From Crop to Coffee

Berry to Bean Process

Eastern Dry Coffee Mill aims to supply the very best Arabica coffee beans so we therefore rely on the very best methods of harvesting and processing our carefully nurtured crops.

Harvesting

Eastern Dry Coffee Mill aims to supply the very best Arabica coffee beans so therefore we rely on the 'handpicking' method of harvesting. We only select the ripe Arabica cherries. The green ones are left to mature and the over ripe ones are discarded.
Although this careful process is the most labour-intensive and requires the most attention; well educated farmers and strict quality control ensures the highest quality coffee is a result of harvesting.

We harvest at least once a week, and as often as every day during peak harvesting times.

The Coffee berries should be picked early so as to start reaching the factory at 12 noon and to avoid berries being with the farmer longer than required.

Only the finest quality ripe red cherries are then sent on to be pulped. The earlier they are sent the better, we normally allow no longer than 8 hours between picking and pulping.

Selection and sorting

Farmers hand sort their cherries to sort out undesirable beans and foreign materials so that only red, fully ripe cherry is processed at the wet mill.

To ensure the best selection, no more than 50kg are sorted and approved at one time. Our farmers are committed to high standards and thus do not soak berries in water to remove lighter berries.

Wet Mill Coffee Process

During this process there is strong management to oversee and ensure that there is strict adherence to the best processing practices. The process brings groups of farmers together to enhance quality and consistently.
The deployment of wet mills enable business groups to produce coffee that meets the requirements of the world market, at the same time reducing the overall workload of its members.

Our careful pulping process mechanically separates the outer skin and pulp from the coffee bean without causing damage to the bean. The machines are regularly well adjusted so as not to crack the coffee beans nor allow unpeeled cherries to pass through.
We maintain high levels of hygiene throughout the coffee process, we pay particular attention to the maintenance of the pulper to ensure that an abundant quality of good coffee stock is supplied.

The beans still have a skin or parchment around them which helps preserve their quality this is rubbed off before grading and shipping.

Output of the wet mill process is best quality coffee at a quality price.

Sugar removal

We go on to process the coffee by demucilaging, whereby we physically separate the sugars (mucilage) from the bean either fully or partially to simplify, accelerate and reduce water consumption in the sugar removal process. We strive to deliver parchment to the fermentation tanks efficiently and in a manner that minimizes risk of spillage or contamination. Early washing is insisted upon to provide sufficient time for skin-drying.

Skin Drying

We allocate enough time to successfully remove surface water from the coffee parchment as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage or mould formation. The wet parchment is frequently turned by clean hands to ensure it is not contaminated and even skin drying is acheived.

After achieving skin dry, extra care is taken to avoid cracking of the parchment. The coffee parchment filters sunrays, which spoil the coffee if allowed to penetrate into the beans through cracks. At skin drying, bad beans, those cracked by the machine, affected by insects and with an unusual colour are hand selected and removed and recycled.

Storage

Our coffee parchment is stored under the best clean, dry and odour-free conditions and arranged on a FIFO (first in, first out) basis. Coffee is stored for less than 8 months per season.