Guatemala Liquid Amber - Anaerobic Natural
July is here and we're in the back half of 2026! The weeks are flying by and it feels like it was Christmas only last week. The longest day of the year has passed us by and we now slowly creep back towards the cooler cosier seasons. This month we're bringing you a funky bold and fruity coffee from Liquidambar in Guatemala and we thought the name of this farm was badass so we've called this coffee Liquid Amber!
Guatemala Liquid Amber - Process and Harvest
You hear the words Anaerobic Natural thrown around a lot in speciality coffee but what does it actually mean?! Well we're here to drop some knowledge in to your domes!
Anaerobic natural process coffee is a technique where intact coffee cherries are fermented in sealed, oxygen-deprived tanks before being sun-dried. This oxygen-free fermentation allows the beans to absorb sugars and fruit acids directly from the surrounding pulp, resulting in a bold, highly complex, and intensely fruit-forward cup with a heavy body.
How the Process Works
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The Cherry Remains Intact: In a "natural" anaerobic process, the entire coffee cherry is placed into the fermentation vessel, as opposed to removing the skin and fruit first.
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Depriving Oxygen: The cherries are placed in sealed stainless steel or plastic barrels. One-way valves allow the carbon dioxide naturally released by fermentation to push all oxygen out, creating an entirely anoxic environment.
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Controlled Fermentation: This environment slows down fermentation and alters the types of microbes and yeasts that thrive. Producers closely control the temperature and time (ranging from 48 hours to several days).
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Drying: Once the fermentation phase is complete, the cherries are removed from the tanks and laid out on raised drying beds until the optimal moisture level is reached.
Unlike conventionally washed coffees that taste clean or balanced, anaerobic natural coffees are known for being wild, "funky," and expressive. Common tasting notes include tropical fruits, berry notes and stone fruits, boozy, winey, or rum-and-raisin like characteristics and a heavy body with complex lingering sweetness.
Chipp Coffee Co Roastery Update
June has been a super exciting month with lots of big changes in the Chipp roastery. The biggest and most exciting news is that ZACH IS NOW A DAD!! Zach and his wife welcomed their first wee baba in to the world in June and everyone is doing well, is super healthy and happy. If you want to send any baby gifts to Zach feel free to send them to the roastery for when he gets back from paternity leave!
What We're Listening To
In June we've been getting ready for the My Chemical Romance UK tour taking place this month by reliving our emo days from the early 00's. If you haven't listened to MCR before where the hell have you been?!? Arguably one of the most influential and impactful alternative bands of the 21st century, MCR rose to prominence with their big emo anthems, I'm Not Okay and Helena. They then capitalised on their hype with their next major release, The Black Parade. If you haven't heard My Chemical Romance you need to change that IMMEDIATELY! If you already know and love MCR go back and relive your youth with some classic emo bangers YOU ARE WELCOME!
