There are numerous factors that determine the flavor and fragrance of coffee. Recently, the global specialty coffee industry has been placing a particular focus on “anaerobic fermentation.” Anaerobic fermentation is a processing method that blocks the inflow of oxygen and ferments the pulp of raw coffee beans covered in microbes or yeast in order to add a robust flavor profile to the coffee. SPC Group has previously used its proprietary technology to utilize natural yeast and lactic acid bacteria to develop anaerobically-fermented coffee in collaboration with local farms in Colombia.
Midway through this month, Coffee@Works, SPC Group’s flagship coffee brand, invited staff members from a Colombian coffee farm to hold a cupping (coffee tasting) seminar. Would you like to know more about the discussions that took place at this event to showcase our improved fermented coffee? We’ll take a look at the event, which was live with scholarly passion toward fermented coffee.
An on-location promotional video from the Coffee@Works cupping seminar
A Cupping Seminar with Fermented Coffee Experts
A cupping seminar held at @RoastWorks in East Ichon-dong, Seoul
On November12, a special event took place at @RoastWorks in East Ichon-dong, Seoul amidst the deep fragrance of freshly-roasted coffee. The event was a cupping seminar held with the participation of staff members from the Varietales Finos farm in Colombia, which produces anaerobically-fermented coffee, and the Coffee Beverages Development Team and the Business Team at Coffee@Works. The seminar began with a briefing from the farm personnel, who gave a detailed presentation to introduce the mechanism behind fermented coffee and coffee processing, followed by a thorough explanation of their technical knowhow and equipment
Colombian farm workers holding a cupping session with Coffee@Works staff
After the briefing, participants tasted nine samples provided by the farm and held a Q&A session with regard to the flavor and fragrance of each coffee. After tasting the coffee, Coffee@Works staff members actively conveyed their positive opinions. The farm employees who attended the event expressed their keen interest in the event, as the event was a rare opportunity for them to hear opinions from the perspective of customers rather than that of producers. Coffee@Works employees also expressed their satisfaction at being able to test various unique types of fermented coffee. They remarked that the event was a meaningful occasion in which they experienced the new flavor of anaerobically-fermented coffee, rather than the typical flavor of conventional coffee varieties brewed by roasters and baristas in a café.
Event participants freely exchanging their opinions after the cupping session
The Q&A session on topics such as ways to roast fermented coffee for improved flavor and optimized extraction recipes ended up becoming so lively that it exceeded the allocated even time. The event was filled with meaningful and productive discussions that brought together all those involved in the production, distribution and sales of specialty coffee, which Coffee@Works aims to foster. Coffee@Works plans to continue creating various opportunities for discussions in order to showcase high-quality specialty coffee such as fermented coffee.
Fermented Coffee Completed Through Unique Knowhow
Staff members from the Varietales Finos farm in Colombia, who attended the cupping seminar
Varietales Finos is a Colombian farm that produces fermented coffee in close collaboration with SPC Group. The farm ferments coffee by injecting microbes that suit the properties of each coffee variety based on in-depth research on microbes and fermentation environments. Using the data accumulated through years of coffee fermentation, the farm uses a consistent fermentation recipe to produce fermented coffee. As such, it is able to produce the intended flavor and fragrance at a consistent quality, which has allowed it to commercialize and sell 20 types of fermented coffee that cater to consumer preferences at a guaranteed quality standard.
As the flavor of coffee changes according to the fermentation period, meticulously controlling the fermentation environment is a vital part of the process. The Varietales Finos farm uses its own self-developed equipment to measure the state of coffee beans and precisely control environmental variables at every stage of coffee processing. Meanwhile, the unique flavor and strong fragrance of fermented coffee sometimes leads to suspicion that it uses artificial fragrances, to which the farm employees confidently responded at the Coffee@Works cupping seminar that they are happy to provide on-site inspections at their plant and processing facilities and that the flavor and fragrance of their coffee are created through their fermentation recipe alone without any artificial additives.
Coffee@Works showcasing its anaerobically-fermented coffee products
The “Colombia El Paraiso Spice” variety currently available at Coffee@Works is a fermented coffee created in collaboration with the El Paraiso farm in Colombia. The coffee fermentation process used native Korean yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which were developed by SPC Group’s Food Biotech Research Institute. Boasting a sweet and complex flavor, “Colombia El Paraiso Spice” is created by fermenting coffee beans for 72 hours in an oxygen-free environment. It is a bestseller product among countless customers, as it exudes an attractive mix of the freshness of lemon and lime, the sweetness of cinnamon and the gentle scent of lavender.
Learn more about SPC Group’s story of developing its anaerobically-fermented coffee!
Interview with Staff Members of the Varietales Finos Farm in Colombia
Wilton Benitez, specialty coffee producer
Q. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello. I’m Wilton Benitez, a specialty coffee producer from Cauca in the south of Colombia. In order to raise our competitiveness in the global specialty coffee market, we developed our own coffee bean processing technology and machinery, which allows us to showcase differentiated coffee varieties. In addition, I also work as a specialized technician in various areas related to machinery, electronics and electricals, as well as coffee roasting, cupping and processing. I’m pleased to have this opportunity to greet you all.
Q. How is the coffee made by Varietales Finos different?
We aim to produce coffee that differentiates itself from traditional coffee. Varietales Finos coffee possesses an intense and clear flavor and fragrance. Even ordinary consumers who aren’t cupping experts can sense a unique and differentiated flavor upon tasting our coffee. To this end, we develop technologies that are currently unavailable on the market or fetch a high price, using our own methods. The microbes used for fermenting coffee are generally yeast or lactic acid bacteria such as saccharomyces, as well as other bacteria.
Wilton Benitez providing a briefing on fermented coffee
In terms of processing, our ability to produce large amounts of specialty coffee at an exceedingly high quality sets us apart from other producers. We possess dedicated machinery to wash coffee cherry as well as specialized equipment to assess and sort ingredients by freshness. We also have the crucial equipment of bioreactors and bean-drying machines developed in-house. These allow a similar standard of processing to high-end roasting machines that meticulously control the coffee beans. As we possess our own highly specialized processing technologies, we are able to almost always satisfy our customers’ expectations. I say “almost always,” since there is always potential for a margin of error. However, we are diligently working to narrow this margin of error.
Q. I heard that you have a particular interest in the Korean coffee market.
Korea is a key market in terms of specialty coffee consumption. The country has created one of the largest coffee markets in the world within the shortest period of time. Korean consumers show a preference for high quality, health benefits, and diverse variety in terms of their coffee. It is a market with incredible potential. This is why I’m happy to visit Korea and showcase our coffee to Korean consumers. In the future, I hope that we will be able to work with our partner companies in Korea to jointly develop new ways to use microbes, new processing technologies and new varieties.
Farm workers taking a commemorative photograph with souvenirs prepared by Coffee@Works
Q. Do you have a message for customers who enjoy your coffee?
First of all, I’d like to express my gratitude to them. I’m so grateful that they choose our coffee and take an interest in our product. I hope that they’ll have the opportunity to visit our farm and see the equipment and farm that I talked about today for themselves. I would be deeply pleased to show them the achievements that we’ve made so far.
Through this cupping seminar, we were able to gain a glimpse of Coffee@Works’ outstanding passion towards fermented coffee. Coffee@Works plans to continue working diligently to present customers with even more special and delicious specialty coffee through various projects to create synergy with specialist partner companies. We hope that you’ll look forward to Coffee@Works’ intense considerations to produce coffee that impresses its customers!
