How to roast anaerobic fermented coffee?

Anaerobic fermented coffee is coffee that undergoes fermentation without oxygen in sealed containers like plastic barrels or bags. These containers can be placed in water tanks or regulated areas to ensure ideal conditions. In this environment, the carbohydrates (sugars) in the beans will be converted into organic acids, gases, or alcohols at a slow rate due to the absence of oxygen, causing the coffee to produce a richer and more nuanced flavor.

Today there are many variations of anaerobic fermentation that create a spectrum of unique flavor profiles. But basically divided into two main types:

The natural anaerobic fermentation process uses whole coffee cherries and ferments for 96 hours.

– Washed anaerobic coffee is fermented after removing the skin, flesh, or mucilage from the beans.

Anaerobic fermented coffee is coffee that undergoes fermentation without oxygen

Anaerobic fermentation promotes the production of acids that contribute to distinct flavor profiles. The morphology and structure of the beans during prolonged fermentation will also differ from other processing methods such as being heavier and denser. Therefore, during the roasting process of anaerobically fermented coffee, roasters need to pay attention to certain points to ensure that the flavor development process takes place smoothly.

Monitor and adjust appropriate parameters

Veteran roasters say that the anaerobic fermentation coffee roasting process does not necessarily have to comply with the strict procedures set out for anaerobic fermentation. The sugar in the beans decomposes slowly, so the flavor of these coffees has many layers and each type will produce different results. The roasters require meticulous attention and acumen throughout the process, while also following more general instructions to be able to highlight the specific flavors as desired. For example, adjusting the roasting time to longer so that the coffee brings out more sweetness and acidity. A certain percentage of the development phase (after the first crack and before the end of roast), such as 16 or 17%, and a final temperature below 200°C.

Besides, to control the acid level, roasters need to develop enough roast profiles to achieve more balance in the final stages. The optimal settings for each batch size will depend on the capacity of the roaster machine. For example, if regular coffees roast at 80% capacity, you need to reduce the roasting batch size for anaerobic fermented coffee. This will allow more heat to circulate the drum to avoid excessive sugar development.

Roasting anaerobic fermented coffee needs to closely monitor the changes in the beans to make appropriate adjustments

Control roasting time

The mouthfeel of anaerobically fermented coffee is quite different from coffee processed using traditional techniques. They often give users a silky, smooth mouthfeel and rich, fuller body, increasing appeal with each experience. To highlight this characteristic, the worker needs to control well the time rate of the first crack process. The longer the development time after the first crack, the thicker the body can be achieved. This is due to the reaction of oil being pushed to the surface in the grain as pressure increases. In addition, prolonging the growing period is also a way to help increase the body and texture of coffee. When prolonged, the Maillard reaction occurring during this period can help enhance mouth feel without losing the inherent flavor. However, it is necessary to control time and temperature appropriately to avoid excessive reactions causing unpleasant odors and burning.

Roasting anaerobic fermented coffee requires good control of the time ratio of the first crack process

Roasting is a quite complicated process in coffee processing. Roasters need certain skills, experience, and understanding to develop optimal roasting profiles for different types of coffee. Therefore, when first starting to roast anaerobically fermented coffee, experts always recommend that you learn carefully about the processing processes as well as the principles of roasting. This can help you understand and accurately determine the flavor the manufacturer wants to create. You should also experiment multiple times and share roasting profiles with more experienced roasters. Collecting and analyzing feedback will help you quickly choose the right roasting method for different types of anaerobic fermented coffee.

Anaerobic coffee roasting requires an understanding of coffee beans and their transformation during the roasting process

Roasting anaerobic fermented coffee requires knowledge, skill, and experimentation. By understanding the unique characteristics of these beans and following these tips, you can unlock their full flavor potential. If you love coffee and useful information, follow XLIII Coffee’s journal channel!

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