Jamaican Blue Mountain Green Beans Parchment still on them

[Gerald]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum, aswell as to home roasting so please forgive my ignorance of the green bean. I have a friend who frequently travels to Jamaica for family and business trips. When I found out about these trips I asked him to bring me back some JBM beans next time he goes back and stressed that I wanted them green "as fresh as possible" and NOT roasted. Well turns out his uncle is a coffee farmer in blue mountain and he ended up bringing me back 4 lbs of green beans still in the parchment and quite moist at that. I'm new to roasting (using a poppery unmodded) so all I know is that I can't roast these suckers with the parchment still on them so I started peeling them off bean by bean. My question is there an efficient way to remove the parchment without buying a "huller"

Thanks in advance.

[another_jim]

Here's a quote by the coffee wiseman Don Schoenholt from alt.coffee, 1999:

In Harrer Ethiopia, in a dry and often arid terrain, where coffee has been realized much the same way today as in earliest times, the half dried cherries are spread out in the sun until dry, until the skins, pulp, and other material can be removed from the beans with the help of hulling by stones. With adjustments made for geography, and local traditions this is how coffee has been separated for many generations.

It looks if you put the beans in a tumbler of some sort, with some rocks, you can separate the beans and hulls.

[SL28ave]

I was in the same position a couple years ago. Rubbing the beans quickly with friction between my two palms seemed to get most of it off... though it wasn't easy.... ended up being some of the best coffee I've ever had. The beans were from Yirgacheffe.

There's probably an easier way, perhaps Jim's, but I don't know it. I'll ask someone tomorrow.

[SL28ave]

Oh yeah, I was wearing gloves!

[miKe mcKoffee]

Put some in an old sock and beat it on a rock! Seriously. Or so one home roaster in Kona said he does.

Curious, were you saying the parchment is moist? If yes, sounds like they may not have been dried enough. The bean itself should be down around 12%. Any properly dried greens still in parchment I've encountered the parchment was quite hard and dry.

[SL28ave]

I'm guessing those moist beans have a shelf life of no more than a week if they're kept moist. Drying them stably could add a few weeks to their shelf life, but who knows? Curious to hear how they taste!

[Nick]

Just remember, the "real" mills, after milling (removing the parchment), then hand-sort the beans, looking for defect (mostly). Don't forget this step.

Thanks for the idea! I'm going to El Salvador next week... I'll try to sneak some parchments back with me! Maybe I'll have to hide them in my shoes...

[Gerald]

Thanks for all the replies, I tried Peter's advice of rubbing the beans between my hands. Worked pretty well, but Mike's sock technique sounds good in theory and worth a shot. When I first got the beans my friend gave them to me in a plastic bag. They were dried but the parchment was not cracking easily. I'd have to press the bean down the middle and it would split (in between a crack and a tear if that makes sense) that is why I considered them moist. I since poured all the beans onto a baking sheet and let them sit over night and they are now as dry as a pair of ashy knees. Here's what they look like before and after Peter's hand rubbing technique.



Since I'm new to homeroasting and even newer to cupping I'm curious to know what the quality of these beans are so.... If any 2 of our more experienced cuppers would like to sample the beans and give me their feedback I'd be willing to sacrifice some beans for your roaster so long as you pick up the shipping no more, no less.

[miKe mcKoffee]

Before you roast any make sure to cull out the dark brown and especially black beans, pretty sure they be stinkers! Just one in a grinding will literal destroy the brew. Also any very light beans. Good JBM beans should be green with a bluish tinge.