Pax & Beneficia is thrilled to announce the launch of our Idido Trio Coffee. We’ve recently had the unique opportunity to purchase 3 coffees that are the product of the same cherries, picked from the same farms, but have undergone 3 different processing methods. The motive? To see firsthand how processing affects the end-cup profile of a coffee. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of processing, what flavors to expect from our Idido coffee, and the story behind the people who make it possible.
How Processing Affects Your Cup of Coffee
There are 3 main stages that have a direct impact on the flavor profile of your favorite coffee: removal of the cherry, drying, and roasting.
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Removal of the Cherry: After coffee cherries are harvested, the first step in processing is to remove the outer fruit layer. There are primarily two methods: wet processing and dry processing. In wet processing, the cherries are pulped, usually by mechanically removing the skin and pulp, revealing the coffee beans. This often results in cleaner, brighter, and more acidic coffees, preserving their distinct flavors. Dry processing, on the other hand, involves drying the entire cherry, including the skin and pulp. The cherries are spread out on patios or raised beds to dry naturally in the sun. Dry processing tends to produce sweeter, full-bodied coffees with more pronounced fruit and earthy flavors.
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Drying: Drying is a critical stage regardless of the processing method used. Wet-processed beans are dried after the fermentation and washing stages, while dry-processed beans are dried after the cherries have been spread out to dry. Proper drying is crucial to prevent mold or rot and to achieve the desired moisture content. Drying can be done using natural sunlight or mechanical dryers. The duration and conditions of drying significantly impact the coffee's flavor and aroma.
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Roasting: And of course, the roasting process makes a big impact on the beans, as it's this process that transforms the green coffee beans into the aromatic and flavorful beans we associate with coffee. The degree and duration of roasting greatly influence the taste, acidity, aroma, and body of the coffee. Different roast levels, from light to dark, produce distinct flavor profiles.
At Pax & Beneficia, all of our coffees are roasted in-house at our Grapevine location to guarantee quality and flavor in every cup of P&B coffee.
Ethiopia Idido Coffee Trio: What Flavors to Expect
The Idido Trio consists of 3 different roasts that have very unique flavor profiles. Here’s what you can look forward to from our new roasts.
- The Idido Washed: offers you a more floral, delicate experience while still boasting plenty of complexity to keep you interested.
- The Idido Natural: a fuller-bodied coffee with a distinguished fruit flavor profile.
- The Idido Anaerobic: boasts a high, candy-like sweetness and a sparkling acidity.
Unravel Coffee Merchants
Our Idido coffee is sourced from Unravel Coffee Merchants, a Denver, CO-based green coffee import company. All of their coffee is sourced from the Idido washing station, located in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia. The work that they do in this region has helped many small coffee farmers get their coffee on the market, stimulating economic growth throughout the community. In the two years that Unravel has been working in Idido, the price of green coffee from Yirgacheffe has reached a record high, meaning the highest take home for producers in history.
With each coffee farm having an average size of only about 1.5 hectares and a yearly production of 450 kg per farmer, you can feel confident that each bag of coffee is crafted with care by dedicated farmers.
With each bag that you purchase, you’re supporting Unravel Coffee Merchants’ mission to help small coffee farmers in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia. If you’re ready to experience the different flavor profiles of this unique trio, click here.
