Quaker
Quaker are underdeveloped coffee beans that do not accumulate enough sugars, preventing them from achieving the typical color and flavor after roasting. These beans are difficult to detect when green but become apparent post-roast due to their lighter hue.
When brewed, quakers can introduce dry, harsh, and unripe fruit-like acidity, disrupting the coffee’s balance. If the quaker ratio remains below 10%, the impact is minimal. However, exceeding this level, the caramel and chocolate flavors are replaced by green, dry, and bitter notes.
The wet processing method helps remove most of the quakers through the soaking process, where the lighter grains float to the surface and are discarded. Conversely, dry-processed coffee is at a higher risk of containing more quakers due to the absence of this sorting step.