Sideyard Coffee: February 12 - Guatemala š¬š¹ Carbonic Macerationš·!
Dear Sideyard Friends,
This week's coffee is fun one. ItĀ wasĀ produced with aĀ processing method borrowed from wine making known as 'carbonic maceration'.Ā IfĀ you've ever had a Beaujolais, you've already experienced some version of this process, also known asĀ 'Beaujolais's maceration traditionelle'. In wine making it was pioneered in the 1930s and popularized in the 1960s, but in the coffee world it's still veryĀ experimental.Ā It's been garnering attention since 2015 as a way of helping coffee producers distinguish their offerings and command higher prices on the global green coffee market.
In short, the process involvesĀ placing the ripe coffee cherriesĀ in sealed fermentation tanks for up to three months, during which time the fermentation environment becomes increasingly hypoxic. ThisĀ carbon dioxide-rich environmentĀ privileges a different set of bacteria from the traditional airborne yeasts that are common in other forms of fermentation (open air water tank or natural process drying). In all types of processing, coffee undergoes at least a minimal amount of fermentation as the sugars are broken down by bacteria, but thisĀ carbonic macerationĀ simply, or ratherĀ not so simply, dials up the fermentation in a big way.
A wild flavor profile follows. This particular GuatemalanĀ has intenseĀ fruit flavors, milk chocolate,Ā and an underlying clove note. If you weren't around for a couple ofĀ the super fruity Ethiopian coffees we had this fall, the fruity notesĀ might come as a bit of a surprise!Ā I personally can't get enough of it.
I'm enjoying it so much that I reorderedĀ more toĀ roast for theĀ virtual Oak Park Makers FairĀ next weekend (February 19-21). I'm happy to join more than 20 local crafters and makers in donating 20% of sales from the fairĀ to Represent Oak Park. If you're not yet familiar with their work, Represent Oak Park is a coalition working to support and elevate Black leadership in Oak Park government. Did you know thatĀ there are currently zero Black elected officials in Oak Park? The election is April 6 and there are plenty of ways to get involved.Ā
Cheers,
Ryan
---
Sideyard Coffee
Instagram | Facebook
References
https://plotroasting.com/blogs/news/experimental-fermentation-in-coffee-processing
https://www.royalny.com/post-harvest-coffee-processing-anaerobic-fermentation-and-carbonic-maceration/
https://www.oak-park.us/your-government/elected-officials
https://www.oak-park.us/our-community/village-profile
This week's coffee is fun one. ItĀ wasĀ produced with aĀ processing method borrowed from wine making known as 'carbonic maceration'.Ā IfĀ you've ever had a Beaujolais, you've already experienced some version of this process, also known asĀ 'Beaujolais's maceration traditionelle'. In wine making it was pioneered in the 1930s and popularized in the 1960s, but in the coffee world it's still veryĀ experimental.Ā It's been garnering attention since 2015 as a way of helping coffee producers distinguish their offerings and command higher prices on the global green coffee market.
In short, the process involvesĀ placing the ripe coffee cherriesĀ in sealed fermentation tanks for up to three months, during which time the fermentation environment becomes increasingly hypoxic. ThisĀ carbon dioxide-rich environmentĀ privileges a different set of bacteria from the traditional airborne yeasts that are common in other forms of fermentation (open air water tank or natural process drying). In all types of processing, coffee undergoes at least a minimal amount of fermentation as the sugars are broken down by bacteria, but thisĀ carbonic macerationĀ simply, or ratherĀ not so simply, dials up the fermentation in a big way.
A wild flavor profile follows. This particular GuatemalanĀ has intenseĀ fruit flavors, milk chocolate,Ā and an underlying clove note. If you weren't around for a couple ofĀ the super fruity Ethiopian coffees we had this fall, the fruity notesĀ might come as a bit of a surprise!Ā I personally can't get enough of it.
I'm enjoying it so much that I reorderedĀ more toĀ roast for theĀ virtual Oak Park Makers FairĀ next weekend (February 19-21). I'm happy to join more than 20 local crafters and makers in donating 20% of sales from the fairĀ to Represent Oak Park. If you're not yet familiar with their work, Represent Oak Park is a coalition working to support and elevate Black leadership in Oak Park government. Did you know thatĀ there are currently zero Black elected officials in Oak Park? The election is April 6 and there are plenty of ways to get involved.Ā
Cheers,
Ryan
---
Sideyard Coffee
Instagram | Facebook
References
https://plotroasting.com/blogs/news/experimental-fermentation-in-coffee-processing
https://www.royalny.com/post-harvest-coffee-processing-anaerobic-fermentation-and-carbonic-maceration/
https://www.oak-park.us/your-government/elected-officials
https://www.oak-park.us/our-community/village-profile
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