The Process of Coffee Bean Washing Method_How to Process Washed Coffee Beans_Why Washed Coffee Beans Turn Blue

I am a coffee bean from Huila, a department in southwestern Colombia. Here, at an altitude of 1800 meters, we enjoy uniquely advantageous geographical conditions. Under the meticulous care of coffee farmers, my fellow beans and I lived carefree lives, growing up happily...

Then one day, the farmer took me away from mother Catrra and even took a beautiful photo of me with a camera.

Later I saw my companions who came with me being stripped of their clothes (oh, how embarrassing!)

Then we were stripped of our clothes and began the turning point of our lives (oh no, it should be "coffee lives")!

1. Preliminary Selection (Bean Selection)

The coffee farmer said he was going to send us for "training" (washing), so we were placed in a water tank and soaked for about 24 hours. During this time, the qualified (ripe) companions sank, while the unqualified (unripe and overripe) ones floated up, and we were separated from them here.

2. Pulp Removal:

Next came a very painful process. My companions and I had a layer of flesh forcibly removed! A bloody scene, not suitable for children!

We were put into machines, rolling and rolling! It felt like something was constantly tearing at our bodies. Our beautiful clothes (fruit skins) were removed, and a layer of flesh (pulp) was stripped away, leaving only our bodies (coffee beans) wrapped in a layer of parchment (endocarp). At this point there was still a layer of mucilage on the outside of our bodies. The farmer had told us that the training (washing) process was to wash away this mucilage.

3. Fermentation:

The mucilage on our bodies adheres very strongly and is not easy to remove, so we were placed in tanks for about 18-36 hours to let the mucilage ferment and then decompose. In the workshop, I heard workers chatting that there are actually two fermentation methods: wet fermentation and dry fermentation. As the names suggest, the former adds water, while the latter does not. We were soaking in a bath, so it should be wet fermentation, haha. During fermentation, I felt myself undergo special changes (I heard this is the step that most affects the flavor of washed coffee beans during our training).

4. Washing:

Congratulations on successfully passing the first three challenges! I and thousands of coffee bean companions were sent to a large pool with continuously flowing fresh water, where we started surfing (being pushed back and forth, using the friction of the beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they were smooth and clean). After everyone played until they were exhausted, we discovered that we had all become clean and beautiful! Wow hahaha...

5. Drying:

After bathing, I was still wrapped in parchment, feeling watery all over. At this time I was a refreshing handsome guy (moisture content reached 50%)! However, this was not a good thing. If we were not dried at this point to reduce the moisture content to 12%, we would continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. So for the next few days, we found a place with ample sunlight and sunbathed for almost half a month!

6. Hulling:

After sunbathing, we could finally cool down! At this point our training was almost complete. For the next few days, my companions and I stayed in the warehouse. Some were sent to factories for hulling (removing parchment and silver skin).

7. Selection and Grading:

A few days ago, a beauty pageant was held in the warehouse where we stayed. Companions with robust bodies and smooth skin were graded according to their scores in the competition. Next comes going abroad for further studies! Let me tell you quietly, I was one of them too!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

A washed Colombian coffee like this Huila bean is versatile, and FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Huila single origin is the classic place to start if you want to understand the region. It is grown in the hills of southern Huila at elevations above 1500 meters, where the country's most important rivers converge and bring abundant water and humidity. FrontStreet Coffee roasts it medium-dark, which draws out dark chocolate and nutty sweetness, a moderate oiliness, and a full body. It is happy as a pour-over or French press, and it also extracts beautifully as moka pot coffee or on an espresso machine for an Americano or latte. For a modern twist on Colombian processing, FrontStreet Coffee's Frontera Estate Sidra uses a double anaerobic natural process and a medium-light roast, yielding passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried-fruit flavors.

To keep a washed Huila clean and sweet, FrontStreet Coffee suggests a pour-over with 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio and 89-90°C water, ground slightly coarser than table salt. Bloom with 30g for 30 seconds, pour to about 125g, then finish to roughly 225g once the bed drops, for a total time near 2:00-2:20. If you prefer something richer, brew it in a French press with a coarse grind and a 4-minute steep.