Carbon infusion in specialty coffee

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You may have noticed the term "carbonized infusion" appearing on coffee bags recently. Sometimes you read "washed carbonized infusion," and you wonder: how do these two processes combine? And what does all this have to do with the taste that reaches your cup?

Carbonic maceration began gaining wider recognition in the specialty coffee world in 2015 when Sascha Cstic presented coffee using this treatment at the World Barista Championships and won the title. Following this success, interest in and experimentation with the technique spread among farmers and producers. The process begins after harvesting. Carbonic maceration is a brewing stage where the coffee is placed in a sealed tank and carbon dioxide is pumped in to displace oxygen, while the time and temperature are carefully monitored.

What does the gas do inside the tank?

The process involves creating a low-oxygen environment, which affects the activity of yeasts and bacteria present during fermentation, the transformation of sugars, and the formation of compounds that subsequently influence the coffee's flavor. Time and temperature also play a role; altering them can change what happens inside the vat and what appears in the cup.

And here's the interesting part: you don't have to change the farm to change the cup . Imagine splitting a single crop into two batches, then fermenting each batch under different conditions. You could end up with two different experiences, even though the starting point is the same. This explains why the name "carbonized infusion" alone doesn't fully describe the taste.

And how does it combine with washed or dried items?

Simply put, carbonization is a stage in the processing journey . In some applications with washed coffee, the pulp is removed before the coffee enters the brewing tank, and then processing and drying are completed. With dried coffee, the whole beans can enter the tank and then be dried completely. The specific details vary between producers.

Therefore, "washed carbonized infusion" describes the steps the coffee itself went through. The name gives you an idea of the processing steps, and the details of the harvest provide further information about the expected cup.

Is it considered flavored (infused) coffee?

Carbonization does not require the addition of fruit or flavorings, while infused describes the introduction of flavorings such as spices or extracts during or after the process. Therefore, the term "carbonization" alone does not definitively define the process, but rather describes a stage within it. To clarify, the "strawberry suggestion," for example, does not imply the addition of strawberries; it simply describes the anticipated flavor profile of the beverage.

What do you expect to find in the cup?

You might find fruity or floral notes, a palpable sweetness, or variations in texture, and sometimes a more pronounced fermentation character. Some of these crops are delicate and clear, while others are dense and plump; the crop, fermentation conditions, and other processing methods all play a role.

Does this mean better coffee? The name alone is enough to tell. Carbonization allows farmers and producers to influence the character of the crop and highlight different aspects of it. As for the experience you prefer, that will be determined by your taste after tasting .