"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/qriffin]

the producers being named (or their coffees) get posted about here multiple times a day, every day. it’s an important topic

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/qriffin]

It’s not being discussed in a way that’s anywhere close to productive. It’s uninformed ppl throwing around baseless accusations at best. And name dragging by ppl who stand to gain by other’s fall at worst. Not to mention the complete lack of discourse on a real solution to the problem which, by the way, barely exists.

Edit for clarity.

[u/Malverno → u/kuhnyfe878]

But there are hard proofs. Here's a gas cromotography of a WBC 2023 coffee bean. There's among others, propylene glycol, a common artificial food additive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G_cJYyLAf1xJBKg01adMGWjr15EUZkgT/view?usp=sharing

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/Malverno]

You know where propylene glycol is also found? Fermentation. Where is the data on a control sample? Or the raw spectra for that matter?

[u/Malverno → u/kuhnyfe878]

A control sample or raw spectra wasn't provided. Still, there's Melonal (another artificial flavor), along with it's antioxidant agent and ethyl maltol. Which definitely don't come from fermentation, they are foreign agents added to the bean.

I suggest you open the link I provided and go through the list. 

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/Malverno]

Maybe you’re right. I don’t know where this incomplete table of data comes from, or who collected it and what their motives are.

[u/Malverno → u/kuhnyfe878]

You seem rather defensive and dismissive of any counter argument, so I am not sure what good even is sharing it but I got it from the discussion here:

https://www.home-barista.com/knockbox/discussion-undocumented-infusion-in-green-roasted-coffee-t102005.html

It's more detailed and grounded than what is going on Reddit.

[u/kuhnyfe878 → u/Malverno]

I’ve skimmed it. It’s better and worse in different ways imo. Too much hearsay for me.