Precision fermentation for coffee
Fermentation is one of the most decisive stages of specialty coffee's sensory profile. Variations in temperature, pH and ORP can make the difference between a commercial lot and an 86+ SCA lot. This guide explains how precision fermentation with NFB lets you observe every batch, learn from the best results and demonstrate quality to buyers.
What problem does it solve?
- High variability in fermentation results between batches.
- Specific measurements that do not show what happened during the entire process.
- Reliance on manual observations, experience and intuition to decide when to stop fermentation.
- Scattered or manual records that make it difficult to compare previous fermentations.
- Difficulty in consistently reproducing fermentations that generated high quality profiles.
- Little integrated monitoring technologies available for coffee fermentation.
Critical variables
Continuous control of these variables is the starting point for reproducing protocols and scaling coffee quality:
Temperature
18-32°C
pH
3.8-4.5
ORP
+50 to +400 mV
Duration
24-72 hours
Target market
SCA 80+ points
Solution with Nebula
NFB Bioreactors turns data into concrete decisions during fermentation:
- Greater consistency in fermentation between different batches.
- Greater control over a critical stage of coffee quality.
- Greater confidence to make evidence-based decisions during the process.
- Ability to systematically learn from previous fermentations.
- Greater ability to reproduce fermentations that generate desired quality results.
- Possibility of developing and perfecting your own fermentation protocols.
From physical process to differentiation
The conceptual sequence that turns every fermentation into a verifiable asset.
Physical process
The actual fermentation inside the NFB® bioreactor.
Data
Continuous sensing capturing temperature, pH, ORP, CO₂ and dissolved oxygen.
Knowledge
Historical analytics and batch comparison to learn what works.
Reproducibility
Standardized protocols that can be repeated batch after batch.
Evidence
Immutable records of origin, transformation and mass balance.
Traceability
Verifiable chain of custody with OriginBlok®.
Differentiation
Data-backed origin stories for premium buyers.
Traceability with OriginBlok®
Every batch is recorded in OriginBlok® as verifiable evidence of origin, transformation and mass balance.
- Verifiable evidence of origin and transformation
- Continuity of information between actors in the chain
- Downloadable QR certificate with Nebula Score®
- Automatic integration with NFB
Paso 1
GPS Farm
Paso 2
Harvest
Paso 3
NFB Fermentation
Paso 4
QR
Paso 5
Blockchain
Paso 1
GPS Farm
Paso 2
Harvest
Paso 3
NFB Fermentation
Paso 4
QR
Paso 5
Blockchain
Recommended equipment
Choose the NFB that fits your coffee production scale:
NFB Essential®
Democratized access to reproducible fermentation
From USD $8,950 EXW
Nebula Fermentation® control system + Nebula OriginBlok® validation. Includes hardware (60 liter Pilot Reactor in 304 stainless steel), firmware, software and FAT tests. Make to order project with 50% advance. SAT testing, commissioning, on-site training and other capabilities are priced separately.
- GPS
- Altitude
- Timestamp
- Temperature
- pH
- ORP
NFB Insight®
Performance and consistency optimization
From USD $16,950 EXW
Nebula Fermentation® control system + Nebula OriginBlok® validation. Includes hardware (60 liter Pilot Reactor in 304 stainless steel), firmware, software and FAT tests. Make to order project with 50% advance. SAT testing, commissioning, on-site training and other capabilities are priced separately.
- Essential® +
- CO₂
- O₂ dissolved
- Load cells
- Temp. car
- Recirculation
NFB Signature®
Pure science: cell viability control
From USD $69,950 EXW
Nebula Fermentation® control system + Nebula OriginBlok® validation. Includes hardware (60 liter Pilot Reactor in 304 stainless steel), firmware, software and FAT tests. Make to order project with 50% advance. SAT testing, commissioning, on-site training and other capabilities are priced separately.
- Insight® +
- Active Cell Density (ACD)
- Total Cell Density (TCD)
- Real-time feasibility analysis
- End of fermentation prediction
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know blockchain to use OriginBlok?
No. NFB sends the data automatically and OriginBlok generates the QR certificate. The producer only reviews and shares the link.
What happens if the batch loses weight due to evaporation?
The mass balance includes tolerances for humidity, mucilage and evaporation. Only alerts if the difference exceeds the configured ranges.
Who can see my certificate?
Up to you. It can be public, private to a buyer, or exported as a PDF. The blockchain ensures that the document was not altered.
Does the NFB price include the fermenter tank?
Yes. The published prices include the Nebula Fermentation® control system + Nebula OriginBlok® validation, hardware (60 liter Pilot Reactor in 304 stainless steel), firmware, software and FAT tests. The project is make to order with 50% advance payment. SAT testing, commissioning, on-site training and other capabilities are priced separately.
Can I use the same NFB for coffee, cocoa and wine?
Each unit is configured and optimized for a crop. Although the platform is the same, the parameters, sensors and algorithms are specific for coffee, cocoa or wine.
What happens if I don't have connectivity on the farm?
NFB saves data locally and syncs when there is WiFi/LTE connectivity. Offline mode ensures that no readings are lost.
How is the Nebula Score calculated?
It is an algorithmic metric from 0 to 100 based on parameter consistency, traceability, regulatory compliance and post-fermentation data.
Want to control your coffee fermentation?
Schedule a demo and we'll show you how to reproduce quality profiles with NFB.