Specialty coffee · Worth knowing

The James Hoffmann Fermentation Project is a global tasting initiative exploring how different fermentation methods transform specialty coffee flavor profiles. Created by James Hoffmann in collaboration with fermentation expert Lucia Solis, the project provides four 100g coffee samples from the same producer, harvest, and variety, each processed using a different fermentation method: mechanical demucilage (control), wild fermentation, lactic fermentation, and yeast fermentation. By isolating fermentation as the only variable, participants can directly observe how processing alone affects flavor, sweetness, acidity, body, aroma, and mouthfeel. This addresses a key challenge in specialty coffee—fermentation is recognized as one of the most exciting innovations yet its individual impact is difficult to isolate in typical tastings. The tasting kits, offered through select participating roasters including Craft 42 Roasters in Kelowna, include brewing recommendations and a coffee flavor wheel, with a global live tasting hosted by James Hoffmann scheduled for October 3.

Subko Coffee launched Indian Gesha, a natural processed coffee grown at Riverdale Coffee with tasting notes of pomelo, stone fruit, apricot, and Earl Grey tea, marking India's entry into the Gesha market for both café and home brewing customers. A study on third wave coffee shop design found that independent specialty coffee shops share distinct aesthetic characteristics, with 66% featuring tattooed or pierced staff, 56% using chalkboard signage and reclaimed wood, and 47% incorporating vintage or reused furniture, establishing interior design as its own recognizable brand within the third wave movement. Researchers developed a dual-sided green coffee inspection system using mechanical rollers and camera imaging to flip beans 180 degrees, improving defect detection accuracy for coffee bean quality assessment.