PROCESSES
From Cherry To Green Bean
Every coffee at Elkhill Estates passes through a carefully governed journey. Our wet and dry processes are carried out within the estate ecosystem, ensuring traceability, consistency, and character.
WET PROCESS
In the wet process, the fruit is gently removed and time is allowed to do its quiet work. Through careful pulping, fermentation, washing, and drying, the coffee reveals a cup of clarity, brightness,
and calm precision - a true expression of its origin.
Pulping
Fresh cherries are pulped to remove the outer skin.
Disc Pulper (McKinnon) – Silpi Estate
Vertical Pulper (Pinhalense) – Fairlands Estate
Fermentation
The pulped coffee with its skin removed, undergoes controlled fermentation before the mucilage is removed. This improves clarity in the cup.
Washing
After fermentation, the coffee is washed to remove remaining mucilage, halting fermentation and ensuring a clean, clear cup profile.
Drying
Drying is carried out using mechanical dryers and sun drying on floors and raised beds, especially for specialty coffees.
Milling (Curing Unit)
Parchment is removed and beans are graded by size and density at our curing unit.
Storage
Green beans are stored in clean, controlled conditions until dispatch.
DRY PROCESS
In the dry process, the coffee cherry is left whole, allowing sun and time to draw sweetness from the fruit. As the cherry dries naturally, the bean develops depth, body, and a gentle richness - capturing the warmth of the season in every cup.
Drying
Whole cherries are dried slowly, allowing natural sugars and fruit character to develop.
Hulling
The dried outer husk is removed to reveal the green bean.
Peeler & Polisher
Beans are cleaned and polished to remove remaining layers.
Gravity Separator
Density-based separation ensures uniform, high-quality beans.
Colour Sorting & Manual Garbling
Optical and manual sorting remove defects before final storage.