Harvesting

When it is time for harvesting the cherries are handpicked. Cherries on the same tree will ripen at different times. In most coffee growing countries, the terrain is uneven and steep and hand-picking is the best way to select only the ripe cherries. Harvesters return to the same coffee plant about three times a season to pick the remaining cherries as they mature.

Between harvesting and the new flowering season, trees are pruned. The pruning is done to revitalize older trees and bolster production. Shade trees are also pruned. The pruned branches are collected and used for fuel at the wet mill, farmers and workers homes or used for building furniture.

Processing

Wet Processing

Once the cherries are harvested, it’s time for the cherries to be processed at the wet mill (referred to as a washing station in Africa). The wet mill is generally located on the farm or at a nearby co-op. The co-op is where farmers pool their resources to build the infrastructure for a wet mill, share their knowledge of farming, processing and cupping. At the mill, the cherries are processed as fully washed, honeyed, wet hulled or natural. Each process enhances unique characteristics of the coffee plant varietal and its growing condition.

Fully Washed

Fully washed green beans - Amrita Coffee In fully washed coffee, the cherries are placed in a tank of water. The cherries that float to the top are skimmed off and left to dry naturally, where they will be used in lower grades of coffee. The cherries that sink to the bottom are then pulped by having their skin and pulp removed. Once the cherries have been pulped, the beans are moved to another tank with clean water, where they are left to ferment. Fermentation lasts from 12 to 36 hours, depending upon humidity. During fermentation, the beans gain sweetness while the mucilage is loosened. After fermentation, the beans are washed and put out to dry on cement patios or African beds. In some cases where the weather or land are not conducive to sun drying, mechanical dryers or a combination of sun and mechanical dryers are employed. Fully washed coffees tend to have a bright, crisp, clean acidity.

Honeyed

Honeyed Process Coffee - Amrita In honeyed coffee, the coffee follows the same process as the washed coffee, except the coffee is not fermented. The honeyed process can result in a yellow, red or black seed depending upon the amount of mucilage removed. The yellow has the most mucilage removed, while the black has the least amount removed. The honeyed process results in a sweeter, fruitier cup when compared to the washed process, with the black honeyed possessing the fruitiest flavor. This process is sometimes called “semi-washed.”

Wet Hulled

Wet Hulled Processed Coffee - Amrita - Laura Taft illustration The wet hulled process involves removing the skin and pulp from the beans. Once the skin is removed, the beans are partially dried on African beds. African beds are elevated screens that allow air to flow through and around the coffee. The partially dried beans have the mucilage and parchment removed before final drying. The final drying is completed when the beans reach eleven percent moisture content. The result is a fuller bodied coffee with less acidity.

Naturals

naturals beans - Amrita Coffee With the natural process, the cherries are allowed to dry with the skin, pulp and muscilage intact. Care must be taken in turning the coffee during the drying process so that the coffee will not ferment. Coffees processed in this way tend to have pronounced fruity flavors. When the coffee is turned correctly and consistently, the result is a burst of berries and other fruit flavors.

Years ago, the farms would return the water used at the wet mills to nearby lakes and rivers. Today, farmers providing Amrita Certified Pure® Coffee reuse the water. Most of the farms and wet mills have filtration tanks where the dirty water is recycled for purification. Gases released from the filtration tanks may be captured and used for fuel on the farm and community. Algae and solids are put into compost piles along with the discarded cherry skin and pulp. The cleaner tanks may be used for aquaculture, providing the farmers with additional food and income. Eventually the clean water is either reused in the wet mill or used for irrigation. All Amrita Certified Pure® Coffees come from wet mills and co-ops that follow sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

Coffee Drying

All coffee, regardless of whether it is fully washed, honeyed, wet hulled or natural, must be dried to a content of around 11 percent. The coffee can be dried in open air, on patios, on African beds, in tunnels on the ground or in mechanical dryers. The coffees drying in patios, African beds and tunnels must be continuously turned for even drying. In the event of rain, the coffee must be protected. Mechanical dryers are often used to finish the drying process.

Dry Milling

Once the beans have attained a moisture content of around 11 percent they are stored in silos with the last 2 layers of protective covering (parchment and silver skin). This resting period helps develop the flavor of the coffee and removes any green taste characteristics; it generally takes a few weeks to a couple of months.

The parchment and some of the silver skin is removed from the coffee bean after resting. In natural coffees, the dried skin, pulp and mucilage are also removed. The beans then go through a series of sorting processes. Each sort process separates the specialty grade from the lower grades of coffee. First, the beans are sorted by size and density. Typically, the larger and denser beans attain an enhanced, refined the flavor. Exceptions are the peaberry and the extra fancy grades of Hawaiian Coffee.

After sorting for size and density, the beans are sorted for color.

In this step, defects are spotted and separated from the specialty coffee. Defects can range from immature beans, insect damaged, sour and broken beans. In this step, the specialty coffees finally emerge. Only 10 percent of the beans harvested earn the grade of specialty. All of Amrita Certified Pure® Coffee is 100 percent specialty Arabica coffee.