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Everything begins with the coffee plant itself rooted in rich, well-draining soils at altitude. Farmers nurture each tree pruning branches, managing pests, and ensuring the right shade and nutrients, so it can produce healthy cherries.
When the cherries ripen, they turn a deep red (or yellow), signaling it’s time for harvest. In countries where coffee is grown, this moment is both delicate and celebratory: cherries must be picked at just the right point for optimal sweetness.
Harvesting: The Human Touch
Harvesting is an intensely human task. In many coffee-growing regions, farm workers hand-pick the ripe cherries, selecting only the best. This care matters: overripe or under-ripe cherries can have detrimental effects on quality.
The farmers’ dedication at this stage determines so much of the coffee’s future, not just yield, but flavor. Their experience and skill are essential.
Processing Methods: Two Major Paths
Once cherries are harvested, the processing begins. This is a critical step in which the red fruit is turned into what we call parchment coffee, and eventually green bean. There are the processing “paths”: dry (natural), wet (washed), and sometimes hybrids.
- Dry (Natural) Processing: The whole cherry, skin and pulp included, is dried in the sun or mechanically. This method often leads to more fruity or complex flavor, because the bean stays in contact with the fruit sugars as it dries.
- Wet (Washed) Processing: The cherry’s outer skin, pulp, and mucilage are removed early, and the bean is dried more “cleanly.” This tends to produce a cleaner, brighter flavor.
Research from Embrapa (Brazil’s Agricultural Research Corporation) shows that these processing choices really matter: the chemical composition of the beans depends strongly on which processing method is used.
Drying: A Crucial Step That Shapes Quality
After processing, beans must be carefully dried. According to Embrapa research, the way coffee is dried and the speed or temperature of that drying have a big effect on final quality.
For example:
- Slow drying, such as drying in the shade, helps preserve the bean’s physiological integrity (cell membranes, enzymes) and is associated with better sensory quality.
- Fast drying at high temperature or mechanical dryers can damage the beans, lowering quality.
- Embrapa’s experiments even showed that coffees processed via natural (dry) or wet (despolpado/desmucilado) routes can all reach “specialty” quality (above 80 points in SCAA protocol), but natural often scored a bit higher in their tests.
From Parchment to Green Bean: Beneficiation
Once dried to the target moisture (around 11%), the beans (still in their parchment) go through “beneficiation.” This means removing the layers (hull, parchment) and sorting by size, density, and color to ensure only the best beans move forward.
This stage also reflects the farmers’ care. Quality sorting helps preserve only the beans that will deliver great flavor.
The Farmer’s Role: Guardians of Quality
Throughout this whole journey from planting, harvesting, processing, and drying to sorting, farmers are central. Their choices, their care, their hands shape not just yield but flavor. When we drink a cup of coffee, we are tasting the result of their work, their decisions, and their dedication.
Why Origins and Processing Matter for Your Cup
- Origin: Where the coffee is grown (soil, altitude, climate) gives the bean its foundation.
- Farmer care: How the cherries are harvested and handled influences freshness and consistency.
- Processing method: Deciding between natural, washed, or other methods affects the bean’s chemistry and ultimately, the taste.
- Drying: The pace and conditions of drying can make or break the quality.
- Sorting and beneficiation: Only well-processed beans make it to your cup, ensuring you taste the best.
Behind every sip you take there is a story: of the plant, the land, and the farmers. Understanding the journey from cherry to green bean helps us appreciate what it takes to bring that flavor to life.
At Guatimi Specialty Coffee, we honor that story. We work directly with our farmers to support sustainable, thoughtful cultivation, and post-harvest practices because quality in the cup starts on the farm.
References
- M. R. Malta et al., Qualidade do café submetido a diferentes métodos de processamento e secagem. Embrapa, 2011. ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br