The Coffee Process

Most coffee drinkers give little thought to what is involved in producing their wonderful hot beverage. There is a rather involved process that begins long before one starts to brew their morning pot of coffee. Here is a run-down on what we do on our small, 6 acre farm in Kona.

Coffee beans do not all ripen at the same time. In fact, the harvest extends over a number of months; our coffee is harvested from September to January. We pick for two weeks, wait two weeks, then pick again for two weeks, repeating this cycle through the harvest season. The ripened bean has a bright red color and is accordingly called "cherry." Our coffee is all hand-picked, making for labor intensive work, yet insuring that only the ripe, quality beans are used. The first part of the process is to remove this brightly colored husk or skin and the mucous-like pulp around the seeds. The beans then ferment (soak) in water for twelve hours.

Next , the coffee is spread out onto a flat surface where it is dried in the sun. We have a rolling roof that can be moved to cover the beans should rain threaten, which is quite common in the late afternoon and evenings. The beans are raked periodically to ensure an even and thorough drying.

This process of drying in the sun takes ten days, taking longer and using more space than the artificial alternatives. Some processors dry their beans in large, heated rotating drying drums. We use the natural method as we believe it is the best way to retain the rich coffee flavor.

When the beans are properly dry, the parchment is then removed. The parchment is a thin, translucent skin covering the bean. The coffee is now at the "green" stage. At this point it is sorted through and any defective beans are removed.

The final stage of the process is to roast the coffee. This is a most important step as it can make or destroy the bean. Great skill is necessary to do a proper roast. There are many factors to be considered before roasting the bean. Roasting times vary depending on bean size, weight, moisture, weather, and the desired darkness of the roast. Our master roaster has the attention for detail and the skill to produce the desired results. Our coffee is then packed and shipped the same day to ensure the freshest possible product.