hey aida!!! miss you!!

we did a fun one together a couple years ago - predecessor to some of the styles you see now, it was a yeast-controlled cherry fermentation followed by pulping and drying.

cupping with aida is a playground for anyone who is has an interest in learning more about processing. if that's your speed I recommend picking up a few different examples to really understand how modulating the microbial population or concentration in a fermentation tank can have huge sensory impacts.

I miss you too!!! Can't wait to work on some more fun ones with you! xo

I'm currently overwhelmed by the amount of roasted coffee on hand, but I do have my natural processed Finca Kilimanjaro on hand, as well as the new Indigo Reserve from Panther/ABS. I look forward to comparing the two over the holiday weekend!

platinumlotus wrote:Thank you Aida! Also in recent years, I see producers adding yeasts (either LALCAFE or local yeast) to their fermentation tanks to create a more controlled, consistent fermentation environment.

What is your opinion on this approach? Can you share some of your findings in applying this technique-like is there a link between specific yeast type with outcome flavors?

I love all of this discussions too!

I have used both and have had favorable results. The challenge is it is expensive.

TomC wrote:I'm currently overwhelmed by the amount of roasted coffee on hand, but I do have my natural processed Finca Kilimanjaro on hand, as well as the new Indigo Reserve from Panther/ABS. I look forward to comparing the two over the holiday weekend!

Hard for me to understand from Panther' s description what "iced cascara" entails for a process. But I'm curious.

I will watch the shop for option to buy these different processes green.


I have a batch left of brix calibrated natural from las lajas farm in Costa Rica. That is a farm with success processing natural coffee by necessity of lack of water originally iirc.

Is a sugar test like that useful in coffee processing?

Chert wrote: Hard for me to understand from Panther' s description what "iced cascara" entails for a process. But I'm curious.

I will watch the shop for option to buy these different processes green.


I have a batch left of brix calibrated natural from las lajas farm in Costa Rica. That is a farm with success processing natural coffee by necessity of lack of water originally iirc.

Is a sugar test like that useful in coffee processing?

Hey Chert
A few things to respond to here so I apologize for the long answer in advance! Haha

So just to be clear, this particular project is all of my own. I had a new process that I worked on and asked Panther to roast the coffee so I could to take it direct to consumers since I don't own a roastery. They are not only great friends but also long time customers and being located in Miami which is my second home, made things simpler for me.

So the Iced Cascara : Essentially, I brewed a tea out of the cascara, let it rest, got it down to room temperature and froze it off in big chunks. Then I put it into the fermentation tank and let it sit for 36 hours. The theory of course was that fermenting at cooler temps slows the yeast activity down and perhaps imparts a cleaner brighter flavor than my original cascara tea fermentation. I have a video of it that I'd love to share.

Loving all of this talk of fermentation. Since the pandemic, we have been making sourdough, kombucha, and jun at home. The science is fascinating and the results are delicious!

I pasted this bold info from a thread of TomC from a while back.

To bring this discussion back I thought the various processing methods should be included.

TRADITIONAL - 12 hour DRY fermentation, parchment washed and then patios
or drying beds.
KENYA - 48 hour DRY fermentation, washing every 12 hours...which means we
add a little bit of fresh water and turn with a wooden paddle, wash the parchment
then it goes back to fermentation tank to soak in fresh water for 24 hours and
then placed on drying beds.
ETHIOPIA - 48 hour UNDER WATER fermentation, washing every 12
hours...which means we add a little bit of fresh water, take a little out and turn
with a wooden paddle, wash the parchment then it goes back to fermentation
tank to soak in fresh water for 24 hours and then placed on drying beds.
BURUNDI - 24 hour DRY fermentation, washing every 12 hours...which means
we add a little bit of fresh water and turn with a wooden paddle, then 24 hour
UNDER WATER fermentation, washing again every 12 hours then wash the
parchment then it goes back to fermentation tank to soak in fresh water for 24
hours and then placed on drying beds.
CASCARA TEA SOAKED - Brew Cascara tea and wait for it to cool. Depulp
coffee, add Cascara tea until its covered, wash after 12 hours then place it on
drying beds or patios.
SUMALVADOR - Depulp coffee. Place parchment on patio, when it gets to 25%
humidity, dry mill by hand and place green coffee back on patios until it reaches
11.5% humidity.
PULP NATURAL - after depulping, parchment goes straight to patios or drying
beds

NATURAL - Cherry floated and then goes straight to patios or drying beds.[/quote]

So many different methods. If you use so many methods, it suggests that no single process is superior, but to make the effort worthwhile, they must result in a significant difference. Is that the case?

How did you get into processing by so many different ways?

Have you used brix measurements or other tests to guide fermentation?

I see in google searches some of the listed processes in prior years' greens (like Roastmasters) or roasted (like Stumptown Grand Cru or Bird Rock Coffee Review lauded coffee) natural, Burundi, washed and this years cascara comes up, but most of the list don't come to light.