{"id":1815,"date":"2021-12-09T12:00:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T11:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com\/article\/green-coffee-processing\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:39:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:39:33","slug":"green-coffee-processing","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/article\/green-coffee-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"Coffee processing: New experimental processes for green coffees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"Container\" data-default-size=\"lg\" data-md-size=\"auto\" >\n    <section class=\"Text Wys \">\n        <h2>Coffee processing<\/h2>\n<p>Well before being roasted, the <strong>processing<\/strong> of <strong>green<\/strong> <strong>coffee<\/strong>, following the harvest, consists of being pulped and then dried. This is not a chemical treatment, but more of several processing steps (from cherry to green bean). This step is also called <strong>the process<\/strong>. The two most common processes are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/specialty-coffee-c-322\/?mf=340:2249;#listing-header\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">natural<\/a> process (or <strong>dry process<\/strong>) and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/specialty-coffee-c-322\/?mf=340:2250;#listing-header\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">washed<\/a> process (<strong>wet process<\/strong>). There are other processes such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/specialty-coffee-c-322\/?mf=340:2253;#listing-header\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Honey<\/a> and its various variants, but also, for some years now, <strong>experimental processes<\/strong>. With that being said, today we are going to focus on two new processes that are used exclusively at <strong>MaxiCoffee<\/strong>. During their last trip to Colombia, <strong>MaxiCoffee<\/strong> worked hand in hand with coffee farmers to develop <strong>new experimental processes<\/strong>! These processes are already well known in the wine world. As the worlds of wine and coffee have many similarities, our roasters had the idea of transferring the processing methods of one to the other.<\/p>\n<h3>As a result, two new coffee processes were developed:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Malolactic Process<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Macro-Oxygenation Process<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n            <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"Container\" data-default-size=\"lg\" data-md-size=\"auto\" >\n    <section class=\"Text Wys \">\n        <h2>Coffee processing &#8211; Process 1: Malolactic fermentation<\/h2>\n<p>Malolactic fermentation is already widely used in <strong>France<\/strong> in the production of <strong>red wines<\/strong>. It serves to limit the <strong>acidity<\/strong> of the wine by transforming malic acid into lactic acid.\u00a0 Malic acid (like that found in green apples) is indeed &#8220;stronger&#8221; (more acidifying) than lactic acid (found in yoghurt). \u00a0 Used as a fermentation for coffee, this process has the same objective as &#8220;<strong>Macrooxygenation<\/strong>&#8220;. It favours the perception of <strong>sugar<\/strong> in the cup while taking a different approach: limiting the perception of <strong>acidity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Coffee processing: How does it work?<\/h3>\n<p>In practice, it poses certain technical difficulties. It requires two elements in addition to the presence of suitable ferments: a fairly <strong>stable<\/strong> <strong>temperature<\/strong> above 15\u00b0C and an <strong>oxygen<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>free<\/strong> <strong>environment<\/strong>. It therefore falls into the family of <strong>anaerobic<\/strong> <strong>fermentations<\/strong>. In the case of Finca Gutierrez &#8220;Dionysos&#8221;, the coffee was <strong>pre<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>fermented<\/strong> in a bag, with the whole cherry, for 48 hours to facilitate the fermentation that would follow and to favour the <strong>transfer<\/strong> <strong>of sugars<\/strong> from the pulp to the beans. The beans are then partially pulped and immersed in water in a vat to prevent any contact with the air. It is at this point that ferments are added (from the <strong>Oenococcus<\/strong> <strong>Oeni<\/strong> strain, a lactic acid bacterium used in <strong>wine<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>making<\/strong>). This fermentation lasts 72 hours. The coffee is then drained and put to dry without prior rinsing to limit water consumption (malolactic fermentation is then stopped by the presence of <strong>oxygen<\/strong>). This <strong>honey<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>process<\/strong> <strong>style<\/strong> drying also contributes to the transfer of sugars to the beans. In short, for this <strong>Yellow<\/strong> <strong>Bourbon<\/strong>, the post-harvest treatment was done with two ideas in mind: to favour the transfer of sugars and to limit the perception of acidity (by limiting the drop in pH). This results in a <strong>smoother<\/strong>, <strong>more<\/strong> <strong>accessible<\/strong> <strong>cup<\/strong> while retaining body.<\/p>\n\n            <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"Container\" data-default-size=\"lg\" data-md-size=\"auto\" >\n    <section class=\"Text Wys \">\n        <h2>Coffee processing &#8211; Process 2: Macro oxygenation<\/h2>\n<p>Macro oxygenation consists of <strong>oxygenating<\/strong> <strong>the<\/strong> <strong>coffee<\/strong> in a punctual way with precise quantities of oxygen. This process is almost non-existent in coffee fermentation, but is <strong>very<\/strong> <strong>common<\/strong> <strong>in the wine industry<\/strong>, mainly in France. This process makes it possible to offer a <strong>more<\/strong> <strong>complex<\/strong> <strong>cup<\/strong> and a reduction in <strong>bitterness<\/strong> by playing on the astringency. The destruction of the tannins favours the perception of sugar in the cup. It works on the <strong>bitterness<\/strong> contrary to <strong>malolactic<\/strong> which focuses on the <strong>acidity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>How does this coffee treatment work?<\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>coffee<\/strong> <strong>cherries<\/strong> should only be picked when they are ripe in order to facilitate <strong>fermentation<\/strong> and to avoid the unpleasant aromas of overripe or immature beans. After <strong>manual<\/strong> <strong>selection<\/strong>, the whole cherries are <strong>pre<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>fermented<\/strong> to promote the exchange of sugar between the pulp and the bean. The cherries are then pulped <strong>without<\/strong> <strong>water<\/strong> and collected in a tank. The <strong>skins<\/strong> and <strong>pulp<\/strong> are pressed to recover their <strong>juice<\/strong>, essential ingredients for fermentation. On the other hand, the pulp and skin of the coffee cherries have to be <strong>collected<\/strong> <strong>separately<\/strong> in a tank for an additional but very important process. The <strong>coffee<\/strong> <strong>cherry<\/strong> <strong>juice<\/strong> (like grape juice) must be extracted as a <strong>key<\/strong> <strong>ingredient<\/strong> in the fermentation process of the coffee beans. Then, once the cherry is pulped and collected in the vat and the juice is extracted, they must be put in the same vat and it must be <strong>closed<\/strong> <strong>tightly<\/strong> to allow the fermentation to start. The duration of the fermentation process is <strong>96<\/strong> <strong>hours<\/strong> and during this time <strong>oxygen<\/strong> <strong>is<\/strong> <strong>added<\/strong> at regular intervals. This will help to <strong>degrade<\/strong> <strong>the<\/strong> <strong>tannins<\/strong>. Finally, after 96 hours, the grains must be <strong>dried<\/strong> at a temperature of between 35 and 40\u00b0C.\u00a0Then, they are dried with the rest of the mucilage on an <strong>African<\/strong> <strong>bed<\/strong> (as in the honey process) in order to promote the exchange of sugars. Later, the grain should be stored preferably in a plastic bag in a dark, cold and cool warehouse (this is not specific to this process, but to all).<\/p>\n\n            <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"Container\" data-default-size=\"lg\" data-md-size=\"auto\" >\n    <section class=\"Text Wys \">\n        <p>It is an exciting time for the coffee industry, with new experimental processes offering exciting new flavour profiles . By exploring these new processing methods, we can all be part of shaping the future of coffee.<\/p>\n\n            <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"Container\" >\r\n\t<section class=\"PostsSection\">\r\n                    <header class=\"SectionTitle\">\r\n                <p class=\"SectionTitle-main\" >Discover all of our articles<\/p>            <\/header>\r\n                            <div class=\"PostsSection-list swiper\">\r\n                <ul class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\r\n                                            <li class=\"swiper-slide\">\n<article class=\"PostCard \">\n\t<figure class=\"PostCard-figure\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/guide\/green-lion-coffee-high-quality-guilt-free-coffee\/\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/organic-coffees-600x460.jpg\"   class=\"ImgCover PostCard-img\" alt=\"green lion coffee\" >\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t<div class=\"PostCard-body\">\n\t\t<header class=\"PostCard-header\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"Title-7\">Guide<\/span>\n             <p class=\"Title-6\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com\/en-gb\/guide\/green-lion-coffee-high-quality-guilt-free-coffee\/\">Green Lion Coffee: high quality, organic coffee<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/header>\n        \t\t<div class=\"Txt-2\">\n            As you know, here at MaxiCoffee we aim to introduce you to high quality coffee. 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