Introduction to Common Coffee Bean Processing Methods and Unheard Special Processing Techniques

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FrontStreet Coffee · Colombia Paradise Manor Red Plum Processing Method Introduction

Special Processing Methods?

This is a general concept, typically referring to the collection of all processing methods other than traditional ones. However, the biggest issue is that the term "traditional processing methods" is also quite vague, with significant overlap between "traditional" and "special."

The intersection of "traditional" and "special" lies in "fermentation."

Fermentation is an important hallmark of traditional processing methods. Until the past decade, with further research into fermentation, people have attempted to change fermentation conditions to achieve better results, leading to the emergence of many processing methods that "sound special." However, in my opinion, merely changing fermentation details is insufficient to be called "special" – at best, it can be described as "innovation based on tradition." In fact, in Western coffee circles, people focus more on fermentation itself and rarely discuss whether it's special or not. Therefore, in my view, special processing methods are limited to content "beyond changing fermentation," so: Special = All - Traditional - Fermentation = Exogenous additives.

Natural processed beans tend to have better sweetness and body with less acidity, but their quality is less stable with significant variations. Due to the lower cost of natural processing, it's not only widely used in Ethiopia and Yemen but also commonly applied to Robusta coffee varieties grown in Africa and Indonesia.

The washed method removes impurities (stones or debris) and defective beans through each step, resulting in uniform appearance of green beans and generally recognized high quality, with trading prices higher than coffee beans processed by the natural drying method.

The advantage of honey processing is that it best preserves the original sweet flavors of ripe coffee cherries, allowing the coffee to display delicate brown sugar flavors and nutty sweetness, while berry notes support a red wine-like aromatic base, considered a very elegant product.

The owner of Colombia's Paradise Manor enjoys innovation, and this time they've introduced another new processing method, attempting new approaches based on anaerobic processing.

Red Plum Processing Method (Colombia Paradise Manor): Fermentation for 48 hours in an 18°C valve environment – followed by 48 hours of fermentation in 20-degree mucilage – first rinsed with 40-degree water, then thoroughly rinsed with 12-degree water – controlled drying for 34 hours at 35°C and 25% humidity until green beans reach 10-11% moisture content.

Conclusion

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