Inoculated by Quarrelsome™
Quarrelsome Coffee started as a passion project to explore coffee through innovative processing methods with a specific focus on intentional fermentation.
Fermentation is a chemical reaction in which microorganisms work to break down a substance.
In the case of coffee, the substance consists of a sugar-rich pulp known as the mucilage located on the outside of the coffee parchment. During post-harvest, yeast and bacteria effectively work the mucilage off of the parchment through the consumption of sugars (as well as amino acids and fatty acids). Throughout this process, as the yeast and bacteria consume nutrients, they begin to create various secondary metabolites, including but not limited to esters, aldehydes, and ketones, which we perceive as flavor.
Inspired by the science of natural fermentation, we wondered what would happen if we intentionally manipulated the process by introducing specific yeast and bacteria strains.
To test our theory, we conducted rounds of small-scale micro fermentations with producing partners at origin using strains from our yeast/bacteria bank at Omega Yeast on a discovery basis. We then mapped and recorded the impact that these strains had on final cup characteristics with a focus on isolating the ones that lead to novel, exciting, and dimensional coffee flavors/aromas.
We affectionately named these new fermented coffees “Inoculated by Quarrelsome" (IBQ).
Buoyed by our initial success, we are continually working on additions to the line and are excited to experiment with the vast catalog of yeast, bacteria, and other microbes available to us. Our current “Inoculated by Quarrelsome” offerings are only the beginning. We encourage our customers to stay connected so they are the first to learn about new launches.