You buy the freshest coffee beans. You grind right before brewing. You have the best brewer, and you use the best water. You think you’re in control of your coffee world. Yes, you’re starring in the climax of the script, but the drama has been building without you. So many hands and processes build this entertainment. Today let’s look at one act in the play: processing coffee cherries. (Rising action.)
Coffee beans are the seeds of coffee cherries. The means and methods of extracting the seed from the cherry differ depending on cultural history and atmospheric conditions of coffee growing regions. The two main methods of uncovering the seed are wet processing and dry processing. (Predictable twist.)
Dry processing is old world. After harvest, the cherries are dried in the open air. To ensure even drying, the beans are raked and turned. After about four weeks, the dried fruit is milled from the bean in one step. What are the effects on your coffee experience? Staggering. With the dry process look for a bigger body, muted acid and earthy overtones. (Hero or villain?)
Wet processing requires large amounts of water and more machinery than the dry method. The ripe fruit sinks in water and is mechanically pressed through a screen. The remaining pulp is removed by fermentation, or through machine scrubbing. After drying, the parchment layer is removed by a hulling machine. The effect? Profound. The wet process yields a clean (comedy) revealing impact on the palate. A lot of drama here. (My hero!)
When you enjoy a caffeinated dénouement ponder the dynamic interaction between climates, cultures, and individuals that build the foundation of small smile inducing coffee experiences.
