Analysis of the process and steps of Coffee washing process

After harvesting, coffee beans must be immediately processed, otherwise they will start to ferment and cause coffee beans to produce odors. There are two methods of treatment,"sun method" and "washing method", which will cause different flavors. The beans of solarization method have complete natural mellow flavor, gentle aroma and more colloid; washing method has good mellow flavor, high aroma and lively acidity.

Alcoholic flavor is an important condition for espresso coffee, which will produce a strong alcohol and smooth feeling like wine. Espresso lovers can increase the amount of sun-dried beans; washed beans are clean as clear wind chimes, because they have less miscellaneous flavor. In addition, washed beans have a good sour taste and are the main source of sweetness in espresso coffee.

Water washing method:

1. Bean selection:

Place the harvested fruit in a tank of water and soak for about 24 hours. The ripe fruit will sink, while the immature and overripe fruit will float up and can be culled.

2. Remove the flesh:

A machine is used to remove the peel and pulp, leaving only the coffee beans wrapped in the endocarp. At this time, there is a layer of mucous membrane on the outside of the beans, and the washing process is to wash this layer of mucous membrane.

3. Fermentation:

Mucous adhesion is very strong, and not easy to remove, must be placed in the tank about 18-36 hours, so that its alcohol, and decomposition of the mucosa. There are two methods of fermentation, wet and dry, as the name suggests, the former with water, the latter without water. During the alcoholization process, the seeds and internal pulp undergo special changes, which is one of the most important steps in the washing method to affect coffee flavor. Some farms add hot water or alcohol to speed up the process, which negatively affects quality and is not popular with specialty coffee lovers.

4. Washing:

Farms that use water washing must build water washing tanks and be able to introduce a continuous flow of fresh water. When processing, it is to put the beans into the pool, move back and forth, and use the friction of beans and the power of running water to wash the coffee beans to smooth and clean.

5. Drying:

After washing, coffee beans are still wrapped in the endocarp at a moisture content of 50%, and must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12%, otherwise they will continue to mellow and rot. The better treatment is to use sunlight drying, although it takes 1 - 3 weeks, but the flavor is excellent and quite popular. In addition, some places use machine drying, which greatly shortens the processing time and makes the flavor inferior to sun-dried coffee.

6. Shelling:

The dried beans can then be stored in a warehouse or sent to a factory for shelling, removing the endocarp and silver coating.

7. Selection and classification:

Like sun-cured coffee, washed coffee is sifted and graded to remove defective beans and ensure better quality before being sold to exporters around the world.