Ferments fruit under carbon dioxide, a winemaking technique that suppresses aerobic respiration and favors fermentative metabolism.
Carbonic maceration ferments coffee fruit under carbon dioxide, which suppresses aerobic respiration and favors fermentative metabolism. It is borrowed from red winemaking, where uncrushed grapes turn a little sugar into ethanol without yeasts. Sasa Sestic used it in his 2015 World Barista Championship signature drink, a split of natural and washed carbonic maceration lots of Sudan Rume. A Thai trial of a semi-carbonic variant scored higher than a pulped natural control on several cup attributes.
How it worksFermenting the fruit under carbon dioxide suppresses aerobic respiration and favors fermentative metabolism. In winemaking, carbonic maceration turns a small amount of sugar in uncrushed grapes into ethanol without the intervention of yeasts.
Step by step
- 01
Fruit is fermented under carbon dioxide.
- 02
The carbon dioxide suppresses aerobic respiration and favors fermentative metabolism.
History
Sasa Sestic of Australia used carbonic maceration in his winning 2015 World Barista Championship signature drink, which featured rare Sudan Rume coffee.
Field notes
- i
Sestic's drink was described as 50% natural process and 50% washed carbonic maceration cappuccino.
- ii
A Thai trial of a semi-carbonic variant, at 15-20 C for 10 days, scored higher than a pulped natural control for fragrance, flavor, aftertaste, body and balance.
Our notes on Carbonic Maceration are still being checked against their sources, so for now this page shows only the facts we can stand behind.
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At the same stage
Sources · 2 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-09-30. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Sasa Sestic of Australia Wins The 2015 World Barista Championship · Sprudge
- Coffee processing · Wikimedia Foundation