Coffee 101
Coffee processing
Picking the coffee fruit and separating the flesh and skin of the cherry from the bean is a crucial part of farming coffee. The method has a dramatic effect on flavour.
Why is coffee processed?
The main aim is to separate the bean from the cherry’s fruit flesh. You’ll often hear the terms washed, natural (dry) and honey (pulped) for the different methods.
Three ways to process
Natural (dry)
The most traditional method. Picked cherries are laid out to dry in the sun, a bit like sun-dried tomatoes. The beans are turned regularly for airflow, and covered overnight, to avoid fermentation and mould. Once dry, the skin and dried flesh are removed to leave the green bean. It usually divides opinion: there can be fermented, almost boozy flavours alongside fruit such as blueberry and strawberry.
Washed (wet)
The most common method. All the fruit flesh is removed before drying: most of it with a depulper, the rest by soaking the beans in water. They’re then dried and turned as in the natural process. It gives more acidic flavours in the cup and is usually preferred by baristas, but it needs a lot of water, which can make it expensive for farmers.
Honey (pulped)
The cherries are removed but a certain amount of flesh is left on the bean, which goes straight to drying. The sugars from the fruit add sweetness, and the pulp is sometimes called ‘honey’. It’s a compromise between natural and washed, with rounder acidity and fewer citrus flavours.
Try these coffees side by side to really appreciate the flavour differences.
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