Part 3

Altitude

The altitude that the bushes/shrubs are grown at makes a difference to the resulting coffee. Arabica is usually grown at over 1000 metres above sea level where as Robusta is usually grown at much lower altitudes. It’s said grown at higher altitudes tends to develop a better characteristic tasting coffee. Other important considerations are soil and shade which also has an effect on the coffee.

Processing Methods

Once the cherries are picked, they need processing in order to separate the coffee beans from the outer skin, mucilage, silver skin and parchment.

There are three main processes for doing this, wet or washed process, semi dry (pulp natural or honey process) or natural / dry process. The way the coffee is processed makes a difference to the resulting cup of coffee.

Processing continued

It’s not finished yet – The final steps in coffee processing involve removing the last layers of dry skin and remaining fruit residue from the now-dry coffee. These steps come under the dry milling process and include hulling, polishing (optional), cleaning and sorting then finally grading.

Roasting

Coffee beans are imported in their green state, then in the case of caer urfa coffee we buy from a very reputable merchant where we would roast in small batches and to order. We are known as small batch roasters, micro roasters or artisan coffee roasters.

The difference between a specialist micro roaster and the bulk roaster – the bulk or industrial roaster puts more emphasis on price than quality. The micro coffee roaster is about getting the very best that coffee has to offer, and having huge roasters and roasting beans in large volumes isn’t conducive to getting the very best from the coffee beans.

Therefore the very best way to buy coffee beans in our opinion is directly from the roaster.

www.caerurfacoffee.co.uk

The pulped natural process involves removing the skin. Credit: CeCafe