This post-harvest process results in a coffee that highlights the natural characteristics of the variety and terroir.
With washed coffees, the pulp of the ripe coffee cherries is first removed by machine after the harvest - this is known as pulping. After pulping, there is still a sugary, sticky layer of fruit residue around the bean, which is washed off in the next step. To do this, the beans are soaked in water for at least six hours and then removed using pressure - usually also water. During the subsequent drying process, the coffee beans are exposed to the right mix of sun and shade by regularly moving them around. In contrast to washed coffees, there are honey process and natural coffees , which are dried with parts or even the whole pulp.
Dry mill
After about two weeks of drying, the coffee is sent to the dry mill for secondary processing. Here, the coffee is standardized to just under eleven percent residual moisture, the protective parchment layer and silver skin are removed mechanically, and the coffee beans are sorted by size. Finally, the coffee beans are ready for roasting and export.