When the skin and pulp are removed from the seed of the coffee cherry prior to drying we are talking about the washed process, or wet process. Washed coffees require more machinery, water and infrastructure. The cherry is depulped by a machine, separated by density, and usually fermented submerged in water in tanks for 12-50 hrs depending on the location. The fermentation helps to loosen the remaining pectin surrounding the seed that remains after the depulping. After fermenting in the tanks, the coffee is laid out to dry (in some cases mechanically dried with machines, but most cases for specialty the coffee is dried on raised beds or on concrete patios). There is one last layer that remains on the seed after drying and that is called the parchment. Parchment protects the seed from drying too quickly as well as protecting it from the environment to a certain extent.
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Our company has been sourcing coffee from Colombia via The Coffee Quest for the past five years because they deliver the best Colombia has to offer. Check out the conversation we had below with Stephen from The Coffee Quest that highlights what sets specialty coffee apart from commercial, and the key stages at origin where quality is ensured. Namely, the farm level, the buying station, and the dry mill. We hope you enjoy!