different fermentation degrees that the coffee flavor can possess richer layers and higher recognition. And this is indeed the case, but for roasters, this presents a significant challenge. To highlight the explosive fruit notes brought out by this processing method and enhance the sweetness of the coffee, FrontStreet Coffee chose a classic medium-light roasting curve for preparation. Below is a comparison of unroasted and roasted beans, everyone can experience the difference in coffee beans before and after roasting~

FrontStreet Coffee Guji Semeon Processed Landrace

Country: Ethiopia
Region: Guji
Variety: Landrace
Altitude: 2000 meters
Processing Method: Semeon Special/Bag Fermentation Processing Method
Flavor Notes: Lemon, Watermelon, Guava, Sweet Orange, Spices

Eight hours after roasting completion, FrontStreet Coffee used cupping to evaluate this Guji Semeon bean. FrontStreet Coffee then discovered that, compared to the expected watermelon flavor, this FrontStreet Coffee Guji Semeon bean actually exhibits flavors more inclined toward watermelon rind... From the dry aroma, we can clearly feel that the coffee has very rich layers, not only possessing rich fermented aromas like spices, jackfruit, and dried berries, but also carrying fresh aromas similar to lemon and mint. When the coffee enters the mouth, one can taste high-sweetness flavors of guava, orange, and preserved fruits. After swallowing, a mint-like cooling sensation appears, followed by the refreshing aftertaste of watermelon (rind) and lemon. Additionally, there is a classic 90+ special processing cinnamon spice flavor that runs throughout, creating extremely rich layers!

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