JAMES HOFFMANN & LUCIA SOLIS FERMENTATION PROJECT KIT (PRE-ORDER)
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARAVELA
We're excited to be part of The Fermentation Project, a global tasting created by James Hoffmann and fermentation specialist Lucia Solis, in partnership with Caravela Coffee.
The project takes a single lot of coffee and processes it four different ways, isolating fermentation as the one variable that changes from cup to cup. Everything else, the origin, the variety, the harvest, stays exactly the same. These are traditional processing methods, applied with precision over a fixed 48-hour window, so don't expect the wild, funky flavors of more extreme fermentation experiments. This is about seeing what fermentation itself changes, clearly and cleanly.
Tune in to the global tasting event hosted by James Hoffmann on his YouTube channel, October 3rd.
If you're local to us, come taste it with us in person. We'll be hosting our own cupping at the roastery that same day, with just 15 spots available. Time TBD.
INSIDE THE KIT:
Each kit includes four 100g coffees, all from the same Caturra lot grown on one farm in Antigua, Guatemala. Every coffee went through the same initial steps, floated, pulped, and dried on patios for 10 to 14 days, with fermentation as the only variable that changes.
1. Mechanically Demucilaged (The Control): No fermentation. This profile relies entirely on the terroir, growing practices, and genetic varietal characteristics of the coffee.
2. Wild Fermentation: A traditional 48-hour submerged fermentation relying on local, wild microbes to naturally remove the mucilage.
3. Lactobacillus Inoculated Fermentation: A 48-hour submerged fermentation driven by Lactobacillus bacteria, here, targeted bacteria boost organic acids for brighter, more complex cups.
4. Yeast Inoculated Fermentation: A 48-hour submerged fermentation using Saccharomyces yeast, illustrating how yeast enhances flavor precursors to impact body and structural complexity.
SHIPPING & RELEASE INFORMATION
All orders will be roasted & shipped mid to late September so your coffee has time to rest before the October 3rd tasting.
Please add the Blind Tasting Set along with your kit if you'd like us to label your shipment with numbers 1 through 4 instead of the coffee names.
These coffees are available as whole bean only. For the clearest comparison, we recommend brewing all four samples with the same recipe and water so fermentation is the only variable in your cup, too.
Available to U.S. Customers only. No international shipping.
All sales are final - no refunds.
This is a limited pre-sale release, and kits may sell out before the coffees are roasted in September. Once our allocation is sold, no additional kits will be available.
Four coffees from the same Guatemalan lot, each fermented a different way. Roasted here at Eiland for The Fermentation Project, a global tasting created by James Hoffmann and Lucia Solis. Pre-order now to taste alongside coffee lovers worldwide. Available as whole bean only.
Please note that this does not include the coffees. This is an add-on if you’d like to experience the tasting blind along with James Hoffmann’s live tasting on October 3. Your Fermentation Project coffees will ship labeled 1 through 4 instead of by name.
SOLD OUT
Limited to just 15 guests. Join us at the roastery on October 3rd for a live, in-person cupping of The Fermentation Project coffees, right alongside the global tasting hosted by James Hoffmann and Lucia Solis. This includes your own Fermentation Project kit to take home, plus a spot at our table where we'll supply and pour all four coffees so you can taste and compare them together as a group. Time to be confirmed, stay tuned for details.
LUCIA SOLIS
Lucia studied Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, specializing in microbiology and fermentation science. She spent nine years working in wine production in Napa Valley before transitioning her focus to coffee in 2014. Today, she is a coffee fermentation and processing specialist with over 12 years of international experience, having worked alongside producers in more than 15 countries.
By applying microbiological principles, she helps producers develop reproducible cup profiles while bringing stability to one of the most variable stages of coffee production. Her approach emphasizes scientific rigor combined with practical simplicity — ensuring that innovation remains accessible and scalable.
JAMES HOFFMANN
James Hoffmann is an award-winning coffee professional, author, and communicator known for his influential work in specialty coffee.
He won the World Barista Championship in 2007 and has since become one of the industry’s most respected voices through his educational YouTube channel, books, and global projects.
James is recognized for making complex coffee topics accessible, combining deep technical knowledge with clarity, curiosity, and thoughtful exploration of flavor, process, and brewing.