Into the co-ferment kingdom: A trip to Finca Monteblanco

I think it's cool that producers are experimenting with co-fermented coffee in search for new experiences, but truth be told, the co-ferments I've had have always left me disappointed. I'm guessing the process is delicate and it's easy to end up with over-fermented, overripe fruity notes that overshadow the subtler coffee notes. I've tried these coffees from several award-winning roasters and the experience has always been similar. The first sip catches you off-guard like "wow, I didn't know coffee could taste like that", but once your palate catches up, it can be a chore to finish the cup. The flavor is intense, but I think it comes at the expense of clarity and depth. It works great for competition where you need to stand out, but not so much for home consumption.

I feel the same way about beer with fruit adjuncts. Yeast and hops -- like coffee -- can express an unbelievable variety of aromas and flavors on their own. For example, a Flanders red ale can taste so much like sour cherries that you couldn't believe none were added to the ferment, mostly thanks to the magic of yeast.

When you have this kind of expressiveness in your ingredients to begin with, co-fermenting with fruit is a bit of a shame in my opinion.