How Does Anaerobic Slow Dry Change Competition Coffee?
Finca El Burro's anaerobic slow dry process ferments beans in oxygen-free tanks for five days, then dries them slowly over five weeks. In 2019 the estate's natural lot scored 95.25 points and its washed lot 95, both new records for competition coffee at the time.
The Lamas Tuz family runs the process. Wilford Lamas Tuz Jr. told the Global Coffee Report that the extended drying adds winey and vinous notes plus cacao nib flavors in coffees below 1,700 meters and in non-Geisha varieties, while high-altitude Geisha keeps its clean, elegant character.
Front Street Coffee takes you deep into Finca El Burro's anaerobic slow dry process. In 2019, the estate's natural coffee set a new record with 95.25 points, while its washed lot also scored 95 points, both setting new highs. The Lamas Tuz family uses an anaerobic slow drying process, fermenting the coffee beans in oxygen-free tanks for five days, then undergoing five weeks of slow drying, thereby presenting intense winey and cocoa notes in the cup. This article not only reviews the details of this breakthrough processing method but also analyzes its impact on the flavor of coffee from different altitudes and varieties, especially how Geisha maintains its clean and elegant character at high altitudes.
Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) · Introduction to Finca El Burro Anaerobic Slow Dry Coffee
In a 2019 competition, a natural process coffee scored 95.25 points, while the same estate's washed lot also received 95 points, both setting new historical records. The previous highest score was set by Elida Estate a year earlier.
To reach this pinnacle in the natural coffee realm, the Lamas Tuz family used anaerobic slow drying (ASD) technology to ferment the coffee beans before natural drying.
Wilford and his team placed the coffee beans in oxygen-free tanks for five days of fermentation, followed by five weeks of gradual dehydration and drying.
"Most coffees can air-dry in two to three weeks, but we deliberately extend the drying period while carefully controlling the process to ensure the final flavor is clean without off-notes," Wilford Lamas Tuz Jr. told the Global Coffee Report.
"Combining anaerobic fermentation with slow drying can create entirely new taste experiences for coffees grown below 1,700 meters or non-Geisha varieties—intense winey and vinous notes appear in the cup, along with some cacao nib flavors. However, in high-altitude coffees, this change is not significant; instead, it brings an elegant and subtle red wine character, or a cherry liqueur-like nuance, helping to enhance the coffee's complexity without losing the clarity of its original flavors. In other words, it remains a clean Geisha."
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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
