 Much of the quality and character of a coffee is a direct result of how the bean has been processed after picking. There are many methods, including washed, unwashed European Prep, and triple picked. Knowing a little bit about each of these processes can be extremely helpful in finding the right coffee for your pallet. With the exception of Brazilian coffees virtually all Central and South American coffees fall into the washed process category. Coffees in these regions are typically processed by a method known as European Prep. The coffee cherry is pulped fresh from the fields to remove the flesh of the fruit. What remains on the seed is a slick sticky substance called mucilage. The mucilage is not soluble in water and needs to be removed by one of two methods. The traditional method is to ferment the coffee in water. The fermentation time depends on a number of factors including the amount of coffee fermenting, water temperature, and humidity. The second method is called aqua pulping; the mucilage is removed with water and bean against bean friction. Although different characteristics are found in the cup, both methods create what is called a clean cup. Unwashed coffees are processed without the use of water and can be extremely different from lot to lot, season to season, and origin to origin. The coffee cherry is allowed to dry on the seed and is then hulled, sorted and graded. Because the bean is dried with the fruit, the resulting coffee can have a strong earthy, wild flavor in comparison to the washed method. Sumatra is a great example of a coffee that exhibits an earthy sometimes musty character, heavy in body. I prefer unwashed coffees in a blend to add character and body, balanced with washed coffees to brighten and complete the cup. Triple picked is a term to describe coffees that have been picked and then sorted twice to clean out any defects in the raw product. The interesting result in the case of coffee from Sumatra is that the cup can actually suffer as the result of triple picking. Most coffees will roast more evenly, look better on the shelf and of course taste better with the defects removed. Sumatra however, can lose its earthy character and become bland. The lesson learned is that roasters must cup and sample many coffees and not choose purely by the processing method, but by the quality in the finished cup. For the consumer it is much the same. Trust your local roaster to choose the best coffees and the proper roast. Choose your favorites by the final cup not the processing method, brand, origin or estate. Beyond the labels of roast degree, type, and origin, you will find the truth is always in the cup. About the Roaster
 Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc. is a roaster of specialty coffees in West Yellowstone, Montana. At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc., we are passionate about the close-knit coffee community, from "seed to cup" and are proud to roast and provide some of the best coffees in the world on our website catalog and at our West Yellowstone, MT Coffee House. At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc., we feel it is important to roast our coffees appropriate to the origin characteristics rather than to a particular roast color.
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