Farm Level Section

Selective Harvesting (The Foundation)

To achieve a “Specialty” or “Premium” grade, farmers must avoid strip harvesting (pulling all cherries off the branch at once).

Target: Only “blood-red” cherries.
Brix Testing: Advanced premium farms use refractometers to measure the sugar content (Brix) of the cherry mucilage, targeting 15%–25% for optimal sweetness.
Multiple Passes: Pickers may return to the same tree 4 to 8 times over a season to ensure every bean is picked at peak ripeness.

The way a farmer removes the fruit from the bean creates the distinct flavor “profiles” demanded by exporters.

Method	Process	Resulting Profile
Washed (Wet)	Fruit is removed immediately; beans ferment in water for 12–48 hours.	Clean, bright acidity; high clarity.
Natural (Dry)	Whole cherries dry in the sun on raised beds for up to 4 weeks.	Heavy body, fruity, wine-like notes.
Honey (Pulped Natural)	Skin is removed, but some “honey” (mucilage) is left on while drying.	Balanced sweetness and acidity.
Anaerobic	Fermented in oxygen-free tanks before drying.	Intense, exotic, often tropical fruit flavors.

Before the coffee ever leaves the farm or local washing station, it undergoes “pre-grading”:

Flotation (The “Floater” Test): Freshly picked cherries are dumped into water tanks. Dense, high-quality cherries sink; immature or insect-damaged cherries (“floaters”) are skimmed off and sold as lower-grade “lights.”
Raised Beds (African Beds): Premium coffee is rarely dried on the ground (to avoid earthy “taints”). It is dried on raised mesh tables to allow 360° airflow.
Hand-Sorting: Workers manually remove “primary defects” (black, sour, or moldy beans) while the parchment is drying.
Moisture Control (The 10–12% Rule)

The farm’s most critical technical task is hitting the moisture window.
- Over-dried (<9%): Beans become brittle and lose flavor.
- Under-dried (>13%): High risk of mold and “musty” flavors during export.
- Resting (Reposado): Premium beans are “rested” in parchment for 30–60 days in a cool, dry warehouse to stabilize the flavor before the final hulling for export.
  
  Farm-Level Grade Designations
  
  In many regions, the farm or cooperative provides the first “Grade” based on density:
  - Grade 1 (Specialty): Sinking beans from the first wash; zero primary defects.
  - Grade 2 (Premium): Sinking beans from secondary washes; very low defect count.
  - Grade 3 (Commercial): Often includes the “re-passer” beans or those with slight physical imperfections.