Our process starts with picking the coffee cherries. Cherries are picked by the farmers selectively one by one, depending on the ripeness. The proper ripe cherries are picked off the twigs by hand without too much pulling.
After picking, the cherries are then sorted at the farmers garden. Cherries are sorted into different categories like high quality, average-low quality and bad quality. After the good quality cherries are sorted the farmers process the coffee. There are different methods of processing i.e. natural dried, semi washed and washed. Nyasaland coffee gives good result when fully washed. After washing they are then transferred to the drying beds, thereafter the coffee parchments are covered on the mesh with shade. The coffee is periodically turned around (hourly) during the drying, to allow uniform drying and proper aeration.
The dried coffee parchments are processed as follows: Hulling parchment coffee involves removing the dried husk; exocarp, mesocarp and endocarp. The beans are sorted and graded based on size and weight. The polished beans are also checked for colour inconsistencies and other flaws with human hands being used to remove any flawed beans.
The Green Coffee beans are then packed in jute bags and then stored in well aerated rooms separately from other products, which can give off other smells. The bags are placed on wooden pallets and far from the walls to avoid any contamination.
The last thing is Roasting which brings out the aroma and flavour that is locked inside the green coffee beans. Beans are stored green, a state in which they can be kept without loss of quality or taste. So, the best artisan roasters start with better quality green than most commercial roasteries.