Is it some coffee industry joke that I'm just not privy to?
I think I've tried about eight different anaerobic beans in the last few months, and they all suck. I get absolutely no aroma when grinding them, and they all just taste extra sour.
I thought maybe it was just a roast problem but this is happening with probably 5 different well-known roasters so I'm convinced it's the coffee itself.
Is it actually supposed to be good?

I believe you had a previous thread saying you haven't had any good coffee in at least a year and were trying to figure out what the issue was? Until that is rectified then I'd probably hold off on trying a lot of different processes or forming too many firm opinions on different types of coffees.

Anaerobic coffee flavors are as diverse as any other coffee flavors ranging from bright fruit, intense spices, and even savory notes like miso. A wide range for many experiences.

Do you like other funky stuff like washed rind cheeses, lambic, mezcal, kombucha, natural pickles?

Not saying anaerobic coffees are anywhere near as extreme as these examples, but they sometimes hint at the same flavors.

It may just not be for you, but I suspect something else is going on here.

Can you inform us of your equipment, typical brew method, etc?

Milligan wrote:I believe you had a previous thread saying you haven't had any good coffee in at least a year and were trying to figure out what the issue was? Until that is rectified then I'd probably hold off on trying a lot of different processes or forming too many firm opinions on different types of coffees.

Anaerobic coffee flavors are as diverse as any other coffee flavors ranging from bright fruit, intense spices, and even savory notes like miso. A wide range for many experiences.

Very true, but the aroma on all of the anaerobics I have tried was also not there, they just smell sour. But you are correct, if I'm making mostly garbage than these will be no different.

Ben Z. wrote:Do you like other funky stuff like washed rind cheeses, lambic, mezcal, kombucha, natural pickles?

Not saying anaerobic coffees are anywhere near as extreme as these examples, but they sometimes hint at the same flavors.

Now that you mention it I don't like any of those things, but I've never really had a coffee I don't like prior to the anaerobics. They are just not good, at all.

ziggomatic wrote:It may just not be for you, but I suspect something else is going on here.

Can you inform us of your equipment, typical brew method, etc?

My coffee game has definitely been off lately, I even posted about it a few days ago, but the anaerobics are worse than all the rest.
I do pour-over with the v60, and as of about a week ago trying the Kalita wave. I have a few different grinders including a 1z and virtuoso. I always use crystal geyser bottled water at a temperature of 208.
I'm actually hoping it's something with my brew method because I would really like to enjoy the anaerobic.

Ben Z. wrote:Do you like other funky stuff like washed rind cheeses, lambic, mezcal, kombucha, natural pickles?

I would add extra fermented soy sauce to the list lol. Not the mild type for sushi but the stinky type as a certain Asian soup base!

Drewskie, you will find a number of old threads on this. Some like me find the flavor nasty while some like my wife find it ok to sometimes likable. It's one of the mysteries. Interestingly, my wife has trouble(?) sensing some other food flavors also. It seems people's taste buds are just wired differently or maybe some got theirs damaged in the past.

As for too much acidity, try longer ratio. Sometimes, counterintuitively, lowering the temp can help. More resting sometimes works.

But no aroma after grinding is puzzling to me. Freshly ground, they always smell fantastic, sometimes heavenly, in my experience.

Anaerobic coffee can be polarizing, I've had some I liked, and some that were straight gag inducing. An awful one was that recent Klatch Guji that some of us on here got, and I don't think anybody liked lol. It was awful for espresso, pour over, iced/hot, milk. An iced milk drink with it was undrinkable, made it taste like milk mixed with fermented wine that went bad.

There's so many good coffees out there no point in you sticking with Anaerobic hoping to find something, go for any natural and that may be your jam.