What Are Washed Coffee Beans_ Coffee Bean Washed Processing Method & Procedure_ Washed Coffee Bean Flavor Characteristics

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Today, let's share what washed coffee beans are.

After harvesting, coffee beans must immediately enter the processing stage, otherwise they will start to ferment and develop off-flavors. There are two processing methods: "natural process" and "washed process." These methods produce different flavor profiles. Natural process beans have complete natural richness, gentle aromatics, and more body; washed coffee beans have good richness, high aromatic quality, and vibrant acidity.

Body is an important characteristic of espresso, creating a rich, wine-like smoothness. Espresso enthusiasts can increase the proportion of natural process beans; washed process beans are as clean as clear wind chimes due to fewer off-flavors. Additionally, washed coffee beans have good acidity, which is the main source of sweetness in espresso.

Washed Process:

1. Bean Selection:

The harvested cherries are placed in a water tank and soaked for about 24 hours. During this time, ripe cherries will sink, while underripe and overripe cherries will float and can be removed.

2. Pulp Removal:

Machines are used to remove the skin and pulp, leaving only the coffee beans still covered by parchment. At this point, the beans still have a mucilage layer on the outside, and the washing process aims to clean this mucilage.

3. Fermentation:

The mucilage adheres strongly and is not easily removed. It must be placed in tanks for about 18-36 hours to ferment and decompose the mucilage. There are two fermentation methods: wet fermentation and dry fermentation. As the names suggest, the former adds water while the latter does not. During fermentation, the seeds and internal pulp undergo special changes, which is the most flavor-impacting step in the washed process. Some farms add hot water or enzymes to speed up fermentation, which negatively affects quality and is not welcomed by specialty coffee enthusiasts.

4. Washing:

Farms using the washed process must build washing tanks with access to continuous fresh water. During processing, the fermented beans are placed in the tanks and moved back and forth, using the friction between beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean.

5. Drying:

After washing, the coffee beans are still enclosed in parchment with a moisture content of 50%. They must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12%, otherwise they will continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. The better processing method is sun-drying, which takes 1-3 weeks but produces excellent flavor and is quite popular. Additionally, some places use machine drying, which significantly shortens processing time but results in inferior flavor compared to sun-dried coffee.

6. Hulling:

Once dried, the beans can be stored in warehouses or sent to factories for hulling to remove the parchment and silver skin.

7. Sorting and Grading:

Like the natural process, washed coffee also undergoes sorting and grading to remove defective beans and ensure optimal quality before being sent to exporters for sale worldwide.

Now, do you have a better understanding of washed coffee beans?

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473