No matter if you purchase a package of pre-ground coffee or purchase it freshly ground from your favorite shop, the coffee that ends up in your cup has gone through a lengthy process before then.
When farmers collect the coffee, it can be treated with several different methods of processing. The two most frequently employed procedures of preparation are “washed” and “unwashed,” with a third, less commonly utilized way known as “semi-washed.”
Read on to get further information about these techniques and understand why they relate to your beer-making process. These different approaches all have their own advantages and disadvantages and can be critical for altering the taste of your coffee before you make it with a French press or filtering it.
To Bean or Not to Bean?
It is essential to comprehend the nature of the coffee bean and the steps taken to prepare it. And here’s the kicker–coffee isn’t a bean. It’s a fruit.
The “Bean” Breakdown
Coffee is similar to a cherry which typically has a red or yellow exterior. Inside the coffee bean is a pair of seeds that are enveloped by a slim layer of mucilage and a delicate covering known as parchment. Once the “cherry” has been harvested, the seeds need to be taken out the cherry in a way that doesn’t diminish the aroma that is held in the jelly-like substance.
However, this is easier said than done. Through the passing of time, distinct methods of obtaining this removal have been designed to successfully separate the seeds contained inside the fruit. This is where the different processes come into play.
Methods of Processing Coffee
Having some familiarity with these techniques can give you insight into why coffee tastes different and why some coffee is better than others. It can also be useful for forecasting, contrasting, and analyzing the flavor of certain types of coffee.
Washed Coffee
The coffee cherry is processed using the “wet process,” which involves the utilization of a machine to remove the exterior covering of the cherry, which is either red or yellow in color. Once the process is completed, the beans with their slime coating (the gooey, glue-like material that is coating the beans and gives coffee its sweet effect) are immersed in water and processed for 1-2 days, or occasionally even longer.
The process of fermentation unlocks the sugar and amino acids in the coating layer. This is what gives the coffee its scrumptious taste. The length of the fermentation process impacts the degree to which the mucilage layer is destabilized and the strength of the coffee’s flavor.
The majority of coffee that is processed is done so using the washing technique, which tends to make some of the best coffee. Nevertheless, doing it properly takes a lot of proficiency as well as fluid. Certain of the highest grade (and sometimes costly) coffees are made using this technique.
Washed Coffee Brands
One of the most widely used means of dealing with coffee is washing it before roasting, and there are many varieties of such available. Here are a few of our favorites.
Bulletproof Original Medium Roast Coffee
Bulletproof is just one of the numerous companies that process their coffee with a washing technique, making for a velvety, sweet tasting cup that greatly emphasizes the flavor. The company carefully chooses the top beans, then cleanses and dries them completely. They ensure no toxins are present before they start to roast the beans.
Starbucks Organic French Dark Roast Coffee
Starbucks Organic French Dark Roast utilizes the washed technique of coffee crafting, resulting in a less potent body with undertones of smokey flavor. The beans bring out a strong and intensely flavorful taste. This beverage has a low level of acidity and is easy to drink, as well as being not overbearingly flavorful.
Unwashed Coffee
This traditional method of preparing coffee has been around for centuries and is referred to as “natural coffee processing” or “dry process”. Farmers put coffee cherries on a flat surface and then clean them off with water before drying them in the sunlight. The usual duration for this operation is somewhere between two and six weeks, and the coffee beans are stirred and shifted frequently to ensure that they are roasted evenly.
After the seeds have been air-dried, they are taken out of the cherry. Extracting the seeds is the most challenging aspect of this process as it is challenging to execute and regulate. Although it is a bit simpler, many coffee growers from all over the planet tend to utilize this technique rather than the washing process.
This approach is most preferred in areas where there is little moisture, hardly any precipitation, or unreliable access to water.
Dry Coffee Brands
It is most likely the most difficult and demanding task, and in places that experience no or very little rain, farmers will usually use the dry or unwashed coffee process. These are some of the most well-known companies that utilize the classic method of coffee production.
Gevalia House Blend Coffee
Gevalia puts a lot of effort into their bean quality and formula of blending when they employ the dry process. Little to no bitterness and a flavor of caramel that is sweet, along with a hint of citrus on the aftertaste. This particular roast has qualities of both mild and strong brews, as it has a moderate level of acidity, flavor, and caffeine.
Green Mountain Breakfast Blend
Green Mountain’s Breakfast Blend is created with the same unwashed processing technique, but is roasted more lightly. This blend is great for the morning, as it has more acidity and more caffeine than others, making it a fantastic start to the day. Green Mountain is primarily known for its K-cups for Keurig machines, however, it also creates high-grade coffee for different types of brewers.
Semi-washed Coffee
The semi-washed method is exactly what it sounds like. This approach incorporates features of both the washed and unwashed processes, but in a more updated way. Initially, the machine takes off the external peels, and then the beans are left to dry under the sunlight. Once the dehydration process is finished, farmers keep the seeds for approximate 24 hours and then dry them out.
Semi-washed Coffee Brands
Given its novelty, fewer companies specialize in making coffee processed through the semi-washed technique. We have compiled a list of some of the most committed organizations that use this approach.
Peet’s Major Dickason’s Dark Roast Coffee
Peet’s Major Dickason blend is one of the most sought-after mixes from the brand, as it is created meticulously with great care and attention to detail, including handpicking the ripest coffee cherries and precision roasting each batch for optimal results. Peet’s sets aside time to make sure each batch is thoroughly washed and then dried completely, so you know every sip of their tea will be full of real, vibrant flavor.
Bulletproof Coffee: The Mentalist Medium-Dark Roast
Growers of coffee employ the semi-washed process to formulate the delectable mixture that makes up Bulletproof java. This beverage offers an abundance of flavor with a deliciously intense mix of cherry, caramel, and almond notes that make for a full-bodied and decadent taste. This mixture is designed to invigorate you, providing you with a strong boost of caffeine to help you make it through the day.
Coffee Processing Enhancement for Good Quality
Consumption of coffee is widespread all over the globe. Folks just can’t get enough of drinking this beverage, no matter if it is icy cold or steaming hot. Some people can even consume up to five cups of coffee daily. They consume coffee not only to give them energy, but also because of its unique and sophisticated flavor, particularly for those of higher quality.
Have you ever thought about how your favorite drink is made? If you believe coffee farming is simply plucking the cherries from tree limbs and extracting the beans from the fruit, be prepared as you will discover much more than just growing. In other words, the process of making your favored beverage is known as “coffee processing”.
Many individuals take pleasure in various coffee drinks, such as espresso, mocha, cappuccino, and more. In contrast, other coffee aficionados relish having their coffee black. Few people are familiar with the different types of coffee and the methods employed by growers. You might be astonished to find out how these steps have a major influence on the flavor of a coffee bean once roasted and made.
Post-Harvest Processing
The way in which farmers nurture coffee plants could have a significant effect on the quality of the picked coffee berries. However, the processing doesn’t stop after the harvest. The harvesting process is not enough; farmers must do something after harvesting to make sure that the beans they have acquired are of top quality. This procedure involves much more than simply extracting the pulp away from the bean.
If the steps carried out after the harvesting is not completed correctly, it can drastically lessen the standard of the crops. Good things come to those that process correctly, and these subservient beans are no exception. That is why there is an array of coffee processing strategies in use in the business right now.
Importance of Coffee Processing for Quality Coffee
The gentlest way to describe coffee processing is to divide the fruit to extract the seed. You can definitely cook green beans without separating them, but the flavor won’t be great. Farmers expend effort in processing to guarantee that the legumes are both top-notch and have a unique flavor. The greater the complexity, the more preferable it is, and this can be achieved with the right treatment.
It is essential to both harvest and process coffee beans in tandem, particularly if you are trying to experiment with the flavor of your coffee. Regardless of growing in healthy, fertile soil, the quality and taste of a product can still be impacted by incorrect processing. Various techniques of preparation bring out the tart and delightful notes, or the floral flavour can be highlighted. It may sound unbelievable, but it’s the truth. When it comes to how coffee is processed, there are various techniques that are used on coffee farms.
Coffee Processing and its Different Methods
Coffee processing is always a must after harvesting. This procedure is eliminating the outer coatings consisting of pulp, skin, parchment, and mucilage encasing the coffee bean. The farmers can reap a profit by selling the various layers in the market. The beans that were collected must go through a refining process in order to enhance their taste and quality.
There are two main methods on how to process coffee:
Natural Process Method
Farmers used to employ a traditional method in the processing of their crop. In the coffee production process, the cherries are laid out on mats, patios, or raised beds for drying, succeeding the flotation stage. This technique is employed in locations with no regular availability of water, primarily in regions with high temperatures.
The danger regarding the natural process is that unprocessed cherries are prone to spoilage, leading to an unpleasant, yeasty or sour flavor in the coffee. When the beans are prepared correctly, the coffee can have a berry-like flavor or have undertones that are similar to wine.
Washed/Wet Process Method
The “wet process,” or “washed process,” is the most common way of processing. Many farmers favor this because the coffee it yields has a zesty taste, known as “sharpness.”
Nevertheless, if you don’t desire to use the beds, you’ll require something more than simply raised beds, such as a pulverizing machine or mechanical dryer.
In addition to the two primary techniques, newer methods have been introduced as well. Some farmers also consider these processes:
Honey Process
The honey process combines elements of washed and dry processing, which is commonly referred to as pulped natural. This process provides coffee with a unique flavor profile, low acidity, and a rich body that is comparable to that of the natural process. Nevertheless, its flavor is not as vivid and fruit-like as it is in its natural form.
When discussing the honey process, the more mucilage a coffee bean has,the darker its shade. There are different types of methods that fall under the honey process as well, and here are the most used:
- Yellow Honey – Yellow honey-processed coffees are more balanced since it has lesser mucilage. It has a little acidity with less sweetness and less body.
- Red Honey – Red honey-processed coffees have more mucilage than yellow honey, which results in a sweeter taste, with high acidity and medium body.
- Black Honey – Black honey-processed coffees have all the mucilage, which makes it risky yet complex. It has sweetness, an excellent amount of brightness, and a heavy body.
Wet Hulling
A particular practice utilized in Sumatra, Indonesia is what is known as “giving basah”, which is a distinctive form of coffee producing. It’s known for its low acidity, body, and earthiness. It is akin to pulping and honey processing, but the drying phase tends to take more time. The challenge is that the beans are delicate.