Processing coffee - washed process

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In the washed process, coffee cherries are completely de-pulped, removing all of the cherry fruit. Then they are soaked and allowed to ferment for 12 to 72 hours before being washed clean of any remaining fruit and dried. It is probably the most common method for preparing green coffee beans.

Washed process coffees usually have a bright, clean taste.

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Process

• The beans are harvested and immersed in water.

• The ripe cherries sink to the bottom while the unripe will float, allowing them to be easily removed from the production line.

• The cherries are then forced through a screen using large amounts of water pressure.

• The process of pushing the cherries through the mesh removes most of the skin and fruit; only a small amount of pulp, or mucilage, remains attached to the beans.

• The beans are then left in fermentation tanks for about 24 hours.

• The fermentation process breaks down most of the remaining pulp.

• The beans are then washed and left out to dry until the final layer of skin around the beans can be removed.

In Thailand the washed process is often adopted, and unlike other countries, is sold for less money than the natural processed counterpart.

Washed processed beans attract a higher price in countries such as Australia and US, where the customer's palate is more accustomed to cleaner flavours.