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Producers, you need to be aware of coffee defects. They can affect the way your beans roast and
taste, and as of such, their value. They may even cause you to lose contracts. Some defects are
more dangerous than others; some are more widespread than others. But it’s important that you
can recognize the most common ones, the impact they’ll have on your harvest, and how to prevent
them. So, let’s take a look.
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Freshly harvested coffee cherries in Tanzania. Credit: Megillionvoices via Wikimedia Commons,
CC BY-SA 4.0
And sometimes, you need up to five of the defects in question for it to be registered as a defect.
So, what are the different defects? This table from the FAO explains it all:
Green coffee bean defects. Credit: FAO
As a roaster, she avoids working with producers if there are too many defects in their lots. “We
always hand sort our coffee after each roast,” she explains, “and of course the amount of defects
affects the amount of time we have to spend doing this. If there are too many defects, we would
likely not buy the coffee again. We have worked with the same producers for many years and them
always delivering consistently high quality is an obvious reason. To know that the coffee is easy
to work with (very few defects, well processed, keeps well over a long period of time etc ) is utterly
important.”
For producers, following rigorous quality control to remove defects can be expensive; however,
this is also one of the reasons why specialty coffee pays more than commodity-grade beans. The
price premiums should in theory compensate the extra labor and equipment – assuming producers
have the right know-how.
Coffee cherries and washed coffee beans dry on raised beds in Tarrazú, Costa Rica. Credit:
Tarrazu via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
The coffee beans will look black or brown and shrivelled, while the crack down the middle will
be too wide.
This is sometimes the result of a lack of development; Anacafé explains that fungal diseases and
nutritional deficiencies can cause this. A lack of water during the growing period can be another
cause. Alternatively, as Café de Colombia states, over-fermentation or over-ripe cherries picked
from the ground, rather than the tree, can lead to full or partial black beans.
If one of these gets into a coffee lot, it will produce an “off flavor” and an unpleasant aroma. It has
been described as creating a phenolic or fishy note; at other times, the beans can taste fermented.
Ensure proper plant nutrition and watering, pay attention to the development of fungal diseases,
and be careful with fermentation.
A green coffee bean sample ready for inspection. Credit: Ana Valencia
The coffee beans will be a light brown, red, or yellow. The silverskin can be a reddish-brown.
When scratched, they may have a vinegary smell.
Make sure to quickly de-pulp the cherries (unless you’re processing naturally), be careful with
fermentation and drying, and always use clean water.
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Samples of various coffee defects. Credit: Anna Oleksak
One of the easiest defects to spot, the beans will either be broken or have fractures.
The coffee will roast poorly, with the heat transferring unevenly through the beans. The result? An
unbalanced, inconsistent flavor. Moreover, because the beans are cut open, they might develop
other defects such as mold.
Look after your machinery and pay attention to moisture content and ripeness.
4. Quakers
Quakers are generally caused by poor nutrition, poor picking practices, and drought or coffee leaf
rust.
Learn more! Read A Producer’s Guide to Soil Management & Farm Conditions
5. Insect Damage
The green beans will typically have small holes; you can also see these on the cherry during
picking.
The impact will depend on the pest itself, but it can range from a muted flavor to sour notes.
Regularly inspect your crops for infestations, consider pesticides if you’re not an organic farmer,
and use insect traps.
6. Fungus or Mold
You can see white, yellow, grey, or red spores on the beans.
Mold will usually infect an entire batch of coffee, as the spores spread from one bean to another.
You can expect moldy, earthy, and over-fermented flavors in the cup.
Pay attention to humidity, only process naturals and honeys if you live in a suitable climate or have
appropriate technology, take care if there is unexpected rain, remove insect/machine-damaged
beans as early as possible, and sort quickly if you see any moldy beans.
A bowl full of defects. Credit: R. Miguel Meza
7. Potato Defect
It’s unfortunately very hard to notice the potato defect in green beans; producers should, instead,
watch out for potential bug infestations – yes, this is actually another form of insect damage!
However, it’s a particularly unusual one and requires different treatment
Regularly inspect your crops for infestations, consider pesticides if you’re not an organic farmer,
and use insect traps.
Learning about coffee defects before cupping them. Credit: William Sue
Of course, no two farms are the same. It’s also worth speaking to a local agronomist who can
advise on your specific climate, terroir, and context.
Avoiding defects and sorting coffee demands hard work, time, and labor – but if we want to access
the specialty market, it’s imperative. As Anne says, “If you want to get paid more and target the
speciality coffee roasters, quality is key.”