Introduction to the Washed Coffee Bean Process - Washed Processing Creates Bright, Clear Acidity

FrontStreet Coffee - An Introduction to the Washed Processing Method

During each coffee harvest season, farmers collect coffee cherries after picking and gather them in fixed outdoor water tanks. The tanks are filled with water for removing branches, rotten leaves, and density screening. Let's examine the washed processing method workflow.

1. After picking, the cherries are poured into water tanks. Unripe and overripe coffee cherries will float on the water's surface, while fully ripe cherries will sink to the bottom. This utilizes water's buoyancy for the first natural water selection of good fruits.
2. Once the cherries enter the water tanks, they begin to soak and hydrolyze. The tanks connect to water channels, and coffee cherries continuously move with the water flow, rubbing against each other, causing the skin and pulp to begin loosening and separating.
3. Machines are used to remove the coffee pulp and skin, revealing the yellow mucilage of the coffee.
4. Next, the coffee beans begin fermentation. The fermentation duration varies depending on local conditions, as different origins have different weather and climates, resulting in different fermentation times and effects.
5. Central and South America typically ferment for 12-36 hours in water-filled tanks under the action of microorganisms (except for Brazil). Kenya usually allows coffee with mucilage to react naturally with microorganisms in the air, thereby removing the gelatinous substance.
6. After fermentation is complete, coffee with parchment enters washing channels for extensive water rinsing.
7. After removing the mucilage, the coffee beans undergo drying.
8. Drying methods include: 1) Direct sun drying (fast drying speed, relatively lower coffee bean density); 2) Combination of direct drying and mechanical drying (such as sun drying for 2 days followed by mechanical air drying); 3) Shade drying (using natural wind and temperature for air drying, with relatively longer drying time); 4) Combination of shade drying and sun drying (shade drying first, then sun drying).
9. Typically, it takes 10 days to a month to maintain moisture content stability, with a median value of approximately 12%.
10. Coffee with parchment is placed in burlap bags for "resting" for about 2-3 months.
11. The parchment is removed from the raw coffee beans for repackaging, export, and sale.

Washed coffee beans have natural characteristics: the beans are translucent and green in color, with a smooth surface. The coffee beans are clean with bright acidity. Because the washed method requires large amounts of water, it is suitable for regions with abundant water resources (such as Africa, Central America, South America, Indonesia, and Yunnan).

Knowledge point: Although coffee beans are called "beans," they are actually the seeds of the fruit of Rubiaceae plants (coffee trees).

In brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three coffee promotional events with low discounts each month. This is because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends, which has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

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