Brief introduction of compound washing method of coffee and beans in Kenya

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Kenya "double washing method"

The Kenyan double washing method is also known as Kenyan double washing fermentation (double fermentation).

The reason is that there are high and low layers in the washing trough. Coffee farmers usually pick out defective beans from the harvested coffee berries in the evening, remove the peel and pour the shell beans with mucus into the upper fermentation tank, or use dry bodies that do not enter the pool water to ferment, wash them with water the next morning after fermentation all night, remove most of the pectin, and carry out second-degree fermentation in the lower purification tank.

In the process of secondary fermentation, the circulating water is changed every 3 to 5 hours to avoid mold and odor, and then introduced into the washing ditch to remove the residual pectin.

(the picture shows the cleaning and collection steps of coffee farmers after the second washing.)

The whole process takes at least 36 hours, after which the washed shelled beans need to be soaked in a clean pool for at least 12 hours, and finally dried and dehydrated, which is several times more time-consuming than the total treatment time in Central and South America and a lot more water demand.

Classification of coffee grades in Kenya

Kenya is a well-known producer based on the size of coffee beans. It is usually divided into nine grades, according to the bean type, there are PB (round beans, accounting for about 10% of the total output), in addition, there are E (elephant beans), AA, AB, C, T, TT, MH, ML according to size. The best coffee grade is bean-shaped berry coffee PB, followed by AA++, AA+, AA, AB and so on.

1) Common categories:

Hand-picked coffee fruit, picked by hand, picked out immature fruit (unripe), overripe fruit (overripe) and other defects, peeled, after about 36 hours of fermentation, placed on a metal grid for sun drying, in the processing plant to remove the seed shell (parchment), become a blue-green appearance of attractive Kenyan raw beans.

These beautiful raw beans are graded according to particle size (size), shape (shape) and weight (weight):

E:kenyaE, elephant beans, elephantbean,18 and above (including round beans)

AA:KenyaAA,17-18 mesh

AB:KenyaAB,15-16, which is a mixture of An and B.

Light beans selected by TT:AA and AB by airflow separator

Above PB:KenyaPB,15, round bean

CRV 12-14 mesh and PB light bean screened by air flow separator

Under 12 eyes, there are more defective beans, chopped beans and light beans.

HE: beyond the above level becomes HE (HulledEars)

2) the raw beans without official standard grading are UG (ungrade).

E,AA,AB,PB → UG1

C,TT,T,HE → UG2

(note: class An over 17 mesh (6.8mm), grade B over 16 mesh (6.3mm) 18 mesh = 18cm 64 inches, 1 inch = 25.4mm) Kenyan coffee varieties

Bourbon Bourbon was first brought to Kenya for planting. In the 1950s, the then agricultural research institution ScottLaboratory selected two excellent hybrids, SL-28 and SL-34, through unremitting efforts, subverting the long-standing prejudice of artificial breeding without excellent natural varieties. SL-28 and SL-34 help Kenyan coffee to form its own unique flavor characteristics and establish a perfect reputation in the coffee industry.

According to botanists in SL laboratory, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 has a mixed pedigree of French missionaries, mochas and Yemens Tibica. The goal of cultivating SL28 was to mass produce coffee beans with high quality and resistance to diseases and insect pests.

Although the yield of SL28 was not as high as expected, the copper leaf color and broad bean-shaped beans have great sweetness, balance and complex flavor, as well as remarkable citrus and plum characteristics. SL34 is similar to SL28 in flavor, with a heavier, fuller and cleaner finish than SL28, except for the complex acidity and great sweetness of the finish. SL34 has French missionaries, bourbon, and more Tibica ancestry. Dou looks similar to SL28, but is more adaptable to sudden heavy rain. It is these two important varieties that lead us to the unique Kenyan style: strong acidity, rich taste and beautiful balance.

Coffee growing area in Kenya

The coffee producing areas in Kenya are mainly concentrated in the plateau areas represented by Mount Mt.Kenya. Tropical climate, acid red volcanic soil provides a natural and suitable growth environment for coffee. The seven major producing areas are the most famous, including Nieri, Sika, Chianbu, Geliniya, Ruiru, Mulanga and the western side of Mount Kenya, with the main producing areas such as Nyeri and Ruiru in the middle.

Kenyan coffee processing

Large farms usually have independent treatment facilities. A large number of small farmers usually pick ripe coffee fruits by hand. Coffee picking is a labor-intensive job that requires the whole family to deploy and even hire workers during the harvest season. The fresh fruit of the picked coffee needs to be delivered in time to the cooperative-owned coffee processing plant for pulping, which may be carried by ox carts, pick-up trucks or trucks. After peeling, Parchmentcoffee is briefly kept in the cooperative's processing plant and sent to a privately owned factory for shelling treatment.