What Type Of Coffee Is Wet Processing Method Usually Applied To? Normally, the wet coffee processing method is only applied to high quality Arabica coffee lines, Typica or Bourbon and most types of Specialty Coffee.
Coffee processed by this method often has a higher price, and coffees with low economic value will rarely use this method. For example, Robusta coffee has a much higher acid content than Arabica coffee. When combined with wet processing, it will leave a very sour taste, unpleasant to the senses, so most of it is processed dry.
What Type Of Coffee Is Wet Processing Method Usually Applied To?
Wet processing of coffee beans
The wet coffee processing method is carried out according to a process including the following 4 stages:
1/ Classification and washing and processing
After ripening, coffee is picked and gathered at processing factories. People pour coffee into a water tank to remove damaged fruits that float along with other impurities such as branches, leaves, mud mixed with ripe fruits…
2/ Remove the peel (rub the peel)
After washing, the outer skin and most of the coffee fruit pulp are continued to be removed using a Depulper. It is then transferred to a clean water tank or water trough so that the flesh sticks to the fermented seeds and is removed.
The flesh of coffee has a lot of Pectin and sticks tightly to the beans. This fermentation process will help destroy the structure of the remaining coffee flesh, causing them to be washed away with water. Each manufacturer often uses different amounts of water during the fermentation stage.
3/ Ferment
Coffee fermentation time will depend on many factors including altitude and surrounding temperature. Coffee ferments faster as the temperature increases. However, if the coffee is left to ferment for too long, bad flavors will penetrate the beans. To check whether the coffee is fermented properly, some manufacturers use rolling coffee beans between two fingers. If the bead surface feels smooth, has friction and makes a squeaking sound, the process is complete. Others test it by sticking a long stick into the fermentation tank. When the plant stands straight due to being supported by water containing a lot of Pectin glue, fermentation is completed.
4/ Wash and dry
After fermentation, the coffee is washed to remove impurities from the beans. Next, people spread the coffee beans out to dry in the sun and frequently stir during the drying process to help the coffee dry evenly, avoiding fermentation and mold.
In case of lack of sunlight for drying or high humidity, some manufacturers will use dryers to dry the seeds, helping to reduce the moisture of the seeds to 11% – 12%. However, the quality of a cup of sun-dried coffee will be better than machine-dried coffee.
Characteristics of coffee wet processing method
Advantage: By applying the wet processing method, people have created a higher flavor quality for coffee. In these processes, because the coffee beans must undergo fermentation by the bean’s own enzyme system or with the participation of the enzyme system created by microorganisms, it helps to preserve the maximum amount of acid in the raw coffee beans. quality, thereby ensuring the natural characteristic acidity of each type and creating a flavor that is often favored by coffee connoisseurs.
Defect: To perform the wet processing method of coffee beans, the operator must have a high level of knowledge and understanding, and need to closely monitor the fermentation process to avoid the formation of unwanted flavors due to fermentation. exceed. At the same time, this method is also quite expensive, requiring high costs, using many machines and large amounts of water.
It can be said that wet processing of coffee is one of the extremely important stages. Understanding this method, you will know how to apply it appropriately to create cups of coffee with attractive flavors. What Type Of Coffee Is The Wet Coffee Processing Method Usually Applied To?
