Alambi

The producers of Alambi begin their coffee processing by manually selecting only the ripe cherries. They employ local individuals who have been trained to easily identify the cherries that are ready for picking. The harvested cherries are then taken to the on-farm wet mill where they are pulped. Subsequently, the coffee undergoes fermentation in closed and airtight containers. In some cases, water is used during fermentation, while in others, no water is added. The fermentation period ranges from 24 to 48 hours, depending on the specific circumstances. Some producers monitor the pH of the fermentation mass and remove it when it reaches a range of 4.1 to 3.8.

The next step involves washing the coffee two to three times before transferring it to the drying area, where it takes approximately 15 to 30 days to reach the desired humidity level. Once the coffee is dried, the final parchment coffee is occasionally stored on the farm for around one week. Subsequently, the grower transports the coffee to the purchasing station in Quito, where it undergoes analysis by a Quality Analyst to assess its quality. Initially, a representative sample is subjected to a thorough physical analysis, which measures the moisture level, water activity, and identifies any physical defects. Following the physical analysis, the coffee undergoes a sensory evaluation to determine its quality grade. Finally, the parchment coffee is processed at Caravela's mill in Quito, which is located at the same site as the purchasing station, before being shipped to the port.