Frinsa Anaerobic

Variety: Ateng Catimor

Processing: Natural

Origin: West Java, Indonesia

Producers: Frinsa Estate

Altitude: 1400m

We're very happy to have another special lot from the Frinsa Coffee Estate in West Java - this time a lot that's been fermented anaerobically! Anaerobic fermentations have become more popular lately with specialty producers - though there are so many different variations on the process that there isn't a specific "anaerobic" taste that you can zero-in on. At Frinsa Estate - their process entails rinsing the coffee cherries clean before culturing them with lactic acid and sealing them in barrels to ferment. Once the cherries have fermented for the appropriate time, they're spread out to dry on raised beds and dried just like a natural coffee. It's several added steps, but we think it's certainly worth it for coffees that taste this unique!

What we love about this particular lot is the great mix of bold flavors with a smoothness you don't often see in naturals. We're getting a bright, sweet strawberry note with some unique spicy qualities that you'd normally expect, but we're also tasting some deeper, more mellow cola tones. It's always great to see the extra effort of specialized processing result in extra-delicious flavors, and we love the occasional change of pace from the standard washed and natural coffees. Enjoy!