Coffee washed in Antigua

I recently had the chance to go to Guatemala for a field trip in the Antigua region. Having been in the industry for a good ten years, I already knew how much work goes into each cup of specialty coffee served. But seeing it with my own eyes, talking to the people who work there, witnessing the challenges they face, seeing the economic and social issues behind the production of our favorite beverage… What a shock! Here's a short post to share with you a tiny part of this labor chain that mobilizes enormous ecological, economic, and human potential. We'll be discussing the processing of the beans after harvesting.

The mucilage that surrounds the coffee bean and the fruit's peel

Did you know that once the coffee fruits are harvested, the beans must be extracted from inside, as they are encased in various organic layers (endocarp) that primarily serve to protect the bean and nourish it during germination? It is absolutely essential to carry out this extraction and drying process quickly after harvesting; otherwise, the beans ferment and rot. There are several methods for doing this. The two most common are the wet method, also known as the washed method, and the dry method, also known as the natural method. This article will focus primarily on the washed method.

Fermentation tanks

Using the wet method, the freshly harvested cherries are conveyed to the pulper via a hydraulic siphon system. This crucial step allows for initial sorting by grouping beans of similar density that float in layers and also removes any rocks and twigs that may be present in the coffee. Once in the pulper, the beans are mechanically extracted from the endocarp (the outer skin). They pass through a pair of carefully adjusted rollers to avoid damaging them and are then expelled from the fruit by pressure. Next, the beans are placed in large vats of water for 12 to 48 hours. This process allows for the microbial decomposition of the mucilage, the fruit's pulp. Once this process is complete, the coffee is conveyed through water-filled channels to the drying patios. Spread out on the ground or on raised racks, the coffee is regularly turned by hand to ensure even drying. Once dried, the green bean must be removed from the parchment, the protective underlayer. The parchment is mechanically removed in a machine that brushes the coffee. Next, the entire harvest passes over inclined vibrating tables for a second sorting. Heavier, denser beans settle on the raised side of the table, while lighter beans and impurities settle on the lower side. The beans are then conveyed to a highly sophisticated machine that sorts each bean individually. This machine rejects any bean that does not meet the requirements for shape, color, or size. Once this third sorting is complete, the coffee is transferred by air-driven conveyor to silos, from which it will be bagged in jute sacks for shipment to all corners of the globe.

Patio coffee should be turned regularly to prevent fermentation.

The dry method, or so-called natural method (which will be the subject of a future article) It's much simpler when it's done this way. Basically, once the fruit is harvested, it's immediately left to dry whole. The beans then pass through a first set of rollers to remove the endocarp and finally through a second pair of rollers to polish them and detach the parchment. They then follow essentially the same process as washed coffee.

Historically, the choice between one method and the other depended primarily on the producing region's access to water and infrastructure. This explains why a large quantity of dry-processed coffee came from countries like Ethiopia or Yemen, where rainfall is less frequent and resource scarcity limits the development of production methods.

Today, producers can choose either method depending on what they consider the best choice to produce a unique coffee with the desired profile.

Indeed, the processing method has a major impact on the taste of the final product. Washed coffees, highly valued in the industry for their stability, offer more subtle, delicate, and balanced aromas. Natural coffees, on the other hand, were long overlooked due to their unpredictable nature, but are now being celebrated and are highly appreciated by the specialty coffee industry (and by this author) for their unique profile, their more assertive, robust, explosive, very fruity aromas, and often hints of winemaking.

Other ethical considerations related to treatment methods are currently being debated within the industry. These include issues such as water management and the impact of wastewater discharge into the environment, to name just a few.

Ultimately, natural or washed? The choice is yours. Be curious, ask for advice, be demanding. After all, you consume it every day!

Simon Fabi
Co-owner at Brulerie de Café de Québec and Brulerie Faro