Coffee beans are the seeds of a small red fruit called a cherry. Before they can be roasted, the seeds have to be taken out and dried. The way this is done is called processing, and it changes the taste of the coffee as much as the variety or the altitude.
Washed
In the washed process, the skin and most of the flesh are pulped off the cherry soon after picking. The seeds, still covered in a sticky layer called mucilage, are left in water to ferment for a day or two. The fermentation loosens the mucilage, which is then washed away. The clean seeds, still in a papery layer called parchment, are dried.
Washed coffees tend to taste clean, bright and clear. You can taste the variety and the place without much interference from the fruit. Our Huila from Colombia, our Kenyan and our Gedeb from Ethiopia are all washed.
Natural
In the natural, or dry, process the whole cherry is dried, with the fruit still on the seed. It sits on raised beds or a patio for several weeks and is turned often. Afterwards the dried fruit is removed in a mill.
Natural coffees tend to taste fruity, sweet and heavier in body, because the seed has absorbed sugars and flavours from the fruit as it dried. They are also riskier to make: if the cherries dry unevenly or ferment too much, the coffee can taste like fermented fruit. Our Guji Hambela from Ethiopia and our Cerrado from Brazil are naturals.
Honey
The honey process sits between the two. The skin and some of the flesh are removed, but a measured amount of mucilage is left on the seed while it dries. Colour names such as yellow, red and black can describe differences in mucilage retention and drying. Their meaning varies, so the producer's processing notes are more useful than the colour alone.
Honey coffee tastes sweet and round, often with a soft fruity acidity and a syrupy body. Despite the name, no honey is added. The mucilage is sticky and sweet, like honey, and it dries to a dark brown colour. Our Tarrazú from Costa Rica is a red honey.
Other methods you may see
- Wet-hulled. Used in Indonesia. The parchment is removed while the seed is still wet, and the seed is dried again. It gives a heavy body and earthy notes. Our Sumatran coffee uses it.
- Fermentation variations. Some producers ferment the coffee in sealed tanks or for longer to build particular flavours. They are usually labelled on the bag.
What to expect in the cup
These are tendencies, not rules.
| Process | Tends to taste | Tends to feel | | --- | --- | --- | | Washed | Clean, bright, floral or citrus | Lighter, tea-like | | Natural | Berry, tropical fruit, winey | Heavier, rounder | | Honey | Sweet, stone fruit, caramel | Syrupy, soft |
How to choose
If you like a clear, bright cup, start with a washed coffee. If you like a fruity, sweet cup, try a natural. If you like something in between, a honey process coffee is a good choice. If you are unsure, try one of each from the same country and compare them side by side.