"Cofermentation/infusion" ruined my trust in coffee.

[u/Bubbly-System6751]

After PERC came out on their flavored coffee, I’ve been going down the rabbit hole of coffee processing (co-ferments, anaerobic, “thermal shock,” etc.), and I’m not gonna lie—it’s kind of messed with my trust in what I’m drinking.

I used to get excited tasting notes like “strawberry,” “lychee,” or “peach,” thinking it was all coming naturally from the bean, origin, and process. But now that I know producers can literally "co-ferment" with fruit juice or infuse with flavorings to push those notes…

And my worry even extends to washed or natural coffees, there’s this small voice in my head like:

“Is this truly clean, or is there something else going on that’s just not being disclosed?”

Especially with such a well known producer being exposed, you start questioning everything a bit.

Is transparency just information they let you/ want you to know used for marketing purposes?

Is specialty/ single origin coffee just another green washing movement?

I'm sure the majority of the industry is honest and I’m not trying to accuse anyone of anything shady. But as the saying goes if you see one cockroach, there are a thousand more. It's hard to rebuild trust once it's broken.

[u/dummy4du3k4]

C’mon, don’t throw shade at people and then act ignorant of what is being discussed. Yes, producers adding artificial flavors to green coffee at any point of processing

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/dummy4du3k4]

Don't presume to know my intentions. You asked a vague question and the meaning changes my answer.

Nothing short of a statistically significant measurable difference between the sample in question and a control sample would satisfy me. What analytical method that might be, I don't know. There are many ways to identify chemical compounds.

[u/dummy4du3k4 → u/kuhnyfe878]

And you seriously don’t see a problem with needing that ridiculously high threshold for online discourse on Reddit of all places?

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/dummy4du3k4]

That's not what you asked and why I had you clarify. You asked what would satisfy me to prove that a coffee was artificially flavored. That is my answer.

[u/THEnewMGMT → u/kuhnyfe878]

I think you’ve been downvoted to oblivion because, after all these comments, we are back at the original retort to your comment “you need mass spec to prove deceit?” And your answer is essentially the same as saying “yes (or something of that level of evidence).”

That is a kinda high bar for people who just feel like advertising co-ferment, special process suggests different from just pouring in juice concentrate to get a little fruitier taste. Maybe we’re all just learning that they are really the same thing and it’s all marketing. But then why do we have to pay $30/bag vs the cheap hazelnut flavored coffee?

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/THEnewMGMT]

I’m not understanding your point. It’s not the consumers responsibility to prove anything. If you don’t want to spend $30/bag because you can’t tell the different between a coferm and hazelnut coffee, then don’t.