Wet Hulling Process of Mandheling Coffee Beans - How the Processing Method Imparts Unique Flavors

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Indonesian Wet Hulling

Indonesian coffee is not sent to processing plants for unified treatment. Instead, farmers ferment it in their own iron cans overnight or for a few days, then sell it to local collection stations that purchase wet parchment coffee beans. At this point, the moisture content inside the coffee beans is 35-40%. Coffee factories dry the purchased parchment beans in the sun for two to three days until the moisture content reaches 20-24%, then process them through a specially made rubber core version huller to remove the outer shell.

Cross-section of wet-hulled coffee beans, with moisture content still between 35-45%

After hulling, the coffee beans are finally dried to about 12% moisture content, then packaged for export. The biggest characteristic of wet-hulled Mandheling is that the raw coffee beans show dark green and deep green colors. Meanwhile, the proportion of broken fragments is higher than coffee beans processed by other methods, along with numerous defective beans that are difficult to look at. However, for many coffee connoisseurs, the unique taste of Mandheling is inseparable from the contribution of wet hulling.

The Unique Flavor of Wet Hulling

The biggest characteristic of wet-hulled Mandheling coffee is its invasive flavor. For many loyal fans of Mandheling, the taste of Mandheling is the taste of coffee—that intense bitterness, the aroma of spices and herbs, and the rich, complex body are simply irresistible. However, other coffees with acidity or distinct flavors are considered outliers.

So why is the flavor of Mandheling coffee so special?

The appearance of Mandheling is also highly recognizable.

The reason lies in the long fermentation process of Mandheling coffee beans, which are influenced by various external microorganisms and enzymes, thus acquiring earthy aromas, the fragrance of fresh grass, and the charming taste of herbs. However, for many who dislike Mandheling, such flavors are simply dreadful.

Due to Indonesia's unique growing environment, wet hulling emerged as a solution. This method also creates the unique personality and flavor of Mandheling coffee. It can be summarized that low acidity and intensity are the most obvious characteristics of wet-hulled Mandheling. However, Indonesia has more than just wet-hulled coffee—there are many other distinctive specialty coffees.

Knowledge Point: The biggest difference between wet hulling and regular processing methods is that wet hulling removes the outer shell of raw coffee beans before drying, while regular processing methods dry the coffee beans first before removing the outer shell.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research hall, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, there are three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for six years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473