Cofermentation is a divisive topic in the world of specialty coffee. Many view it as a gimmicky way to turn low-quality (or otherwise boring) coffee into something it isn’t, others see it as a boundary pushing experiment to really pack a flavorful punch in a cup of coffee.

But what is cofermentation?

To understand the controversy, we have to understand the process.

All coffee is fermented after picking, where a cofermentation differs is that something is added to the process - usually fruits; spices, herbs, and other flavoring agents are also sometimes a part of the cofermentation process. Basically, it is a process where additional flavor components are put into a coffee, creating flavors that wouldn’t be there normally. It’s different from infusion, which is just adding essential oils or other flavoring agents after the fermentation process is done.

A transparency crisis

A recent Reddit thread on the topic of cofermentation seemed to get people very fired up about any sort of additives in their coffee. And while I happened to really enjoy the coffee they were discussing (Perc’s Colombia Young Producers), a lot of people had very negative reactions to it:

“I like Perc but this bean doesn’t even taste like a co ferment. It tastes like it has artificial flavoring added. Very fake tasting to me. I have half a bag left and am struggling to finish it.”

“we need to take it back and start calling it what it really is: flavored coffee “

The frustration is more than understandable. When buying specialty coffee at this price point, you expect transparency about what you’re ordering - throwing in some sort of flavorants into a coffee without being completely upfront about it. Cofermentation is such a new and controversial process, it seems necessary for the sake of customer satisfaction to let your consumer know exactly what is going into their cup.

When you’re drinking a coferment, you’re getting extremely strong and obvious flavors - I have a pour over option on our menu currently (B&W’s The Future - Chocolate Covered Strawberries) that knocks you back with the strawberry flavor in it. While it’s a fun coffee, I do find myself thinking it’s a little gimmicky.

There’s absolutely a difference between this and an interesting single origin coffee, but I don’t think we should dismiss experimentation for the sake of purity.

No more gatekeeping!

There are a lot of coffee snobs who dismiss the idea of coferments completely - it’s heresy to add anything to change the flavor of the coffee. I just don’t agree with that mindset. I don’t see any reason to outright dismiss experimentation just for the sake of purity.

I’m not a particular fan of coferments, although I’ve definitely enjoyed a couple in the past. I just don’t believe the way to get people in the door of good coffee is to gatekeep things they may enjoy. So what if someone wants something with a more punchy fruit note? As long as they find a niche they like, I hope they continue to find coffees they enjoy and support this fascinating industry.

But it’s a much different side of coffee compared to the terroir-focused single origin tastings, and that’s okay! I’ll continue to enjoy finding the differences between different regions and how all of these different variables impact flavor. And as long as the coferments and infusions are transparent, one side doesn’t have to diminish the other.

No matter your preference, the important thing is that you’re making something you enjoy drinking. Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what we’re after - a good cup of coffee? Whether you have a bag you love at home, or want to come choose an option off of the Bloom pour over menu, enjoy what you’re drinking.