DRY MILLING
Rest
After the beans have been sufficiently dried, they are placed into nylon grain bags, where they rest for a minimum of 30-45 days. This rest, also called “reposo”, helps stabilize the bean and improves cup quality.
We let the cherry dry to an even level. Depending on the weather and the composition of the lot, the coffee will dry for 3 to 5 on the concrete patio (8 hours per day).
Hulling
One week before coffee is shipped, beans go through the hulling process. During hulling, a machine removes the parchement layer that sorrounds the bean.
Sorting
Because there is a correlation between coffee bean size, density, and quality, beans need to be sorted. To achieve this task we use shaking screens which are replaceable metal sheets with round holes in them that retain coffee beans over a certain size and allow smaller beans to pass. After going through the size grader, the remaining beans pass through a machine called gravity separator. This machine shakes the sized beans on a tilted table, so that the heaviest, densest and best coffee beans vibrate to one side of the pulsating table, and the lightest one to the other.
Color Sorting
After being sorted, the remaining coffee beans go through the final step: color sorting. In Hacienda La Esmeralda we color sort by using a machine that has sensors that are set to identify defective beans (red, black, white, yellow). This defective beans are pushed aside with compressed air, leaving behind only the best ones.
Packaging and Shipping
After hulling and sorting are completed, coffee is ready to be packed and shipped. Packaging depends mostly on quantity and on client’s preferences. In Hacienda La Esmeralda, coffee is packed both in carton boxes with vacuum pack and in jute bags with GrainPro. After packaging is done, Esmeralda coffee is shipped and enjoyed all over the world!