Honey Process

At the end of the coffee picking day when the temperature cools, coffee cherries that have been picked between 21-26 brix degrees are brought to the wet mill to begin processing.

First, the coffee cherries are placed in a tank filled with water that recirculates through a channel. Along the channel there are multiple spots to place wood blocking to prevent the more dense coffee cherries which sink to the bottom from being taken downstream with the current. The cherries that float are considered less dense and of lower quality, they are paddled along the channel and collected for either the producer's personal use or sold as commodity grade. By having multiple stages of blocking, they can better control the density and the qualities of their coffee cherries. La Finca Distribution Corp. only purchases the most dense coffee beans we can acquire from each specific lot.

During the honey process, coffee cherries are pulped by machine without using water. When no water is used, the mucilage from the cherry remains on the coffee bean, increasing the amount of sugars absorbed during the following processes. The honey process has less negative environmental impact than the washed process, because there is no wastewater or "honey water" being returned back into the waterways.

After the coffee has been pulped, it is placed in barrels to ferment for 8-36 hours depending on the varietal and temperature. During this process the coffee becomes more balanced and yeast and bacteria break down the sugars in the coffee adding to the complexity of the final cup.

Coffee beans are trucked out to the dry mill after the fermentation and are placed on drying beds for 14-30 days until 12%-11% moisture has been achieved. It is at this time the coffee is bagged in parchment and is placed in the bodega to rest for 45 days.