Finca Deborah | Illumination
Our Process
The Carbonic Maceration process has been used in the wine industry for several decades. Yet, the application of this process in coffee is only a few years old. In 2015, Jamison was one of the first in the world to start working with the CM process with coffee. He has employed several techniques using CM and gained a reputation as an industry leader in Carbonic Maceration coffee processing.
Jamison’s coffees have won numerous titles in Barista and Brewer’s Cup competitions, both national and international. In 2017, Finca Deborah Washed Carbonic Maceration Geisha placed 2nd in the World Brewer’s Cup and 5th in the World Barista Championship, and most recently 2nd and 4th in the 2019 WBC, Boston.
The process starts with harvesting perfectly ripe Geisha cherries reading 21-24 on BRIX. The cherries are then carefully selected for a second time before processing. After selection, the cherries are pulped, leaving a certain percentage of fruit on the grain. It is then tanked for an extended period with constant monitoring and cataloging of PH, temperature, and CO2 levels. Ambient temperatures are monitored and controlled to ensure linearity in the processing.
After the required time inside the CO2-infused tanks, the coffee is removed, then placed on shaded, raised African beds. Direct sunlight is avoided as the intense UV and heat can cause cracking in parchment. Temperatures, heat, and humidity are controlled inside the dry houses and are carefully maintained within specific parameters.
When the coffee has dried to approximately 11%, it is bagged in grain-pro and stored in Bodega, where temperatures are cool and stable. This seasoning process is critical to Finca Deborah’s quality control. “Reposo” or rest provides the coffee an opportunity to settle and equalize its moisture content while absorbing more flavor from its shell or parchment. After the requisite rest, the coffee is hulled and sorted by size, density, color, and shape.