Fermented Plum coffee in London
3 speciality roasts from 1 London roaster feature fermented plum notes.
Fermented plum in the cup presents as a deep, dark-fruited sweetness with a slightly funky, vinous edge that sits somewhere between ripe stone fruit and savoury umami. The note carries a natural tartness alongside a rich, almost jammy body, occasionally with a faint alcoholic warmth in the finish. It typically results from extended fermentation during coffee processing, where naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria break down the fruit's sugars and interact with the bean, producing complex organic compounds that survive into the roast.
Fermented plum in coffee arrives as a deep, almost wine-like sweetness with a pleasantly funky edge, the kind of flavour that lingers long after the cup is empty. It tends to emerge from Colombian coffees, where the combination of anaerobic and natural processing encourages those rich, fermented stone-fruit qualities to develop. Kiss the Hippo are currently the sole roaster in London bringing this note to the cup, across three distinct roasts.
Top rated fermented plum coffee roasts in London
Speciality roasts carrying fermented plum notes, ordered by community rating.
Roasters producing fermented plum coffee
London roasters with the most approved coffees carrying fermented plum notes.
Flavours that pair with fermented plum
Notes that most commonly appear alongside fermented plum in the same roasts.
Where fermented plum coffee comes from
Origin countries that most often produce fermented plum-forward coffees among London roasts.
How fermented plum coffee is processed
Processing methods associated with fermented plum notes in London roasts.
How fermented plum notes develop
This note is typically associated with coffees from Ethiopia, particularly those processed using natural or anaerobic methods, where the fruit is left on the bean for longer periods and fermentation is allowed to develop more fully. Coffees from Yemen often carry a similar character, owing to traditional sun-drying practices that encourage prolonged, ambient fermentation. Certain lots from Bolivia, Colombia, and China's Yunnan province also produce this note with some regularity, often when producers deliberately extend their fermentation windows or use controlled anaerobic fermentation tanks.
What to look for
On a bag or cafe menu, look for tasting notes that include words such as "natural process", "anaerobic", "extended fermentation", "stone fruit", or "dark fruit", as these are reliable indicators that a fermented plum character may be present. Filter methods such as a French press or Aeropress tend to preserve the fuller body and fermented depth that carry this note well, while a pour-over can highlight the brighter tartness within it. Drinking the coffee black, and allowing it to cool slightly, usually makes these more complex fermented fruit qualities easier to identify.
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