strong tropical fruit notes like kiwi & pineapple, cane sugar sweetness
Honeyed Drip is famous for it’s anaerobic processing. In Taste of Harvest (TOH) Competition 2020, the estate win the first place in natural processing category in Guji growing region. The winning natural dried coffee is first processed by putting the cherries under sealing tanks for 36 hours.
From Cafe Importers:
Anaerobic fermentation is a processing method where the coffee is processed in a fully sealed and oxygen free fermentation tank. After selective handpicking of fully ripe cherries, they are checked in water basins to sort out underripe floaters. Coffees enter the anaerobic process in depulped cherries (honey) or unpressed whole cherries. The beans are placed in air-sealed barrels or stainless steel tanks that need to be in a cooler environment (wind or even fridges), as the fermentation process creates heat.
After around 18-24 hours, the anaerobic process has started causing a breakdown in the mucilage and a buildup of CO2 pressure in the tank. This pressure forces the flavours of the juicy mucilage into the coffee parchment. Pressure is released through one-way valves at the top of the barrel – or oftentimes released through pipes that surpass water basins. The anaerobic fermentation has many levels and can take up to 120 hours, sometimes even 240 hours.
After around 18-24 hours, the anaerobic process has started causing a breakdown in the mucilage and a buildup of CO2 pressure in the tank. This pressure forces the flavours of the juicy mucilage into the coffee parchment. Pressure is released through one-way valves at the top of the barrel – or oftentimes released through pipes that surpass water basins. The anaerobic fermentation has many levels and can take up to 120 hours, sometimes even 240 hours.
The types of microbes able to survive and participate in fermentation is limited by the lack of oxygen. The result is a very expressive flavour profile that oftentimes has notes of cinnamon, bubble gum or poached pear.
Once carefully removed from the tank, the coffee is dried to ensuring a halting of the fermentation stage. This experimental process yields unexpected and complex flavours, while also giving the producer great control over the sugars, temperature, pressure, pH and length of the ferment.
- Origin: Ethiopia
- Region: Guji, Uraga
- Estate: Honeyed Drip Estate
- Altitude: 2219m
- Cultivar: Heirloom
- Process: Anaerobic Natural dried
- Sourcing: Blossom Valley International, Taiwan