What happens to the Kona coffee beans after they are taken out of the fermentation tank?
After fermentation, the Kona coffee beans are rinsed in clean, fresh water. At this time the washed beans have a moisture content of about 27%. The beans are then spread out on a flat surface, or drying rack (floor/deck/platform)—which is known as a hoshidana—to dry in the sun and the warm Kona breezes. A traditional hoshidana has a rolling roof so the premium coffee beans can be exposed to the sun during the heat of the day and then covered when it begins to rain, which usually occurs during the afternoon and at night. These gourmet beans are also raked regularly with a wooden rake so they dry evenly.
