Coffee processing continues

Ok between getting Snorkels fitted and suspension lifts on the car the very manual coffee processing continues. This week the beans were fermented, dried and finally, with the help of the kids, de-husked, leaving me with green beans ready for the final stages of roasting and drinking.

The final roasting proved challenging as I rushed the process using wok over too high a heat, resulting in partially roasted beans shown below. Initial grinds produced an orange powder that from previous experience is too bitter. After re-heating over a lower flame and constant stirring the resultant grind was much better. The roasting reaction is endothermic initially, but once the first “cracking” (like popcorn) commences the process rapidly becomes exothermic, giving off smoke. As soon as the second cracking commences I transfer the beans into a metal bowl on ice to rapidly cool and stop the reaction before the beans burn.

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