Hulls parchment while still semi-wet (30-35% moisture), then dries the bare bean, used in Sumatra, Sulawesi, Flores and Papua.
Wet-hulled (giling basah) processing removes the parchment while the bean is still semi-wet, at about 30 to 35% moisture, and then dries the bare bean to about 12%. It is used by small-scale farmers in Sumatra, Sulawesi, Flores and Papua. It gives beans a bluish-green look and is thought to reduce acidity and increase body, with a cup described as low in acidity, heavy in body and spicy or earthy. Known drawbacks are the goat's foot split defect and mold risk when wet parchment is stored before hulling.
How it worksGiling basah removes the parchment while the bean is still wet, rather than after drying. Beans are hulled at 30 to 35% moisture and then dried further to about 12% for export. A natural fermentation, held for up to a day, breaks down the sticky residue.
Step by step
- 01
Beans are held for up to a day while natural fermentation breaks down the sticky residue.
- 02
The parchment is sun-dried briefly (in Mandheling, half a day to two days) and sold still wet to local traders.
- 03
The parchment is hulled at 30 to 35% moisture.
- 04
The bare beans are dried further to about 12% moisture.
Timing · Parchment sun-dried about half a day to two days before sale (Mandheling), hulled at 30 to 35% moisture
History
Used by small-scale farmers in Sumatra, Sulawesi, Flores and Papua.
Field notes
- i
Giling basah literally means 'wet grinding'.
- ii
Wet-hulled beans develop a distinctive bluish-green appearance.
Our notes on Wet-Hulled are still being checked against their sources, so for now this page shows only the facts we can stand behind.
What can go wrong
- Beans can show the 'goat's foot' defect, a split at one end.
- Wet parchment is sometimes stored for days or weeks before hulling, which carries a risk of mold growth.
In the cup, according to guides
- BodyMoreThought to reduce acidity and increase body, giving the classic Indonesian cup.
- AcidityLessDescribed as low in acidity.
- EarthyOften notedFlavors can be vegetal or herbal, woody or musty, sometimes earthy, and described as spicy, earthy and fruity.
Common in
At the same stage
Sources · 2 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-09-30.
- Giling Basah · Wikimedia Foundation
- Coffee processing · Wikimedia Foundation