Washed Fermentation (Extended)
Flavor Impact
Enhanced complexity over standard washed. Bright citric acidity, complex fruit notes, floral aromatics. Kenyan coffees' famous blackcurrant and tomato notes are partly attributed to 72-hour fermentation.
About
A variation of washed processing where fermentation time is deliberately extended to 48-120+ hours (vs. the standard 12-36 hours). The extended fermentation allows more complex organic acids and esters to develop, adding flavor layers beyond what standard washed processing achieves. Some producers use underwater fermentation (fully submerged beans) to control the process and prevent over-fermentation. Extended fermentation is common in Kenya and Ethiopia, where the resulting citric and malic acid complexity defines those origins' celebrated profiles.