Lets start at the beginning, as with the washed coffee we receive the ripe coffee in the funnel and from there to the depulpers, water is used only to push the coffee berries from the funnel to the depulpers, it is depulp without the use of water. The water goes around the depulping machines to a canal, where the coffee comes out and then it pushes the coffee beans from this canal to a "criba", a kind of a coffee sorter, where the floaters or over ripen coffee is separated and used seconds and thirds quality coffees.
It will take about 3 to 4 days to dry sufficiently to transport it safely to the drying facility, were they will place it to dry on patios for another 4 to 5 days. In preparation for transport, the coffee must be removed from the trays and bagged and this process must be performed manually.
- Due to the high sugar content, the coffee ruins the screens on the drying trays very easily and they have to be replaced every other year.
- It is much more labor intensive than the washed coffee. The washed coffee process is automated moving the coffee with submersible pumps from fermentation bin to re-washing and once again via submersible pump to the transport to the drying facility. Many steps performed mechanically in the washed process must be done by hand in the natural process.
- Another problem is at the drying mill. Don Marciano, foreman of the drying facilities, has to place this coffee on a separate patio, the natural coffee stains the patio floor and he needs to prevent transfer to the other coffees. Currently the stain disappears during the year with the sun, but eventually it might stay from year to year.
One man's journey to Selva Negra Natural Coffee
We'd like to share funny story of someone's fascination with this coffee. Recently we had a visit from a gentleman, who took the tour of the estate with Mausi, and then he took the tour again when he tasted the natural process coffee. He was fascinated with what he saw and left very enthusiastic about the works and quality of coffee. Months later Mausi receives call from him, in Switzerland, requesting the purchase of 5 natural process bags of Selva Negra coffee. Luckily we have a buyer in Spain, Don Cesar Ros, who could supply him the bags, but he was unwilling to, since his stock is usually sold well ahead of time. Reluctantly he agrees to sell him the bags, but at an uncharacteristically high price. Our Swiss admirer not only didn't negotiate the price, he drives to Don Cesar's warehouse in Spain to receive it. I guess we made a good impression with the natural coffee.
