Posted by Matthew on 8/13/2026 to
Coffee Education
How is your coffee processed?
That’s an advanced coffee-connoisseur question. The usual questions are where it was grown, whether it is organic or Fair Trade-certified. And the roast. These things all influence flavour, but there's another factor that deserves equal attention: how the coffee is processed after harvest.
Coffee begins life as the seed of a fruit known as a coffee cherry. Once picked, the seeds must be separated from the rest of the cherry (the surrounding fruit) and dried before they can be roasted and brewed.
The sequence and timing of those steps have a big impact on the flavour of the finished coffee. Wash-processing is most common. The other two methods are honey and natural.
Washed Coffee
In the washed (or wet) process, the skin and fruit are removed from coffee cherries right after harvest. The beans are briefly fermented to loosen the thin, sticky layer of fruit that remains before being thoroughly washed and dried.
When the fruit is removed before drying begins, it ceases to have any influence on the bean’s flavour profile. The result is a coffee with clearly defined acidity, a clean finish and flavours that point to the variety, soil, elevation and climate in which it was grown. If you've enjoyed many of the coffees we've roasted over the years, there's a good chance you've been drinking washed coffees. We continue to roast them because they express origin very clearly.
Honey Processing
‘Honey processing’ is an alluring term, but it has nothing to do with honey. It has to do with the
sticky fruit layer, known as mucilage, that’s left on the bean as it dries. Only the outer skin of the cherry comes off so that the sugars in the remaining mucilage influence the coffee's flavour.
sticky fruit layer, known as mucilage, that’s left on the bean as it dries. Only the outer skin of the cherry comes off so that the sugars in the remaining mucilage influence the coffee's flavour.Honey-processed coffees often have more sweetness and body than washed coffees while still retaining quite a bit of clarity. These coffees occupy a middle ground between washed and natural coffees, offering additional fruit character without overwhelming the distinctive qualities of the coffee itself.
Natural Processing
Natural processing takes a whole-fruit approach. Picked coffee cherries are spread out to dry in the sun. Over the course of several weeks, the cherries are turned so that they dry evenly while the fruit slowly loses its moisture around the bean.
During this period, compounds from the fruit continue to influence the bean. By the time the dried fruit is finally removed, the coffee has developed characteristics that you won’t find with any other processing method.
Natural coffees carry aromas that you wouldn’t normally expect to find in coffee. Things like blueberry, strawberry, tropical fruit or fruit preserves are common, along with greater sweetness, a fuller body and a lingering finish. These aren’t the product of artificially flavoured coffees; they're a consequence of allowing the fruit to remain with the bean throughout the drying process.
Natural is Demanding
Natural processing is not only time-intensive, but also the least forgiving method of processing. Cherries must dry slowly and evenly without developing mould or undesirable fermentation. Producers carefully monitor weather conditions, airflow and moisture levels, turning the cherries repeatedly throughout the drying period.
Small variations in temperature or humidity can affect the final result, which is why producing consistently high-quality natural coffees requires considerable experience. When done well, processing produces coffees with a flavour profile unlike any other.
