How does rum barrel coffee beans processing add aroma?
Finca San Jose in Caldas, Colombia, puts green coffee beans into oak barrels that aged rum for more than eight years. The idea came in 2013 from rum aging, and the low-temperature barrel process was settled in 2017 using the Castillo variety. Beans stay three months in the barrels, rolled daily, after a fully washed step and a 20-hour fermentation.
The estate sits at 1,750 meters with volcanic ash soil and temperatures between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius, conditions suited to specialty coffee trees. The result carries a clear rum aroma and works for pour-over, espresso, ice drip or cold brew. As a blend component it took silver in the Cappuccino category at the 2019 RASV Australian International Coffee Awards.
The highly sought-after "Front Street San Jose Estate Rum Barrel Fermented" coffee beans at the coffee market greet you with a rich rum aroma the moment you open the bag. Where does this unique wine-like fragrance come from? This article starts from the terroir conditions of San Jose Estate in Caldas, Colombia, and tells how the estate owner, inspired by rum aging, conceived the idea in 2013 of placing green coffee beans in oak barrels. After years of experimentation, in 2017, the low-temperature rum barrel fermentation process was established, using the Castillo variety, and involving fully washed processing, 20-hour fermentation, placement in oak barrels aged over 8 years for three months, daily rolling, and other steps to allow the beans to evenly absorb the wine aroma. These beans once won silver as a blend component in the Cappuccino category at the 2019 RASV Australian International Coffee Awards. Suitable for pour-over, espresso, ice drip, or cold brew, it is a versatile specialty choice recommended by Front Street.
Have you ever tasted the most sought-after beans at the coffee market—"Front Street San Jose Estate 'Rum Barrel Fermented'"?
The moment you open the packaging, a rich rum aroma rushes to your nose. If Little Master were to open the bag, he'd probably be glowing with golden light. Do you know how this unique wine-like fragrance is formed?
One of the world's most suitable coffee-growing regions: San Jose Estate in Caldas, Colombia
Let's first get to know San Jose Estate (Finca San Jose Estate) in Colombia. The estate is located in Caldas, Colombia, at an altitude of 1,750 meters, about 1,400 meters above the plains. The year-round temperature ranges from 21 to 25 degrees Celsius. The local mountain soil is rich in volcanic ash and abundant in minerals, making it an ideal place for growing specialty coffee trees!
San Jose Estate not only produces this rum barrel fermented bean but also cultivates the rather rare Pink Bourbon—a cross between Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon, with outstanding flavor but limited yield. In addition, the estate also grows well-known specialty coffee varieties such as Caturra and Castillo.
Green coffee beans + aged wine barrels = a collision of new flavors
San Jose Estate has always sought breakthroughs in the specialty coffee field, striving to take a differentiated path. In 2013, while accompanying her husband, who is engaged in rum brewing, to barrel-age the raw liquor, the estate owner suddenly had a flash of inspiration—what if green coffee beans were placed in oak barrels? Could they also absorb the aroma of the oak barrels like the raw liquor, presenting a more enchanting effect?
With these questions in mind, the estate owner began trying to place green coffee beans into rum barrels of different ages for low-temperature fermentation similar to winemaking, with varying fermentation durations, all in order to find the optimal solution!
After years of exploration and experimentation, in 2017, the fermentation method that could bring excellent flavor and aroma was finally determined, creating a rum barrel fermentation distinct from traditional washed processing.
In 2019, the estate owner continued to optimize the post-processing procedures, such as adopting African raised beds and greenhouse drying and other improvement measures, making the overall flavor cleaner and brighter.
Rum Barrel Processing Method—Introduction to the processing method:
The owner of San Jose Estate selected Castillo variety coffee beans, manually picked fully ripe coffee cherries, fully washed them and fermented for 20 hours, then placed them into rum oak barrels aged over 8 years, leaving the beans in the barrels for three months, rolling them once a day to allow them to evenly absorb the wine aroma.
During this period, samples of the coffee beans in the barrels were taken every 30 days to confirm the degree of fermentation and whether the wine aroma absorption was complete, ensuring that the coffee beans would have more distinct and complete characteristics when finally finished.
So just how good does this rum barrel coffee taste?
This Front Street Colombia San Jose Estate Rum Barrel Fermented Washed Specialty Coffee Bean once participated as a blend component in the Cappuccino category at the 2019 RASV Australian International Coffee Awards and won silver! More than 800 samples from around the world competed in this event!
Therefore, whether you want to make specialty coffee by pour-over, blend it into a blend for lattes or cappuccinos, or even use it for ice drip or cold brew, this Front Street San Jose Estate Rum Barrel Fermented is a recommended choice!
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
