The Process of Processing
Hey howdy BeanHeads! I’m back, and today I want to talk about how coffee is processed. Before entering this world of beans and brews, I don’t think I ever really thought about how a bean gets to the cup as sweet brewed bliss. And I CERTAINLY never thought about what happens to coffee after it’s plucked from its cozy place on the shrub. So I want to share with you what I’ve discovered as I researched and learned about the process of processing coffee.
Coffee Cherries
These coffee cherries are ready for processing. Notice as the cherry is squeezed the seed (what we know as the bean) pops through the fruity pulp and the red skin.
As I said before, coffee comes as a fruit - a cherry. There is a soft, fruit-like exterior and a hard interior. That’s simplifying it alot. That hard interior has alot off parts we’ll talk about when we get to roasting coffee, but for now, it’s sufficient to say there is a fruity exterior and a hard interior. That hard interior is what we call the “coffee bean”. It’s really a seed, but bean will suffice. The exterior fleshy part is inedible. So to get to the bean, something has to be done to remove the fruit, right?
As part of the process of getting coffee ready for roasting, that seed has to be dried to a specific moisture content - 11% to be exact. But after centuries of processing coffee, there are different methods that have been found to bring about a variety of results in terms of how a coffee tastes and smells. That’s what I want to share today. The various methods of processing coffee. Granted there are some outliers (rare and unusual methods) that we won’t cover here because you are unlikely to encounter them in the normal world of coffee these days. Maybe in the future they will become more used and more popular, but for now, I want to focus on the four major players in processing.
Washed Process - also called wet-processed, the coffee cherries are sent through machines which remove the pulp (fruit) prior to drying. The seeds go into large tanks of water and are washed to remove any of the pulp and mucilage still attached to the seed. The seeds are then laid in beds or on patios to dry. Coffees which undergo this process have a tendence to be crisp, clean and lighter than other processes. They are usually very bright and more acidic, fruity and well balanced.
Dry/Natural Process - One of the most common methods of processing coffee, this involves laying the WHOLE cherry on cement patios or raised beds specially designed for coffee drying. Over a period of 4-6 weeks, the coffee drys in the sun, and is raked and turned over to prevent spoiling. During this time, the bean ferments. This time also results in the natural sugars of the mucilage (a sticky substance on the surface of the bean/seed) to cling to the seed, which will result in a sweeter coffee. The coffee is then sent through a machine which separates the sticky pulp and skin from the seed. Coffees processed in this method tend to have heavier bodies than other coffees, and their flavors are more complex due to the fermentation within the pulp. These are some of the sweetest (don’t think sugary, though) coffees produced.
Honey Process
A honey-processed Costa Rica Tarrazu. Notice the “honey” color, which is the dried mucilage surrounding the bean.
Honey Process - One of my favorite methods of processing, this involves the cherry going through the phase of depulping to remove the fruit/pulp, but rather than get washed, it goes directly out to drying beds to be dried with the mucilage still intact. Then after the beans are dried, a machine called a “huller” removes the dried mucilate. So in reality honey process is a combination of both the washed and dry/natural processes. In the end the bean often looks like the color of honey rather than the green of washed coffees due to the dried mucilage. This produces a very delicious, unique coffee, often sweeter than other processes. These coffees have cleaner bodies and richer flavors, often with hints of sweetness akin to syrup or honey. The acidity found in washed process coffee is present, as is the complexity of natural process coffees. Honey process coffees are hard to find because of the increased difficulty of this method. One of the first coffees I roasted happened to be a honey-process Costa Rica Tarrazu “Jaguar” - wow was I hooked! Absolutely delicious!
Pulp Natural - virtually the same as Honey Process, however, only the skin is removed, leaving the “meaty” part of the fruit intact. This produces a decidedly sweeter cup with a bigger body.
Wet Hulling - this process involves the pulp being removed from the seed, but rather than the seed being washed or immediately sent to dry, the seeds are placed in large plastic vats and sealed. Over a period of time, these seeds, still containing the mucilage, become encapsulated in it. Then they are sent through the hulling machine were the mucilage is removed. The beans are then sent to be dried. This process tends to happen mostly in climates where there is a considerable amount of humidity, such as Indonesia. One of my favorite wet-hulled coffees in general is Sumatran - earthy (some say funky), chocolaty, complex and nutty. Absolutely delicious and perfect for the coffee enthusiast looking to expand their horizons.
At this point in history, these 4 processes account for the great majority of coffees. Perhaps in the future we can explore the alternative methods being developed.
Well, BeanHeads, that’s it for today. I need to set up a cupping for some new coffees we’re looking at bringing in. A washed Guatemalan, a pulp natural Brazilian, and a natural Columbian. I can tell you, I just opened the roasted samples and WOW do they smell heavenly!
Until next time, BeanHeads….it’s a BEAUTIFUL DAY!
James