Anaerobic Coffee
Anaerobic fermentation coffee is fermented in an oxygen-free environment like a sealed tank to boost fruity and exotic flavours and create unique tasting notes.
Anaerobic coffee can be washed, natural or honey processed.
Anaerobic
Inspired by wine-making, anaerobic fermentation is a method of pre-processing coffee where it is fermented without the presence of oxygen, before it undergoes washed, honey or natural processing. Completely removing oxygen from the fermentation process by placing the cherries in sealed tanks either with or without water increases the presence of different acids, creating fruity and exotic flavours while producing big aromas.
Anaerobic coffee feels like old hat now, but it's still a relatively recent innovation of the last decade. In specialty coffee circles, anaerobic coffees are a way for coffee producers to make their harvest stand out, creating more value while creating really unique tasting cups that score highly amongst Q graders.
There's a bit of a movement in the specialty coffee world to change the term 'anaerobic' to 'anoxic' which more accurately refers to an oxygen-free environment- but expect to see a bit of mixed messaging on coffee bags until everyone can reach an agreement!
