A Spanish word that refers to the process of processing coffee beans from the coffee cherry to the green coffee bean that is ready for roasting. It is also known as “wet processing,” “washed processing,” or “wet milling.” Similar setups go by different names in other countries, such as washing station in Rwanda and coffee factory in Kenya.
The beneficio process begins with the harvesting of ripe coffee cherries, which are then sorted and cleaned to remove any impurities. The coffee cherries are then placed into a machine known as a pulper, which removes the outer layers of the cherry to reveal the green coffee beans inside.
Next, the beans are fermented for a period of time, which helps to remove any remaining mucilage and impurities. The beans are then washed and rinsed to remove any remaining traces of fermentation and to prepare them for drying.
After washing, the beans are dried, either by laying them out on a patio or by using mechanical dryers. Once dry, the beans are sorted, graded, and packaged for shipping or storage.
The beneficio process is one of the most common methods used to process coffee, and it is used to produce high-quality coffee beans that are used in specialty and high-end coffee blends. Wet-processing can result in a clean, bright, and fruity cup profile, that is why it is widely used for high-grade coffees like Kenyan, Colombian and some Central American varieties.
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