Process

Carbonic Maceration

The Carbonic Maceration process has been used in the wine industry for several decades, particularly in the Beaujolais region, producing fruit-driven, juicy structured wines in a very controlled manner. The application of this process in coffee is only a few years old, but has the same goals. Daterra’s Semi-Carbonic Maceration process is one we are familiar with from their spectacular Jací microlot we were lucky enough to share last year, and provides a complex and nuanced final cup character. The cherries are placed in tall stainless steel tanks, equipped with an airlock at the top, allowing oxygen to leave the tank, but not to return. The weight of the upper cherries crushes the lower cherries in the tank, releasing sugary mucilage and kickstarting fermentation. This fermentation releases CO2, which due to its high density, slowly pushes all of the oxygen out of the top of the tank, resulting eventually in an anaerobic environment for fermentation. This process creates a complex and distinct character through several means. The anaerobic environment favours a very different set of yeast and bacteria to a traditional fermentation, resulting in a distinct body and sweetness, with a similar juicy character to that of a Beaujolais wine. There is also complexity in acidity created due to the difference in fermentation degree of the macerated bottom layer of cherries, compared to the nearly intact upper layers of cherries. In this lot we are finding that the carbonic maceration adds new layers of complexity, with the acidity having both clean citric and tropical fruit components, and the heavy sweetness and mouthfeel giving a milk chocolate feel.