Lactic Fermentation

Creamy body, smooth lactic acidity (yogurt-like), round sweetness. Peach, apricot, and cream notes. A velvety mouthfeel distinguishes lactic-process coffees from washed or natural.

A controlled fermentation method that selectively promotes Lactobacillus bacteria by managing temperature, pH, and oxygen levels. Depulped coffee with mucilage is placed in sealed containers with specific starter cultures or natural inoculants. The lactic acid produced creates a distinctively creamy, smooth acidity — similar to the lactic quality in natural wine or yogurt. This method requires microbiology knowledge and laboratory-level monitoring (pH meters, thermometers, refractometers). It has become a hallmark of innovative Colombian and Brazilian producers.