“Wait, is this really coffee?”
We hear this from customers at our shop from time to time.
“It smells amazing.”
“What is this?”
“Every coffee here smells different!”
Whenever I hear these words, it makes me happy.
Because it’s the moment a new coffee experience begins.
Recently, coffees produced through what is known as experimental fermentation have been becoming an increasingly prominent part of the coffee world.
The arrival of specialty coffee changed the world of coffee in a big way.
Differences in origin, variety, and processing method became part of how we talk about the flavors in a cup.
And now, coffees produced through experimental fermentation may be right at the forefront of opening up the next chapter.
A coffee that smells like berries.
One with a floral aroma.
Another that reminds you of lemon.
These aren’t coffees with aromas added afterward, like flavored teas.
Through fermentation techniques, producers have found ways to bring out even more of the potential that coffee already holds.
But what does a coffee that smells like berries actually taste like?
Does it taste the way its aroma suggests?
Or does it taste completely different?
Is it sweet?
Is it sour?
Is it bitter?
I couldn’t imagine it myself until I tried it.
And the only way to find out is to taste it for yourself.
Even when we drink the same coffee, we all experience it differently.
One person might say blueberry.
Another might say raspberry.
Someone else might say strawberry.
Even when we use the same word, “berry,” each of us has a different berry in mind.
Tasting coffee isn’t about guessing the correct flavor notes.
As I’ve written before, the coffee experience is a journey in search of a favorite we haven’t discovered yet.
I think coffee can be that kind of drink, too.
Coffee still has so many possibilities waiting to be explored.
That’s why I hope more people will try all kinds of different coffees.
What new experience might be waiting for you in your next cup?
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