Defective beans to be removed
It's almost impossible for all coffee beans to be fit for consumption, as coffee beans are natural products, seeds of a plant.
Some coffee beans develop defects due to weather conditions, insect damage, improper cultivation or harvesting methods, negatively impacting their quality.
This time, we will discuss defective beans, which cannot be ignored if you want to produce delicious coffee.
Beans that have been chipped or crushed during processing or transportation, as well as those called "shell beans" where the inner part has fallen out, are also subject to removal.
The reason for removing these is not just their unsightly appearance, but also because these thin or small beans tend to scorch during roasting, leading to uneven roasting.
Furthermore, many beans that have been eaten by tiny insects called berry borers, leaving holes, also develop blue mold.
During the sorting process, known as handpicking, these are relatively easy to spot as they are discolored green.
These beans must be carefully removed as they can lead to a moldy smell, sour taste, or astringency.
First, there are beans where the pulp or parchment skin remains because processing wasn't done thoroughly.
These must be removed as they can lead to uneven roasting and negatively affect the flavor.
Also, if the beans ferment too much internally during processing and become discolored, leading to what are called fermented beans or black beans, and these are not removed, they can result in a harsh taste and strong odor.
Conversely, there are also "unripe beans," which are harvested and processed before they are fully mature.
Unripe beans are not easily distinguishable in their green bean state, but after roasting, their color differs from the others, making them easy to identify.
At Base Coffee, we always handpick before roasting to prevent the inclusion of defective beans and foreign objects, and we also pay attention during post-roasting and packaging.
All for delicious coffee and the wonderful moments it creates...
What are defective beans?
Defective beans are beans that have various flaws and compromise the quality of the coffee. While the nature of these flaws varies, they mainly lead to uneven roasting or negatively affect the aroma and taste, so they must be removed. Let's take a look at what kinds of defects there are.Irregularly shaped beans
Among the beans removed as defective are those whose shape has been deformed due to various factors.
Beans that have been chipped or crushed during processing or transportation, as well as those called "shell beans" where the inner part has fallen out, are also subject to removal.
The reason for removing these is not just their unsightly appearance, but also because these thin or small beans tend to scorch during roasting, leading to uneven roasting.
Severely damaged beans
As long as coffee is a fresh food, it can get moldy. These, of course, must be removed.
Furthermore, many beans that have been eaten by tiny insects called berry borers, leaving holes, also develop blue mold.
During the sorting process, known as handpicking, these are relatively easy to spot as they are discolored green.
These beans must be carefully removed as they can lead to a moldy smell, sour taste, or astringency.
Beans with issues during harvesting or processing
Defective beans also include those that got mixed in during harvesting or whose quality deteriorated due to some issue during processing.
First, there are beans where the pulp or parchment skin remains because processing wasn't done thoroughly.
These must be removed as they can lead to uneven roasting and negatively affect the flavor.
Also, if the beans ferment too much internally during processing and become discolored, leading to what are called fermented beans or black beans, and these are not removed, they can result in a harsh taste and strong odor.
Conversely, there are also "unripe beans," which are harvested and processed before they are fully mature.
Unripe beans are not easily distinguishable in their green bean state, but after roasting, their color differs from the others, making them easy to identify.
Foreign objects other than beans
When sorting, it's not just defective beans that need attention. Any foreign objects that got mixed in at some point before the beans arrived must also be carefully removed. Occasionally, foreign objects such as small stones, wood chips, fibers from burlap sacks, or corn can be found.How to prevent the inclusion of defective beans
Unfortunately, it is difficult to remove 100% of defective beans from the vast quantities of coffee beans harvested, processed, and transported... Nevertheless, efforts are made to minimize defective beans, and places that handle high-quality, high-grade beans tend to have fewer defective beans mixed in. The sophistication of bean selection increases with higher grades, whether it's during harvesting, where only perfectly ripe fruits are handpicked, or during processing, where machines are used to sort beans. Therefore, purchasing green beans from a place that handles high-grade beans not only allows you to enjoy rich-tasting coffee but also offers the advantage of minimizing the inclusion of defective beans. However, it's still impossible to get green beans that are completely free of defects from the start, which is why visual sorting, or handpicking, before and after roasting, becomes extremely important.
At Base Coffee, we always handpick before roasting to prevent the inclusion of defective beans and foreign objects, and we also pay attention during post-roasting and packaging.
All for delicious coffee and the wonderful moments it creates...