Coffee Mill
A complete remodeling of the “wet” coffee-processing mill was conducted during the first quarter of 2002. This new coffee-processing mill has implemented methods to prevent contamination of surface and ground waters by employing methods that reduce water consumption. It is worth mentioning that cup quality of the coffee beverage maintains its original qualification, since the traditional processing system, far from having been changed, has experienced modifications for the sake of cup quality and environmental protection.
In regards to cup quality, we have implemented systems and quality control technology to maintain a strict supervision in each coffee-processing stage. Statistical data is generated during the entire process. These surveys provide information regarding the quality of the coffee bean during all the stages of the process; from fruit to cup. This operation allows us to separate coffee beans based on quality, before it is too late and/or expensive to do so.
A coffee mill can do very little to improve the quality coming from the field; the only thing that may happen in a coffee-processing mill is to maintain such quality coming from the field, or simply jeopardize it. For that reason, it is extremely important that the production team is aware of the product received from the field. Before the production team begins processing the coffee cherries, a random sample of the batch to be processed is conducted. These surveys allow us to determine the quality coming from the field in regards to broca-damaged, diseased, overripe, green, under-ripe, or any other flaw that may impair the cup quality. The same operation is repeated during the many different stages to determine how efficient is the technology and machinery employed to separate the good from the bad. Once the coffee cherries have been received by the production team, their work consists of removing any defective coffee beans from the good coffee beans to obtain a healthy, first-class cup quality. These quality control mechanisms help determine in advance, what to expect from each lot, minimizing the serious mistake of mixing coffees of different qualities, In addition it allows us to make several decisions during the entire operation, which result in excellence rather than compromise.
In regards to the environment, it was inferred that if we were to employ the least amount of water possible, the problem of treatment and disposal of this wastewater would be reduced significantly. Coffee processing at El Faro Estate is carried out with a water recirculation system ranging from three to six cubic meters of water, depending on the amount of coffee to be processed (Pic 1, Pic 2 and Pic 3). If the coffee lot is less than one hundred bags of one hundred pounds of coffee cherries, three cubic meters of water are employed. Any larger amount of coffee requires six cubic meters of water. Such recirculated water is used during seven consecutive days for the de pulping process. On the seventh day, water is deposited in clarification tanks, where solids are separated from the water (Pic 4). Once the water has been clarified, it is placed in absorption tanks, and remains there during an average period of 56 days (Pic 5 and Pic 6). During such period of time, water is absorbed by the soil, and never returns to any water-bearing stratum, as there is no stratum near the tanks. In addition, water is dosed with lime and enzymes to reduce the amount of pectin and bacteria prior to entering the absorption tanks. Solids extracted from the water are returned to the coffee pulp to enrich the compost employed for earthworm feed (Pic 7). Worms digest the compost and provide casts which serve as an organic fertilizer.
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