Once the Arabica coffee bean has been picked there are two methods of processing: wet processing or dry processing.

Dry processing is the most economical and used in areas that have little water. The coffee cherries are simply spread onto very large hard surfaces and raked into lanes. Throughout the day they are turned and raked into lanes of alternating directions every couple of hours. This process can continue for up to four weeks.

Wet processing requires that the two coffee beans inside the coffee cherry be removed within 24 hours of harvesting and placed in water for 24 hours. This is the where the fine, acidity flavor of the great coffees is produced. It is also called the fermentation stage. The beans are removed from the water and allowed to dry, either naturally or with mechanical dryers.

Roasting is the moment of truth for coffee. The green, dried beans are placed in large roasters with a rotating drum located above its heating source, usually gas fired heat. The drum rotates so the beans are kept in a constant tumbling motion. This insures a more even roast. The air temperature is controlled at around 500 degrees F, but one of the most important factors affecting the roast is controlling the precise flow of gas BTU’s that affect the temperature throughout the drum. An uneven temperature within the drum can create an inferior roast. Eventually the moisture within the bean is forced out and as the inside temperature of the bean reaches 400 degrees F, the oil begins to develop in a process called pyrolysis. Stopping the stage of pyrolysis at the right moment is the art of roasting. It involves sight, sound and smell of the bean that is then cooled down with either cold air or cold water.