Coffee Processing Methods | Tree-Drying Process | Flavor and Characteristics of Tree-Dried Coffee

Tree Dry Process

Some coffee farmers intentionally let coffee cherries dry naturally on the tree in what is called "dried on the tree" or "Tree Dry-Process" — coming from beans harvested at a late stage, after the cherry has already dried on the tree. Simply put, during seasons with abundant sunshine, coffee cherries are allowed to dry on the tree until they become purple-black dried fruits before being harvested and processed using the conventional dry method.

Dried on the tree is commonly found in Yemen and Brazil, and recently, beans from Bali, Indonesia have been discovered using this technique. They use a method of breaking branches without harvesting the fruits, which increases the sweetness of the coffee but reduces its brightness. At the same time, this allows coffee cherries to remain on the tree for longer periods without fermenting, provided that the weather temperature is moderate and the coffee trees are in a shaded state. In low-altitude, high-temperature areas, it's best not to do this because coffee cherries will start fermenting directly on the tree, thereby affecting the coffee's flavor quality.

Tree-dried fruits, as the name implies, are fruits dried on the tree. When coffee cherries dry naturally on the tree, they not only fully absorb nutrients from the tree but also absorb abundant sunlight, resulting in richer aroma, sweetness, and flavor. However, this reduces the harvest period, and more fruits fall during drying, making it a more expensive specialty coffee. The tree-dried fruits cultivated this way not only have excellent acidity and sweetness but also wonderful bitterness and balance. The aftertaste may show some bitterness, but tree-dried fruits themselves have a unique texture that is both clean and flavorful.

How is tree-dried fruit coffee processed? What are its characteristics?

The tree drying process requires sufficient sunlight to allow fruits to dry evenly on the tree, and it must be harvested manually, one by one, to ensure that each harvested fruit is dried to an adequate degree. Only fruits from the top to the middle of the tree can be harvested, as fruits below the middle cannot be used due to insufficient sunlight and inadequate drying. In other words, many fruits from trees processed using the tree drying method cannot be used and must be discarded or sold at low prices.

After harvesting, the fruits must undergo rack drying. The manually harvested, fully ripe brown fruits still have uneven moisture and sweetness content. Through rack drying, their moisture becomes more uniform, and their sweetness develops more completely.

Additionally, since Ethiopia is considered by most to be the origin of coffee, and there are over four thousand unnamed coffee varieties within Ethiopia, when purchasing Ethiopian coffee beans, the variety column is often marked as Heirloom. The coffee beans vary in size, with a single batch containing more than ten different coffee varieties, unlike those from Central and South America, which can be categorized into specific varieties. However, a major recent development is that the world-renowned green coffee merchant Ninety Plus (or 90+) has begun planning and cultivating single-variety Yirgacheffe beans, calling them VARON (Variety + One single).

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse selection of beans, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online shop services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

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