INDONESIA

Coffee arrived with the colonists in Indonesia at the end of the 17th century and was exported as early as the 18th century. Exports have played an important role in the development of the country, which today is one of the largest coffee producers in the world. Most of the coffee grown is robusta. Some arabica is grown, mainly on the island of Sulawesi. The differences in microclimates and vegetation from island to island offer great variations in taste. There are several different types of beans and due to the very humid climate, the beans are usually wet-processed.

INDIA

India has a long and proud coffee tradition dating back to the 17th century. They grow coffee under shade trees, often together with other crops such as spices or fruit. In southern India, both robusta and arabica are grown, and the bean types offer different varieties. After harvesting, different processing methods are used, but the most characteristic for India is "monsooning". In monsooning, the coffee beans are exposed to the Asian monsoon, where sea air, humid weather and heat cause the beans to swell and change color. This gives a unique flavor of sweet tobacco and vanilla, which has made monsooned coffee famous around the world.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Papua New Guinea is one of the least urbanized countries in the world. It has magnificent scenery with jagged mountain peaks, active volcanoes, paradise-like sandy beaches and dense rainforest. There are more than a thousand different tribal cultures, many of them almost cut off from the modern world. Coffee is grown in the mountains on small farms or plantations and almost all coffee is wet-processed. Ancient coffee trees grow well in rich volcanic soil and coffee production is an important livelihood for many of the local communities.

ABOUT COFFEE

Step 2: Processing (part 1)

From berry to bean

After harvesting, the coffee berries go through a processing process where the pulp is removed, leaving the raw coffee bean. Before the actual processing, the coffee berries are sorted and cleaned. Only the berries with the right, ripe color are selected and the berries that are unripe or have defects are removed. Then the beans are ready for processing. The three most common processing methods for coffee are berry-dried, partially berry-dried and wet-processed coffee.

Bear drying

When the coffee is berry-dried, the coffee berries are laid out to dry with the skin and pulp on. This allows more of the sweetness in the pulp to be transferred to the coffee bean. The berries are turned several times during the drying process so that they dry evenly, and require careful monitoring to avoid uncontrolled fermentation. A berry-dried coffee can offer sweet, powerful and complex flavors in the cup.

Partial berry drying

Partially berry-dried coffee means that the husk is removed and some pulp is left around the bean while it dries. This adds sweetness and fruitiness to the flavor. How much pulp is left and how long the beans dry varies. Honey processing or pulped natural are other terms used to describe partially berry-dried coffee.

... processing part 2 can be found under South America.