By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
Dry Coffee Beans to Stop Fermentation
A recent news release regarding coffee production in Honduras refers to the need to dry coffee beans to stop fermentation. Coffee, whether regular of healthy organic coffee, needs to ripen to the right degree and no more. Remember that the coffee that we drink comes from the seed of the coffee berry and not the fruit. An integral part of processing coffee is to remove the fruit down to the coffee seed. This is often done by immersing the coffee in water for sixteen to thirty-six hours. At that point the fruit has loosened and can be washed away. The ripening or breakdown or fermentation of the fruit makes this possible. However, the seed also ferments and this process needs to be stopped before it results in unwanted changes in coffee flavor. So, processors dry coffee beans to stop fermentation. The problem mentioned in the article about Honduras is that they have ramped up coffee production in that country and have run out of space in existing facilities to dry coffee beans to stop fermentation.
The article mentions that one processor rented a soccer stadium, spread plastic sheets and dried his coffee where the local “futbol” team usually played.
Drying machines can be used as well as air drying in the sun. The problem for coffee processors in a country like Honduras is cost. Honduras is relatively competitive in the Arabica coffee market, behind Brazil and Colombia and in a tie with Mexico. Land prices are cheap as is labor in the countryside. During the dry season the cheapest way to dry coffee beans to stop fermentation is to spread them out in thin layers in the hot tropical sun. When the rainy season starts processors need to use machines, typically natural gas, diesel, or electric driven and there goes the cost advantage. To dry coffee beans to stop fermentation the beans are dried to eleven to twelve percent moisture content. If coffee is soaked too long (past 36 hours) or drying is not started promptly individual coffee beans develop an offensive aroma and are referred to as stinkers. In fact the entire batch will eventually go bad if not dried. Bad coffee can be sold at very low prices in the country of origin but there go any profits the processor may have dreamed of getting for his organic whole bean coffee.
Perception is important in the coffee business. If an exporter sends out an occasional bad batch of coffee his reputation suffers. He does not get orders the next year. This problem works back up the supply chain to growers. If the processor does not adequately dry coffee beans to stop fermentation the work of the small organic coffee farmer goes to waste. Organic coffee certification is not any good if buyers get a bad bag of coffee. The small grower needs to pay for Bio Latina organic coffee certification but the money goes to waste if processing is not up to par.
2. A recent news release regarding
coffee production in Honduras refers
to the need to dry coffee beans to
stop fermentation.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
3. Coffee, whether regular of healthy
organic coffee, needs to ripen to the
right degree and no more.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
4. Remember that the coffee that we
drink comes from the seed of the
coffee berry and not the fruit.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
5. An integral part of processing coffee is
to remove the fruit down to the
coffee seed.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
6. This is often done by immersing the
coffee in water for sixteen to thirty-six
hours.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
7. At that point the fruit has loosened
and can be washed away.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
8. The ripening or breakdown or
fermentation of the fruit makes this
possible.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
9. However, the seed also ferments and
this process needs to be stopped
before it results in unwanted changes
in coffee flavor.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
10. So, processors dry coffee beans to
stop fermentation.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
11. The problem mentioned in the article
about Honduras is that they have ramped
up coffee production in that country and
have run out of space in existing facilities
to dry coffee beans to stop fermentation.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
12. The article mentions that one processor
rented a soccer stadium, spread plastic
sheets and dried his coffee where the
local “futbol” team usually played.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
13. Drying machines can be used as well as
air drying in the sun.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
14. The problem for coffee processors in a
country like Honduras is cost.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
15. Honduras is relatively competitive in the
Arabica coffee market, behind Brazil and
Colombia and in a tie with Mexico.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
16. Land prices are cheap as is labor in the
countryside.
During the dry season the cheapest way to dry
coffee beans to stop fermentation is to spread
them out in thin layers in the hot tropical sun.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
17. When the rainy season starts processors
need to use machines, typically natural
gas, diesel, or electric driven and there
goes the cost advantage.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
18. To dry coffee beans to stop
fermentation the beans are dried to
eleven to twelve percent moisture
content.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
19. If coffee is soaked too long (past 36
hours) or drying is not started promptly
individual coffee beans develop an
offensive aroma and are referred to as
stinkers.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
20. In fact the entire batch will eventually go
bad if not dried.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
21. Bad coffee can be sold at very low prices
in the country of origin but there go any
profits the processor may have dreamed
of getting for his organic whole bean
coffee.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
23. If an exporter sends out an occasional
bad batch of coffee his reputation
suffers.
He does not get orders the next year.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
24. This problem works back up the supply
chain to growers.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
25. If the processor does not adequately dry
coffee beans to stop fermentation the
work of the small organic coffee farmer
goes to waste.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
27. The small grower needs to pay for Bio
Latina organic coffee certification but the
money goes to waste if processing is not
up to par.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
28. In the end the processors in a growing market
like Honduras need to buy $70,000 coffee
driers and absorb the cost of fuel to dry
coffee beans to stop fermentation and
maintain coffee quality.
By www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org
29. For more useful information about organic
coffee please visit
www.BuyOrganicCoffee.org.
