04. Processing method of coffee beans

The most common sun-dried and washed-in methods each have their own special flavors. What do these two processing methods mean? Mcilpoog will take you to understand briefly.

一、Sun exposure method

That is, spread the coffee fruit flat and dry it in the sun. This is also the oldest way for humans to dehydrate and preserve food. It has been passed down since ancient times and is called "ancient method of drying".

After the coffee farmers have picked the coffee cherries, they have to spread the coffee cherries to dry within 8-24 hours, and hand-select some bad coffee beans.

Features of sun exposure

1.Theoretically, sun drying can better preserve the complete flavor of coffee because it preserves the intact fruit.

2.Most of the sun-fermented beans have a wine aroma. Compared with water-washed beans, they have lower acidity, higher sweetness, and higher body.

Disadvantages of sun exposure

1.Rainy, humid environment is not suitable. In the past, coffee cherries soaked by rain would continue to dry, so it will have a great impact on coffee quality. Many manors in Yunnan have made improvements.

2.Dirty, the coffee cherries are dried directly without washing.

二、Water washing method

Build a fresh fruit pool on the hillside, put coffee cherries in it, and then wash the fresh berries into the peeling machine with water.

After the coffee cherries are peeled off, pectin and the internal structure remain, and then enter the next tank for soaking and degumming (that is, the fermentation process of washed coffee).

During the degumming process, the uncooked beans float to the surface, allowing the coffee beans to be screened and graded.

After the fermentation is complete, all that's left is the beans with parchment and silver skins, which are then dried.

Features of Water washing method

Compared with sun-dried beans, the acidity is brighter (the sweetness is washed out in the early stage), and the layering is not so rich, but the taste is pure and clean.

Disadvantages of washing method

1.The water washing method has very high requirements on the pool, and the cleanliness of the pool and water will affect the quality of beans. Therefore, the maintenance cost of the pool is also relatively high.

2.Beans can also be destroyed by machines, so the management of degumming is very important.