For hundreds of years, coffee growers have been processing their coffees in mechanical ways, choosing options that are efficient and practical, however, they do not always understand the effect they are having on their product.
Many of the processing practices they use create a quality product, hence why the specialty coffee market is quickly growing, but imagine the positive outcome that could occur if coffee farmers had the resources to care for and understand all the key aspects that are needed for quality processing.
The result: more beans would be treated well and higher quality coffees would be more abundant.
Quality of coffee can be altered based factors such as altitude, latitude, and the soil chemical make-up. Growing coffee outside the correct perimeters will drastically change the quality of the final outcome.
Generally, the best crops are produced at higher altitudes with rich soil, filled with phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, and with temperate weather patterns. Without a quality bean, the hope of processing good coffee is impossible.
With all of these variables, a quality coffee crop is 80% a gift of God and 20% effort. The effort comes from the management of the plantation, fertilization of the soil, attention to details, planning for the surrounding environment, and then finally processing the matured cherries.
Each of these components are crucial and overlooking any of them could jeopardize the quality of the entire harvest.
The growth of a good crop is the most important factor when producing specialty coffee, but even the best beans can be ruined by poor processing. When using any grade of bean, good processing will only help to create the best cup of coffee possible.
When talking about different processing methods, there are three that hold the majority of the market: natural, washed, and honey process. There are other more experimental or hybrid ways to treat the coffee cherry depending where it originates from, but most coffee professionals stay true to the common three.
Natural process is the most common and the oldest version of processing in coffee world. Because of the fruity and sweeter notes that often indicate natural processing, it is currently the most popular in the specialty market. It is relatively simple in execution, but produces a complex flavor.
The order of operation begins with picking and sorting out the ripe and healthy cherries. They are then typically deposited on a raised bed to be raked and dried out. Once the cherry has been sufficiently dehydrated, without killing the embryo, they are taken to hulling for the skin and parchment to be removed.
The result is an outstanding bean that will have a complex profile of fruity and sweet notes with a round or creamy body. This combination is almost guaranteed to please any customer.
Washed process has been ruling the market for years. It consists of incredibly hard work, but has been known to produce worthwhile results.
Because of the water incorporated in the washed process, the coffee tends to have a cleaner and brighter taste than it’s natural counterpart. It begins the same way, by picking ripe cherries and sorting out the defects. After the cherries are sorted, they are mechanically depulped and fermented by sitting in water for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The batch is then washed and put out to dry on patios or raised beds.
Many people prefer a washed coffee because of it is a reliably smooth cup of coffee with clean flavors and good acidity.
The final and least common processing method of the three is honey process. It is comparable to a half natural and half washed process, which results in an interesting and complex profile.
It is a relatively simple process that begins the same way. Ripe cherries are picked and sorted, depulped, and then are immediately taken out to dry. This allows for part of the cherry mucilage to remain on the bean until they are finally removed in hulling.
This results in a specific sweetness, a fruitiness of a natural, but the clean and stable acidic flavors of a washed coffee.
The world of coffee is expansive and complex, and there is much to learn and enjoy about this field. With more understanding of the coffee chain and the essential factors that go into creating a quality cup of coffee, the more likely it is that there will be a higher quality of execution and in the finished product.
Don’t stop drinking coffee and enjoy your moment.