James Hoffman's Fermentation Project

We're excited to be roaster participants in James Hoffman's The Fermentation Project. 

What is The Fermentation Project?

In short, The Fermentation Project is a limited release "designed to explore how processing shapes flavor," in which a single coffee from a single farm in Antigua, Guatemala has been processed with four different fermentation approaches, in order to allow us to taste the impact of these fermentation processes. The four fermentations are mechanically demucilaged, wild fermentation, lactobacillus innoculated, and yeast innoculated. These coffees will be roasted in limited quantities by roasters around the world and shipped to customers in time for a live global cupping/tasting event with James Hoffman in mid to late September. So, not only is this a chance to experience a controlled experiment in fermentation and processing, but it's also a chance to taste a coffee and hear Hoffman's tasting commentary in real time as you taste it.

Why does fermentation matter and why is this interesting?

In the past several years, a handful of coffee producers have honed in on how impactful processing can be on a coffee's flavor and profile. Perhaps most notably Diego Samuel Bermudez. Many others have followed, and where we used to speak merely of washed, natural, and honey processing, coffees are now being produced in many different ways within each of these categories. Seeing a specialty coffee described as extended fermentation, anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration, or some combination of terms is no longer novel but somewhat common. 

Much of this processing innovation has been in how producers approach fermentation. It would likely surprise many coffee drinkers to learn that fermentation is a part of all coffee processing, insofar as there is some period of time after coffee cherries have been harvested and before the coffee is fully dried in which already present yeasts and bacteria ferment the sugars that are on the seed. This fermentation may be very mild in its effect on the coffee, as in the case of a washed coffee that is dried fairly quickly, but it can also have a pronounced effect on the coffee if the fermentation lasts through an extended period of time or if the producer exercises any number of other fermentation controls (inoculation, temperature, etc.). It's an exciting time for specialty coffee, because rather than letting fermentation just blindly happen, producers are utilizing this period of processing to accentuate the character of the coffee.

This explosion of processing innovation has produced many outstanding coffees. However, as we've embraced innovation with enthusiasm, few have had the opportunity to taste and reflect upon the differences that processing variations produce. Even if we chose to taste two differently processed or fermented coffees side by side, we are likely tasting coffees with many other variables than their processing. They could be from the same farm but even then could have been from different lots, picked at different times, dried at different rates or time, etc. The Fermentation Project has sought to eliminate all possible variables in order to allow us to truly taste how fermentation impacts a coffee's profile. 

Who is James Hoffman?

If you haven't encountered James Hoffman (likely on Youtube) you need to! Hoffman is from the UK and was the 2007 World Barista Champion. He is as experienced and as astute as is possible when it comes to Specialty Coffee. This comes through on his Youtube channel, but what also comes through is an approachable personality who doesn't expect everyone to be on the same level in their coffee taste and experience (something we value highly at La Barba). Hoffman cares more about people enjoying their coffee than about people buying the most expensive equipment and world's fanciest geishas (though he can certainly go toe to toe with anyone on this kind of thing!). He's a refreshing, challenging, and insightful figure in the world of specialty coffee. 

Want to join in, click here to purchase a set and look for updates on the exact date and time that James Hoffman will conduct his global tasting!