Taste Differences Between Red Honey and Black Honey Processed Coffee Beans_How Much Do Honey Processed Coffee Beans Cost Per Bag

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Introduction to Coffee Processing Methods

In recent years, single-origin coffee has become increasingly popular, and more people are brewing coffee at home. While selecting and purchasing coffee beans, you'll always see confusing terms on packaging like "washed process," "natural process," and "honey process." What exactly are these different processing methods, and how do they affect coffee flavor? This article will help you understand the differences, so next time you buy coffee, you won't be randomly grabbing a bag without knowing what you're getting!

Coffee Cherry Basics

Before we introduce the processing methods, we must first introduce "coffee cherries" to you. As mentioned in previous articles, coffee beans are the seeds inside coffee fruits. Coffee trees produce coffee fruits that turn bright red when mature, and due to their cherry-like appearance, they are also known as "coffee cherries."

The purpose of processing coffee cherries is to remove the external structures, including the exocarp, pulp, pectin, endocarp, and silver skin. After all these are removed, what remains is the seed in the shape of the coffee beans we commonly see. Therefore, the natural process, washed process, and honey process you see on coffee bean packaging are actually different names for how to remove the peel, pulp, and pectin. At this point, you might wonder: who decides what processing method to use for the beans? There might be more than one consideration, but it's most often determined by the natural conditions of the growing region (such as water resource availability and sunlight exposure) to determine the most economically beneficial processing method. (Of course, some estates with sufficient resources and options might adjust their processing methods for flavor requirements.)

Natural Process - The Oldest Processing Method

Widely used in areas with abundant sunlight, limited water resources, and less wealth (such as Ethiopia). The natural process allows coffee fruits to dry naturally, enabling coffee beans to mature naturally inside the fruit. Therefore, coffee beans processed using the natural method amplify their inherent flavors, resulting in rich body, intense flavors, and vibrant sweetness and acidity.

Removing Floating Beans

To remove underdeveloped, inferior beans, coffee beans are poured into large water tanks. Mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom, while poor-quality ones will float to the surface. At this point, the floating beans on the water surface are scooped out to complete this step.

Sun Drying

Coffee fruits are evenly spread on drying patios and need to be turned several times daily. At night, they must be covered to prevent moisture absorption. This process typically lasts about 2-3 weeks (depending on local climate) and is completed when the moisture content inside the coffee beans drops to 10-14%.

Removing the Outer Shell

After sun drying is complete, the outer layer of the coffee seeds has become dry and hard. At this point, a hulling machine is used to remove the outer shell to complete the process.

Advantages

The natural process, besides the step of removing floating beans, doesn't require water, and one bucket of water can be reused, making it low-cost.

Disadvantages

Because coffee beans must be placed outdoors, there are often many impurities mixed in, such as dead branches and fallen leaves. Additionally, since it relies on solar energy, the drying degree of coffee beans is difficult to control, leading to over-drying situations that can damage the coffee beans. Furthermore, since the entire fruit is sun-dried, mold and rot often occur.

Washed Process - The Most Widely Used Processing Method

In countries that often experience rain and have high humidity, although the process is relatively more complicated, it is currently the most widely used processing method. Because the washed process uses large amounts of clean water, the flavor and mouthfeel are quite clean. Washed process coffee beans mostly have bright fruit acidity and floral and fruity aromas.

Removing Floating Beans (Same as Natural Process)

To remove underdeveloped, inferior beans, coffee beans are poured into large water tanks. Mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom, while poor-quality ones will float to the surface. At this point, the floating beans on the water surface are scooped out to complete this step.

Removing Peel and Pulp

Through a pulping machine, the exocarp and pulp of the coffee fruit are removed (leaving pectin, endocarp, and silver skin).

Fermentation

Coffee fruits processed by the pulping machine are placed in fermentation tanks for 16-36 hours, where fermentation bacteria dissolve the pectin.

Cleaning

After completing fermentation and removing pectin, large amounts of clean water are consumed to wash away residual fermentation bacteria and impurities from the coffee beans, cleaning them once more.

Drying and Removing Endocarp and Silver Skin

Usually, machines (or sun drying) are used to dry the coffee fruits (reducing moisture content to 10-14%). Then, a hulling machine is used to remove the remaining endocarp and silver skin to complete the processing.

Advantages

The washed process removes the pulp from the beginning, so there's no need to worry about mold problems like in the natural process. All processing procedures are done indoors, so the coffee beans have fewer impurities and more complete appearance.

Disadvantages

It requires large amounts of clean water, and the process is complex and tedious, making it much more expensive than the natural process.

Honey Process - The Trendiest Processing Method

The honey process, also known as semi-natural, is an improved version of the natural process. The flavor of honey-processed coffee receives more refined and deeper influences from the sugar content remaining in the pectin layer. The more pectin layer remaining, the richer the flavor.

Removing Floating Beans (Same as Natural Process)

Coffee beans are poured into large water tanks. Underdeveloped, inferior beans will float to the surface, while mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom. At this point, the floating beans on the water surface are scooped out, completing the floating bean removal step.

Removing Peel and Pulp (Same as Washed Process)

Through a pulping machine, the exocarp and pulp of the coffee fruit are removed (leaving pectin, endocarp, and silver skin).

Unlike the washed process, coffee farmers can choose how much pectin layer to retain, which also divides honey-processed coffee beans into yellow honey, red honey, and black honey processing.

Yellow Honey - (Retaining 30-40% of pectin layer)

To speed up drying time during sun exposure, it must be carried out in an environment with minimal shade (clouds, shade trees), resulting in a yellow appearance.

Red Honey - (Retaining 50-60% of pectin layer)

Takes longer time and requires partial artificial shading to reduce sun exposure intensity and extend drying time.

Black Honey - (Retaining 70-80% of pectin layer)

Takes the longest time and usually requires complete artificial covering to reduce sun exposure intensity and extend drying time.

There are also white honey (10-15%) and golden honey (90-100%) varieties. The more pectin retained, the sweeter the taste and the fuller the mouthfeel, but since they require

Sun Drying

Coffee beans with pectin are spread on drying patios for direct sun exposure to reduce moisture content to 10-14%.

Removing Pectin and Endocarp

Special machines are used to remove pectin and endocarp, completing the processing steps.

Advantages

Because the pulp is removed from the beginning, there are no mold problems. It also doesn't require large amounts of clean water, making it lower cost.

Disadvantages

The processing steps can be said to be the most complex and labor-intensive of all methods.

Wet-Hulling Process - The Rarest Processing Method

The wet-hulling process, also known as semi-washed, is most commonly used in Sumatra, Indonesia. Due to the processing relationship, wet-hulled coffee has complex and varied flavors, with overall notes of herbal plants, spices, and medicinal herbs. However, woody, earthy, and moldy notes may also appear, which some coffee drinkers may not enjoy.

Basically, wet-hulling is a processing method unique to Indonesia. Due to the humid climate prone to rain, short sunshine hours, and the general economic difficulties of coffee farmers who want to shorten coffee bean processing time and quickly sell processed coffee beans to coffee manufacturers, this processing method was developed.

Removing Floating Beans (Same as Natural Process)

Coffee beans are poured into large water tanks. Underdeveloped, inferior beans will float to the surface, while mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom. At this point, the floating beans on the water surface are scooped out, completing the floating bean removal step.

Removing Peel and Pulp (Same as Washed Process)

Through a pulping machine, the exocarp and pulp of the coffee fruit are removed (leaving pectin, endocarp, and silver skin).

Fermentation

Coffee fruits processed by the pulping machine are placed in fermentation tanks for brief fermentation of 10-12 hours.

First Sun Drying

The fermented coffee fruits are naturally dried until moisture drops to about 35-40%.

Removing Pectin and Endocarp

Artificial or special machines are used to remove pectin and endocarp. Due to high moisture content, the internal coffee seeds are still soft and compressed, so the coffee beans will appear crescent-shaped.

Second Sun Drying

Coffee farmers will directly sell these high-moisture coffee beans to coffee manufacturers (because high moisture means heavier weight, thus selling at a higher price). Finally, the coffee manufacturers will naturally dry these coffee beans until moisture drops to about 10-14%.

Advantages

An improved processing method that reduces water consumption compared to traditional washed processing.

Disadvantages

The condition and quality of coffee beans are difficult to control.

Other Processing Methods

In addition to the several refined methods mentioned above, there's also a processing method that you've definitely heard of but didn't realize was a processing method: using enzymes and digestive fluids within biological digestive tracts to process green coffee beans. Simply put, it involves animals eating the fruit and excreting the coffee beans. The most famous civet coffee and kopi luwak use this processing method. Now people are slowly trying this processing method with other animals, such as Thai elephant coffee and Indian macaque coffee (I wonder if sloths would be interested?).

Coffee processed this way is quite rare in quantity and very expensive in price. As for the flavor... such charming special flavors really depend on personal taste! (Personally, I'm not particularly fond of them.)

Honey Process Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Costa Rica black honey processed coffee beans have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high. A half-pound (227g) bag costs only about 95 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup of single-origin coffee, one bag can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to cafes selling dozens of yuan per cup, this is an extremely high cost-performance ratio.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online shop services: https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473