Coffee | From Cherries to the Bean
Harvesting ripe coffee cherries starts the journey of the bean.
In warm, dry climates, farmers most often use a “dry” process to remove the outer husk, revealing the green coffee bean inside. Plantations in more humid climates employ a “wet” process to find the bean. Both processes are described in detail below:
DRY
Standing the test of time, the dry or natural method is the traditional process of extracting the bean from the coffee cherry. Newly harvested coffee cherries are sorted and spread out to dry in the sun on large concrete patios or wire mesh matting. Over a four week period, the cherries are gently raked until evenly dried. Once dried to a moisture content of 10%, the beans are hulled and polished to remove any remaining outer skin (mucilage) layers. Subject to the outdoor elements, the dry method is largely employed in regions with low rainfall and humidity.
WET
The wet method significantly decreases the processing time but requires specific use of equipment and intensive amounts of water (approximately 130 liters of water per kilo of coffee). VMCT works closely with farms employing efficient water treatment facilities; protecting natural and surrounding water sources.
Advanced centrifuge technology is now being introduced in Brazil and Central America that eliminates the fermentation stage of processing and significantly reduces water requirements.
Wet processing begins with newly harvested cherries being placed in a “de-pulper” machine to remove the red skin; revealing the green bean inside. The beans move through a series of water ways to effectively clean and grade the bean. Final selections are fermented for 24-36 hours to remove any additional skin layers (mucilage) and then transferred to a concrete patio for sun drying.
