Freshly picked9/6/2023 ![]() ![]() If the beans have been processed by the wet method, the pulped and fermented beans must now be dried to approximately 11% moisture to properly prepare them for storage. The beans are rinsed by going through additional water channels, and are ready for drying. When fermentation is complete, the beans feel rough to the touch. While resting in the tanks, naturally occurring enzymes will cause this layer to dissolve. Depending on a combination of factors - such as the condition of the beans, the climate and the altitude - they will remain in these tanks for anywhere from 12 to 48 hours to remove the slick layer of mucilage (called the parenchyma) that is still attached to the parchment. They are passed through a series of rotating drums which separate them by size.Īfter separation, the beans are transported to large, water-filled fermentation tanks. The lighter beans float to the top, while the heavier ripe beans sink to the bottom. Then the beans are separated by weight as they pass through water channels. First, the freshly harvested cherries are passed through a pulping machine to separate the skin and pulp from the bean. ![]() The Wet Method removes the pulp from the coffee cherry after harvesting so the bean is dried with only the parchment skin left on. Depending on the weather, this process might continue for several weeks for each batch of coffee until the moisture content of the cherries drops to 11%. In order to prevent the cherries from spoiling, they are raked and turned throughout the day, then covered at night or during rain to prevent them from getting wet. The freshly picked cherries are simply spread out on huge surfaces to dry in the sun. The Dry Method is the age-old method of processing coffee, and still used in many countries where water resources are limited. Depending on location and local resources, coffee is processed in one of two ways: Once the coffee has been picked, processing must begin as quickly as possible to prevent fruit spoilage. The day's harvest is then transported to the processing plant. Each worker's daily haul is carefully weighed, and each picker is paid on the merit of his or her work. Because this kind of harvest is labor intensive and more costly, it is used primarily to harvest the finer Arabica beans.Ī good picker averages approximately 100 to 200 pounds of coffee cherries a day, which will produce 20 to 40 pounds of coffee beans. Pickers rotate among the trees every eight to 10 days, choosing only the cherries which are at the peak of ripeness. Selectively Picked: Only the ripe cherries are harvested, and they are picked individually by hand. Strip Picked: All of the cherries are stripped off of the branch at one time, either by machine or by hand. Whether by hand or by machine, all coffee is harvested in one of two ways: In most countries, the crop is picked by hand in a labor-intensive and difficult process, though in places like Brazil where the landscape is relatively flat and the coffee fields immense, the process has been mechanized. In countries like Colombia, where there are two flowerings annually, there is a main and secondary crop. There is typically one major harvest a year. The fruit, called the coffee cherry, turns a bright, deep red when it is ripe and ready to be harvested. Planting often takes place during the wet season, so that the soil remains moist while the roots become firmly established.ĭepending on the variety, it will take approximately 3 to 4 years for the newly planted coffee trees to bear fruit. The seedlings will be watered frequently and shaded from bright sunlight until they are hearty enough to be permanently planted. If the seed isn’t processed, it can be planted and grow into a coffee tree.Ĭoffee seeds are generally planted in large beds in shaded nurseries. When dried, roasted and ground, it’s used to brew coffee. ![]() PlantingĪ coffee bean is actually a seed. The coffee you enjoy each day has taken a long journey to arrive in your cup.īetween the time they’re planted, picked and purchased, coffee beans go through a typical series of steps to bring out their best. ![]()
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