Fermentation Project

We are super excited to bring you James Hoffmann's Fermentation Project.

Fermentation is a fundamental stage to producing all the coffees we drink so to taste the same coffee fermented four different ways is very exciting! 

** PRE-ORDER NOTE **
Any coffee you order with this tasting set will be dispatched with it in mid-September. Please note that Uppity Squirrel and Always Nowhere will have finished by the time we get to the project. 

We have put the next few coffees we will release as pre-orders, which can be ordered at the same time as the project and we will send all these out together. 

The fermentation involved in the processing of every coffee is how the coffee beans are removed from the cherries they grow in. If you have ever wondered how that happens, and how that affects the flavour, then this is for you.

At its core, fermentation is primarily a functional step within the washed coffee process, helping producers to process larger volumes of coffee more effectively while reducing challenges during drying. However, fermentation is also a critical moment of flavour development, offering an opportunity to experiment and better understand the impact different approaches can have on the final cup profile. 

More info about all these fermentations can be found on this excellent video from James taken in Guatemala at the site where the fermentations took place. 

With only 120 roasters worldwide, 17 in the UK and only 2 in Scotland taking part, we are delighted to be involved with this project

The Tasting
James Hoffmann will host a live tasting on his YouTube channel on Saturday 3rd October at 3pm. Feel free to join in then or do it at any point before or after, as the tasting video will remain on his channel after the live event. 

The Coffee
The coffee comes from the farm of Hector and Lilian Leal called Finca San Miguel Urias. This sits in the Antigua Valley, between Ciudad Vieja and San Miguel Dueñas in the south of Guatemala. The processing was all done by Lucia Solis who worked closely with the farm team to ensure the coffee was pulped, fermented, washed, and dried according to her specifications.

What is in the pack
With this tasting pack you will get 4 bags, each containing 50g of coffee. Although these bags all contain the same Guatemalan coffee, all four have been processed in different ways.

Bag 1 – Mechanically washed/demucilaged
This coffee has no fermentation and so is the control coffee to compare the others against. The flavour profile of this coffee comes purely from growing practices and genetic varietal characteristics.

Bag 2 – Wild Fermentation
This coffee underwent a 48 hour submerged fermentation with local, wild microbes. This is the traditional method most coffees experience where the mucilage is removed by the local microbe population.

Bag 3 – Lactobacillus Inoculated Fermentation
This coffee underwent a 48 hour submerged fermentation with Lactobacillus. Generally, the bacteria shows how through fermentation you can enhance the production of organic acids and impact the brightness and complexity of the coffee.

Bag 4 – Yeast Inoculated Fermentation
This coffee underwent a 48 hour submerged fermentation with saccharomyces yeast. Generally, the yeast shows how through fermentation you can enhance the production of flavour precursors and impact the body and complexity of the coffee.

We are offering this pack as whole bean or ground suitable for cupping. To get the most out of this tasting experience we would definitely recommend grinding it just before brewing it if that is possible.

With 50g of each version of this coffee you will be able to run the tasting a few times and have a little left for a brew or will be able to do the tasting and make a brew for you and a friend.

Timelines
The live tasting is scheduled for Saturday 3^rd October at 3pm UK time. We plan to start roasting and shipping these coffees in early to mid September. That gives us time to roast and ship them all which is a mammoth task for our small roastery, gives time for the coffee to rest and makes sure the postie gets them delivered to you in time.