A Short History of Carbonic Maceration

For many centuries, winemakers have been playing with the controlled chaos that is carbonic maceration. But now, adapted for coffee, it is responsible for some of the wildest flavour profiles in specialty coffee.

Put simply, carbonic maceration is an oxygen-low fermentation used to nudge flavour development in some pretty unusual directions.

So how did a winemaking trick become one of coffee's favourite flavour hacks? 

Origins in winemaking

1930s - 1960s

Long before coffee got involved, carbonic maceration was a staple in wine. Producers in France’s Beaujolais region used the technique on Gamay grapes, fermenting whole fruit in CO2-filled tanks. 

The wines became famous for their juicy, fruity notes and soft character. For decades, the process stayed firmly in the wine world… until specialty coffee started sniffing around.

Coffee joins the party

Early 2010s

As specialty coffee became more experimental, producers began obsessing over fermentation. Carbonic maceration offered something new to coffee: control. By sealing coffee cherries in oxygen-free tanks, producers could dramatically influence flavour development. 

Whole coffee cherries are sealed inside tanks filled with carbon dioxide, creating a low-oxygen environment. Instead of fermenting normally, the fruit begins breaking down from the inside out. The result? Coffees with explosive fruit notes, syrupy texture and intense sweetness.

The breakthrough 

2015

Carbonic maceration exploded into coffee consciousness when Saša Šestić won the 2015 World Barista Championship using a carbonic macerated Sudan Rume coffee from Colombia. 

Suddenly, fermentation wasn’t just processing… it was innovation. Producers across Colombia, Costa Rica and beyond began experimenting with sealed tanks, temperature control and extended fermentations in pursuit of louder, fruit-driven coffees.

Expansion across speciality coffee

Late 2010s - today

Today, carbonic maceration sits at the cutting edge of specialty coffee. Producers carefully control oxygen, temperature and fermentation time to shape flavour with incredible precision. 

The results can be stunning: tropical fruit, wine-like acidity and major sweetness. But it’s risky too. Push fermentation too far and the coffee becomes overwhelming or unstable. 

A process borrowed from wine, reinvented by coffee and still evolving with every harvest. Its influence has helped redefine fermentation as one of the most innovative frontiers in modern specialty coffee.