Two years ago, I did know anything abut coffee. Just imagine, my go to order was a flat white. That is it.
Now, I believe co-fermented coffee could be a breakthrough for the coffee industry.
I spent a year speaking with farmers in the mountains of Colombia and small café owners in Amsterdam. I wanted to understand how the industry actually worked. What I fund was a system full of good intentions, but very little alignment.
On one of my trips to the mountains, I met a curious farmer experimenting with something call co-fermentation. At first, I dismissed it. I thought he was cheating, and messing with the natural development of the bean's flavors. But the more I listened, the more I understood. This wasn’t gimmicky. It was innovation. By adding local fruits during fermentation, he was unlocking flavors I’d never tasted. The first time, I saw how this could pull more people into coffee. Not just because of the Ethics, but because of the taste.
What co-fermented coffee?
First, let's breakdown fermentation. In coffee fermentation is not optional. it is use to remove the the sticky part of the beans called mucilage using natural occurring of microbes. These microbes create sugars, enzymes and acids that shape the sensorial profile of the coffee. That is what makes specialty coffee special.
Co-fermentation takes it further. It means adding local fruits during the fermentation process. These fruits bring their own microbes, which interact with microbes from the coffee. As consequence it creates more sugars, enzymes and acids. The outcome is deeper, more complex flavors. In plain terms, the coffee and the fruit ferment together. It is similar to how some winemakers co-ferment different grapes to create new blends.
Why is co-fermentation so controversial? There are two reasons.
First, The philosophical reason, Tradition vs Innovation.
Traditional coffee professional believe Co-fermentation compromises authenticity of the bean. In their view, coffee should express its origin, like the land, the altitude, and the variety. It should not be altered by outside flavors.
On the other hand, The new wave thinkers want to push the boundaries of coffee flavor. They believe experimenting with fermentation can widen the coffee audience.
Second, Co-fermented vs infusion: This part really matters . Because here is where the normies get lost.
Co-fermented means adding fruits during the fermentation process of the coffee. Which means, sugars and acids left byt the microbes get into the coffee beans in a natural manner.
Infusion is soaking, spraying, or tumbling external flavors on the post-processing. Think of supermarket Vanilla-flavors coffee. That is infusion. It is artificial and is added after the coffee is dry.
Why I believe it's a break through
Most coffee innovation is about machines, brewing gear, or fighting crop diseases. That is important work.
But when it comes to flavor, we’ve barely explored what’s possible.
Look at wine. You can find hundreds of wines from the same grape, all different flavor profiles. Coffee is just as complex, but most people still drink the same few flavor profiles. Co-fermentation can change that.
Coffee is already the second most consumed drink in the world. Water is number one. Matcha, energy drinks, and mate are cool, but they don’t come close. If coffee wants to grow even more, it needs to keep evolving. Co-fermentation is one way to do that.
If you are skeptical I get it. I been there. But try it. I recommend a co-fermented coffee from Huila, Colombia, made with passion fruit. One sip, and you’ll understand why I won’t shut up about it.