Processing
There are 2 methods of processing coffee; wet and dry. We prefer the wet method as it is the most effective process.
During wet processing the cherry is squeezed in a pulping machine or pestle and mortar which removes the outer fleshy material (mesocarp and exocarp) leaving a bean covered in mucilage. This mucilage is fermented and dispersed. The bean is then washed and dried.
Pulping This involves the removal of the outer red skin (exocarp) and the white fleshy pulp (mesocarp) and the separation of the beans from the pulp. Immature cherries are hard and green and very difficult to pulp.
The beans are then washed and dried immediately to prevent spoilage and the development of off-flavours. To prevent cracking the coffee beans are dried slowly to 10% moisture content.
After drying the coffee rests for about 8 hours before initiating the process of hulling and winnowing.
The final flavour of the coffee is heavily dependant on how the beans are roasted. Roasting is a time- and temperature-dependant process. The roasting temperature needs to be about 200ºC.
Coffee is graded by size, shape, odour, density and colour.
