Post-Wash Soak (Kenya-Style)

A finishing step common at Kenyan washing stations and increasingly adopted elsewhere: after washing, the clean parchment is submerged in fresh water for roughly 12 to 24 hours before it goes to the drying beds. The soak is generally credited with removing residual sugars and undesirable compounds, which many tasters read as part of the signature bright, clean acidity associated with Kenyan coffees. It also gives the mill a final sorting opportunity, as defective beans tend to float. The step adds time, water and handling, which is one reason it remains a marker of quality-oriented mills rather than a universal practice. Flavor tendencies: bright, transparent acidity and a notably clean finish.