Coffee Processing

You may not know that the beans that end up in your kitchen or local coffee shop can go through different processes after they're harvested.

If you don't know what this means then now is a good time to find out as I am now selling Robusta processed in two different ways. The new "Natural Processed" Robusta can be seen here.

Coffee Production is:

Harvest the ripe cherries

Processing the cherries

Drying the beans

Milling the beans

Roasting

*All farming is carried out using sustainable methods*

Processing the cherries generally occurs in 3 different ways.

Natural

Natural process is the method of processing the cherry after it is harvested. The cherry is allowed to dry in the sun without removing it from the bean and washing (Washed Process). The cherry will then reesmble a dried fruit. Natural fermentation occurs resulting in the creation of complex flavours and sugars. This takes longer than other methods and often results in a fruitier flavour.

Tasting notes for Robusta Natural Process:

Clean, fruity, light acidity, smooth aftertaste.

Anaerobic fermentation 36h - 72h

Unscreened. Moisture: <=13%

Here are arabica cherries on a raised bed. They are drying in the sun and will be continually turned to dry evenly and to avoid any mould from forming.

Honey

Honey process is the method of processing the cherry after it is harvested. The cherry is depulped but allowed to dry without washing (Washed Process). Some of the fruit remains but not nearly as much as the natural process when the cherry drys in the sun.

Most of the cherry is gone resulting in a sticky mucilage around the bean similar to honey.

Tasting notes for Robusta Honey Process:

Clean, chocolaty, good body, high sweetness.

Anaerobic fermentation 24h - 48h

Unscreened. Moisture: <=13%

Washed

Washed is the process where the skin and the mucilage is removed. Only the parchment and silver skin remain. They are then soaked in a vat of water before being dried on a raised bed and then follow a similar process as above, being continually turned to dry evenly and to avoid mould forming from the escaping moisture.

The Arabica beans I stock are done in this way.

Tasting notes:

Chocolate flavor, good acidity (sour taste), clean.

Why the different processes?

Can be horses for courses. The terroir and climate can give the cherry enough flavour that it does not need to go through fermentation. Therefore the coffee producer chooses to wash it. It can also be the case that each method is tried to determine what results in the best tasting coffee.

For some people a natural process which has been lightly roasted can taste nothing like coffee. So this would not be for everyone. The more you roast a coffee the more the original flavours can be lost. But anyone who likes milk and sugar in there coffee probably wouldn't want it lightly roasted.

But why would you want milk and sugar in your coffee? To me now that's contamination! hehe

Unless its a Caphe Sua Da. A Vietnamese iced coffee. Thats a must on a hot sunny day!