Wet process/Washed method
In the 18th century, the Dutch invented the water washing technology. Since it often rains and the humidity is high in some countries, it is impossible to practice solarization. Therefore, although the process is relatively cumbersome, it is currently the most widely used treatment method. The biggest difference from the sun-drying method is the use of fermentation to remove the pectin layer.
Water washing treatment process
The first three steps are the same as the sun-drying method (1. Harvesting mature coffee fruits 2. Preliminarily picking out impurities and inferior beans 3. Screening floating beans)
4. Remove the peel and pulp: The selected good coffee fruits are put into the pulp screening machine to remove the outer peel and pulp leaving the seeds (coffee beans).
5. Fermentation to remove pectin: Put the coffee seeds with a layer of mucous membrane (pectin) attached to them into the fermentation tank, and use biological treatment method to dissolve the pectin through fermentation bacteria.
6. Washing to remove impurities: Since the fermentation bacteria will remain on the coffee beans, the beans need to be sent to the washing tank for cleaning and a second screening (defective beans will float on the water). In order to clean this step, a large amount of water will be consumed in the process.
7. Coffee bean drying: The coffee berries are usually dried using a machine (or sun-dried) to reduce the moisture content to 10~14%.
8. Remove the endocarp and silverskin: Finally, use a shelling machine to remove the remaining endocarp and silverskin. That is, the processing is completed, and the green beans can be packaged and shipped!
Advantages and Disadvantages of Water Washing Method
Advantages:Coffee beans have fewer impurities and a more complete appearance. Since the pulp in the coffee cherries has been removed from the beginning, there is no need to worry about mold, and the overall quality is relatively stable.
Disadvantages:The process of water washing method is complex and tedious, and requires the use of a large amount of water. Therefore, the cost is relatively higher than that of solarization method, and it is rarely used in areas with insufficient water resources.
What is the difference in taste and flavor between washed coffee beans and sun-dried coffee beans?
Sun-drying is the oldest treatment method and is less troublesome than washing. Although the appearance of sun-dried beans is uneven and the color varies greatly, because the coffee beans mature naturally inside the fruit and are not disturbed by the external environment, the flavor of sun-dried coffee beans is more intense, with a wine-like fermentation flavor and a sweet taste.
The water-washing method is to pick the fruit when it turns red, while the sun-drying method is to ignore it and continue to let the fruit turn purple and black, and finally fall off. The fruit is then spread out in the sun for several weeks. After the pulp dries, the seeds will naturally detach, and then the stiff pulp is removed by machine or manual grinding to remove the seeds. The focus of late harvesting is to allow the seeds to fully absorb the aroma and sweetness of the pulp. After exposure, the flavor is more complex than washed beans and the consistency is better. Washed beans usually have bright and clean acidity because they ferment acidic substances in the fermentation tank.
Recommended delicious washed coffee beans
1. Front Street. Yirgacheffe fruit tintin
Origin: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Cooperative: Guodingding Cooperative
Altitude: 2000~2100m
Variety: Local native species
Processing method: washed
Flavor: orange, tangerine, tea, jasmine
2. Front Street. Panama Butterfly
Origin: Poquete, Panama
Altitude: 1600m
Variety: 70% Geisha, Kaduura, Kaduai
Processing method: washed
Flavor: berry, citrus, light floral,
3. Front Street. Kenyan tomatoes
Origin: Thika, Kenya
Altitude: 1550~1750m
Variety: SL28, SL34
Processing method: 72 hours washing
Flavor: cherry tomatoes, berries, pear, brine, brown sugar
4. Front Street. Rwanda Red Bourbon
Production area: Rwanda Nanshike
Altitude: 1500~1700m
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing method: washed
Flavors: Berry, Citrus, Apple, Tea
5. Front Street. One Blue Mountain, Jamaica
Origin: Jamaica Blue Mountains
Altitude: 1310m
Variety: Typica
Processing method: washed
Flavor: Nuts, chocolate, cream, caramel, balance of sweet and sour, bitter and sweet
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
