Processing: What do you mean "natural"? (Christopher Feran)

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
User avatar
Jeff
Team HB
Posts: 6808
Joined: 19 years ago

#1: Post by Jeff »

Great write up by Christopher Feran at https://christopherferan.com/2022/08/19 ... processes/

If you haven't read his writings before, I find them insightful.
★ Helpful

User avatar
drgary
Team HB
Posts: 14348
Joined: 14 years ago

#2: Post by drgary »

He defines all processing types. This is a great reference!
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

PIXIllate
Supporter ♡
Posts: 1331
Joined: 4 years ago

#3: Post by PIXIllate »

Remarkable. Someone wrote something on the internet that goes beyond a surface level regurgitation of old tropes. Thanks for the link.

benhb
Posts: 20
Joined: 2 years ago

#4: Post by benhb »

Are there common aroma descriptors for "natural" processed coffees used amongst the veterans here?

I'm looking for the vocabulary for what my g/f and I noticed at a coffee event yesterday. Of the twelve roasters we tried, each with 2-3 coffees to sample, we found the natural processed ones noticeably different/distinct and not smelling of aromas we traditionally associated with "coffee". Not fruity, not chocolate/roasty/nutty... something different.

Most of the rest of the washed, honey, tree-dried processed coffees (and even long anaerobic processed) had flavor/aroma profiles that were more "typical coffee".

And thanks for posting the article. It was educational.

User avatar
Peppersass
Posts: 3690
Joined: 15 years ago

#5: Post by Peppersass »

Wow :shock:. Great article.

I had no idea that so many processing techniques existed and how elaborate some of them are. It's interesting that none of the techniques beyond the traditional washed, dry and pulped natural processes seem to be associated with African coffees, which are my favorites. Perhaps producers in other regions are trying to mimic the flavors inherent in the best African coffees?

Late last year, Aida Batlle offered her Finca Kilimanjaro greens using three different washed processing methods from Africa -- Burundi, Ethiopia and Kenya -- as well as her own iced Cascara method (she also supplied a little bag of Cascara for making tea.) The differences between methods wasn't overly pronounced, but it was noticeable. Most buyers on HB preferred the Burundi process (as did I), and weren't overly fond of the Cascara process (it's the only one still available, if that means anything.) I ranked them as follows: Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cascara. Interesting, because generally I prefer Ethiopian coffees over all others. No doubt, varietal and terroir impact taste more than the processing method. FWIW, Aida's Finca Kilimanjaro has African ancestry but it isn't grown there.

Here's what I could find on the different processing methods:

Burundi - Everything removed from seed, allowed to ferment for a certain amount of time before drying.
Kenya - Pulped, fermented in water 24-hours, agitated, fermented for another 24-hours, washed. soaked overnight, dried on raised beds.
Ethiopia - Skin removed day of harvest, remaining pulp washed away, dried.
Cascara - Probably like the article describes.

User avatar
Peppersass
Posts: 3690
Joined: 15 years ago

#6: Post by Peppersass »

benhb wrote:Are there common aroma descriptors for "natural" processed coffees used amongst the veterans here?
I see the same aroma and flavor descriptors used for natural and washed coffees, but they may be more pronounced in natural coffees (e.g., "a blueberry bomb".) I see more fruit than floral flavors described for naturals than washed coffees.
benhb wrote: ...we found the natural processed ones noticeably different/distinct and not smelling of aromas we traditionally associated with "coffee". Not fruity, not chocolate/roasty/nutty... something different.Most of the rest of the washed, honey, tree-dried processed coffees (and even long anaerobic processed) had flavor/aroma profiles that were more "typical coffee".
Since you liked the honey and long anaerobic processed coffees, fermentation may not be what threw you off the natural (honey is drying with the mucilage still on, and some anaerobic processes include fermentation with the skin on, like natural/dry processing.) Hence, what you tasted may have had more to do with the roast than the processing method. Lack of chocolate/roasty/nutty flavors suggest a light or light-medium roast. If so, the coffee may not have been developed enough, in which case it might have tasted grassy, bread-like, hay-like, etc., would have lacked sweetness and could have been unpleasantly acidic rather than fruity. It's also possible that the coffee wasn't brewed (extracted) well, which could have led to sour flavors. When roasted and extracted properly, a good natural can be sweet and fruity.

Note that some, perhaps many (not me), feel that the pronounced fermentation flavors of natural coffees are actually a defect, having more to do with the fermentation than the flavors inherent in the bean. Also, some naturals are downright funky. Most naturals from Yemen, while often very tasty, can have a slightly funky overtone.

ojt
Posts: 837
Joined: 6 years ago

#7: Post by ojt »

Peppersass wrote:Note that some, perhaps many (not me), feel that the pronounced fermentation flavors of natural coffees are actually a defect
Was just going to mention some of the more fermenty processes and how I feel about them, thanks for the cue :)

I'm all for simple natural processed coffees, though now having read the article I don't know what that would be :)

Taste preferences vary a lot but what I usually really don't like are the "anaerobic" processes or longer ferments. Very fermented taste in just about anything puts me off.

In fact, the best quote from the article to explain my disdain of anaerobic processes:
... anaerobic style coffees that taste like compost bin juice ...
Yes! And though I haven't seen all too much of this Loudness War yet here in Italy, I have seen some signs. And I don't like it.
Osku

benhb
Posts: 20
Joined: 2 years ago

#8: Post by benhb »

Peppersass wrote:might have tasted grassy, bread-like, hay-like
Those descriptors fit quite well to what was in my brain. Especially grassy and hay-like, less so bread-like, although a long-fermenting dough aroma might not be too far off the mark either. Thanks for that.

Interestingly, there weren't fruit bombs for the natural processed coffees that day (or much fruit expression at all) that I could discern. Just a vague barnyard / stable-hay situation.

User avatar
Chert
Posts: 3532
Joined: 16 years ago

#9: Post by Chert »

Thanks for the tip. I like his blog and will probably read this entry a few times like I have some of the others.

Anyone have answers to the variety or coffee Christopher refers to that started the "Loudness War"? I've had very little gesha, but I wonder if the gesha craze is it. I notice it is the subject of process experiments quite often belying its innate desirability perhaps.
LMWDP #198

User avatar
drgary
Team HB
Posts: 14348
Joined: 14 years ago

#10: Post by drgary »

I think he's referring to fermented methods bringing forward a strong taste. I've tried anaerobics, for instance, and don't find those I've tried to be balanced or nuanced. The acetic acid method used for robusta explained the bin juice taste of roasting a decaf robusta light that the supplier uses for a low acid Neapolitan roast. In green the beans look inconsistently colored. It's not bad dark.

A point of some of this processing is to control the type of yeast present in stored greens so they have longer shelf life. His blog post on yeast and staling of greens is very informative.
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

Post Reply