The newest and most experimental of the mainstream methods. Cherries (or de-pulped beans) are sealed in oxygen-free tanks, where a slow, controlled fermentation builds intense, distinctive flavours — lush tropical fruit, winey depth, sometimes cinnamon or boozy funk. Borrowed from winemaking's carbonic maceration, it gives producers a dial for flavour that goes far beyond terroir. Spectacular when controlled; muddy and overpowering when not.
How it works, step by step
- 1Pick ripe cherries
- 2Seal them in oxygen-free tanks
- 3Ferment slowly under controlled temperature, sometimes for days
- 4Dry as a natural or a honey
