Wet Process
The wet method requires a significant supply of water. In the wet method, coffee cherries are sent through a pulping machine within 24 hours of harvest. They are then soaked for up to 36 hours in fermentation tanks in order to remove a sticky mucilage, which coats the bean. Beans are released from the tanks into concrete washing channels and finally placed on massive trays or concrete patios for drying. Throughout the following 3 to 5 days, these recently harvested beans are turned with a rake to maximize exposure to the sun for uniform drying. At this stage coffee is stored until ready for export with a protective layer of papery parchment surrounding the bean.

Both methods reduce the moisture of coffee beans from 60% to about 12 to 15%. Mechanical dryers are used for coffees grown in regions with rainfall too frequent for patio drying.

Prior to being exported the coffee must go through a process called "curing". Green coffee from both methods of processing is milled to remove most of the parchment. Coffee beans are then sorted and batched according to size, shape, density, color and defects.

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