Different approaches

THE WET METHOD

Pulping

In come the mules. They lug the day's pickings to the pulp house where a machine separates the seed from the pulp using friction and a jet stream.

Fermentation

After pulping, the beans are left with a sticky coating. To remove it, cultivators place the beans in large concrete tanks filled with water and let them ferment for anytime between 12 hours and a couple days. Fermentation has a major impact on coffee tastes and aromas.

Washing

After fermentation, the beans are ready for a bath that resembles a white water experience. They are passed against a water current to free them from as many impurities as possible.

Drying

During this stage, the coffee is covered by a parchment. It is then dried in the sun on huge drawers that can quickly be closed in case of rain. Drying lasts for one to three weeks. Large plantations sometimes have machines that can reduce the drying process to 24 hours. The bean then turns golden yellow.

Hulling

As with the pulping stage, friction is used to tear the hull from the bean. After hulling, the coffee has a green olive colour.

Sorting and Grading

To rid the coffee beans of any last impurities and the batch from any undesirable beans, coffee growers must first sort the coffee using a sieve. Then, the beans are put through a screening device perforated with different-sized holes. The human eye will see to the final selection and determine the grade of each bean. This meticulous work is often done by women.

The Dry Method

The dry method is much quicker. After a quick wash, the cherries are immediately dried in the sun. The pulp and hull fuse together into a solitary shell, which is removed by the next operation called shelling.

Into your cup