Aceh Gayo Arabica Coffee Beans

Bringing high-quality Gayo Arabica coffee to coffee lovers around the world.

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Gayo Arabica Coffee Processing Method

Gayo Arabica coffee is processed using the wet-milling method. “Wet-milling” is often confused with “wet-processing,” another term for “washed,” which is the most common method of coffee processing. However, this shouldn’t be confused, as the results of the two processing methods are very different: wet-milling emphasizes body and neutralizes acidity, while wet-processing enhances the subtle acidity and sweetness.

Wet milling is only used in Indonesia. This processing consists of several steps.

Harvesting

Harvesting takes place from September to May or June. Farmers harvest by picking the coffee beans when they have turned red. This method ensures that only the most suitable red coffee cherries are selected, which constitute approximately 85% of all coffee cherries.

Red Husk Dehulling

To ensure that only the highest quality coffee beans are used, the harvested coffee cherries are dehulled on the same day they are picked. After the red husk is removed, the coffee is soaked in water and the floating beans are sorted out. This process takes no more than 24 hours.

Fermentation

The coffee cherries are fermented overnight to dissolve the mucilage (the layer of fruit under the skin), and then washed thoroughly with clean water.

Drying

Drying is done in direct sunlight, using a drying machine, or a combination of both. Direct sunlight is preferable because sunlight contains ultraviolet rays that can produce aromatic flavors in the coffee beans and allow for longer storage. If sunlight is insufficient, a drying machine can be used.
Wet-hulled coffee beans are dried for just a few hours, until they reach a moisture content of around 50%, at which point the beans are still round.

Polishing

At this point, the coffee must be dried again to reach a moisture level of 25-35% and then fed into a wet-roasting machine to remove the husk layer. Because the coffee beans are not yet dried and separated from the husk, the friction required at this stage can damage the beans, which are still moist and soft.

Sorting and Storage

The sorting process is carried out using a machine called a grading machine. Unacceptable coffee beans, such as black beans, brown beans, broken beans, and beans damaged by pests, are then sorted manually.