Muggswigz Coffee & Tea co. Research at www.muggswigz.com Feb 05 2016
© 2016 Muggswigz Ltd.
Creating a Molded Coffee
A. Haas
Muggswigz Coffee & Tea co.
N. Brancheau
Muggswigz Coffee & Tea co.
Abstract
In this experiment, various samples of green coffee were intentionally allowed to mold. Different mold and different times were tried and the resulting coffee roasted the sampled.
Introduction
The flavor of mold in coffee has been a taint but the flavor is popular and well-liked in some cheeses. We sought to discover if a controlled molding process could be performed on green coffee beans to create a pleasant and interesting cup flavor profile.
Hypothesis
We couldn't find any research anywhere else on creating a controlled mold to create a flavor attribute in coffee. Our hypothesis was that creating a controlled molded green coffee be using one of the methods we tried would result in a pleasant and interesting cup profile.
Methods
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Sample set (1) were 250 grams of the same unroasted central American washed coffee roasted on our sample roaster using the profile we use for that coffee as a control.
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Their were 6 samples in Set (1). Various amounts for filtered water was added to each sample and placed in an air-tight container. The water amount for the 6 samples were 5mL, 10mL 20mL, 30ml, and 40mL
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Sample set (2) contained 3 samples of 125 grams of the same unroasted central American washed coffee with 25mL filtered water in an air-tight container. One sample was inoculated with 1mL Roquefort cheese mold, one sample was inoculated with 1mL Maytag blue cheese mold, and one sample was left un-innoculated.
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Sample set (3) contained 3 samples of 125 grams of the same unroasted central American washed coffee with 35mL filtered water in an air-tight container. One sample was inoculated with 10mL Roquefort cheese mold, one sample was inoculated with 10mL Maytag blue cheese mold, and one sample was left un-innoculated.
Results and Discussion
Sample set (1)
|
|
No water |
5mL |
10mL |
20mL |
30mL |
40mL |
|
Day 3 |
same |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
|
Day 6 |
same |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
|
Day 9 |
same |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Minor mold with odor |
|
Day 12 |
same |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Slight mold odor |
Significant mold odor |
|
Day 15 |
same |
Swollen , no mold |
Swollen , no mold |
Spotty mold with odor |
Much mold |
Overtaken by mold |
Sample set (2)
|
Water |
Roquefort |
Maytag |
|
|
Day 5 |
Light mold scent |
Med scent, some visable |
Light mold scent |
|
Day 8 |
Light mold scent |
Med scent, some visable |
Light mold scent |
Sample set (3)
|
|
Water |
Roquefort |
Maytag |
|
Day 4 |
Mold with spores on top of log white stalks |
Mostly fuzzy green mold, also some of the white stalk mold. |
Mold with spores on top of log white stalks. Significantly more than water sample. |
Conclusion
Our research provides strong evidence disproving our hypothesis. The coffees were cupping by both a cupper that enjoys blue cheeses and a cupper that does not. But cuppers scores for all the samples were very low. It seemed the flavors of the coffees themselves were very weak, leaving behind a cardboard like backdrop for a mostly unpleasant cooked-mold flavor. As are samples were limited and time period for the molding very short, more research on this topic is necessary and we urge roasters to do more experiments like this themselves and to share the results as well.