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The Sweet Appeal of Honey Processed Coffee

Honey processed coffee—what a wonderfully melodic coffee term for such a honey-like processing method! This simple description alone can capture people's hearts (after all, most people love honey), and in fact, honey processed coffee has become increasingly popular among consumers in recent years. No other description could be more suitable for this coffee processing method than "honey process": during the drying process, the coffee beans still retain the golden, viscous, sugar-rich coffee pulp mucilage. In the washed processing method, this mucilage is completely removed.

The Origins and Evolution of Honey Processing

It was the Brazilians who made honey processed coffee known to the world; they习惯称此处理法为"果胶日晒处理法" (习惯 called this processing method "pulp natural sun-drying method"). It's evident that Brazilian coffee professionals hope to maintain their success in defining coffee terminology. Brazilians defined and promoted the "natural process" (sun-drying method), which refers to drying coffee beans while they remain inside the entire coffee fruit. Before this, this method was called "dry process" or "unwashed process." When I first entered the coffee industry over 40 years ago, I often wondered why Brazilians used the term "unwashed process"—was their "unwashed" coffee particularly dirty? This coffee terminology is no longer used, replaced by "natural process."

The term "natural process" sounds much more sophisticated and represents a category of coffee that has undergone relatively refined processing. You can't beat everyone no matter how excellent you are, and this principle also applies to coffee processing terminology. Central American countries came up with a newer term "honey process" to define all coffee beans dried within the fruit, and the term "honey process" became widely popular worldwide except in Brazil. In this tasting review, there are 21 honey processed coffees from different origins worldwide: 7 from Costa Rica (one featured in this article), 5 from El Salvador (one featured in this article), 2 from Brazil, and one each from Nicaragua, Colombia, Sumatra, Rwanda, Thailand, Honduras, and other countries.

The Evolution of Honey Processing Methods

Coffee from Costa Rica dominates this honey process tasting review. Although Brazil was the pioneer of honey processing, the term "honey process" and the micro-batch refined honey processing method first became popular in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica's coffee micro-batch processing innovation, coffee growers use new washed processing equipment to process their own grown coffee, rather than selling coffee fruits to large coffee processing plants as before.

In the washed processing method, mechanical equipment is used to remove coffee pulp and mucilage from the coffee beans, requiring only a small amount of water in this process. This equipment can also be used for more refined "honey process" coffee processing. Now there are various types of honey processed coffee on the market: "black honey," "red honey," "yellow honey," and "white honey." In black honey and red honey processing, coffee beans are dried with all or almost all of their mucilage, with the difference being the drying speed: black honey dries slower than red honey. In yellow honey processing, depulpers are used to remove 20%-50% of coffee mucilage before drying the coffee beans (no yellow honey process samples were received for this review). For white honey processing, almost all mucilage is removed beforehand, leaving only about 10% of mucilage to dry together with the coffee beans.

Subtle variations in processing methods affect coffee quality characteristics, leading us to hypothesize: white honey processed coffee has bright and transparent characteristics closest to washed process coffee; black honey and red honey (as mentioned above, almost all coffee pulp and mucilage are retained) are closer to traditional natural process coffee: with stronger fruit aromas, chocolate, and woody fiber aromas.

Cupping and Hypotheses

Another red honey, the Reunion Island Sol Naciente Costa Rica, has relatively more crisp lime and citrus flavors.

Two of the tested black honey samples showed rich woody aroma characteristics, a trait often found in natural coffees that undergo long, slow drying. The black honey from Willoughby's Costa Rica El Puente Cerro Verde, scoring 93 points, is vibrant without any flavor defects, highly clean, with complex aroma compositions, slightly stimulating spiciness, and high sweetness. Meticulous black honey processing created such coffee quality characteristics.

Further classifying and summarizing the test results would be very complex and tedious. More than half of the tested coffee bean samples did not clearly indicate which processing method was used, although information from cupping results allowed these coffees to be classified as "honey process" for this tasting report. For example, El Salvador Finca El Pozo with extremely high flavor complexity and PT's Coko Rwanda Honey with strong origin characteristics were both simply noted as "honey process" without further detailed processing method and flavor descriptions.

Charming and Variable

When we cupped 21 honey processed coffee samples, all previous scattered experiences and knowledge helped us make a general summary of honey processing: the biggest characteristic we perceive in honey processed coffee is its smoothness, unpredictable flavor complexity, and complexity. The subtle variations we perceive when cupping a group of honey processed coffees are more obvious than when cupping a group of washed coffees. Except for two black honey coffees with single, bland flavors, the differences among the tested honey processed coffees were so subtle and charming that they were difficult to describe in words.

Undoubtedly, processing method is directly related to flavor variation. How much pulp and mucilage is removed before drying, and the control of processing details during drying are all factors affecting flavor. In summary, the four highest-scoring samples (93 points) all showed natural, pure sweetness, refined flavor and taste variations, and smooth, viscous mouthfeel—all characteristics benefiting from honey processing. The next level (6 coffee samples scoring 91 points) also showed refined, charming variations brought by honey processing: woody spiciness blended with floral and fruit aromas.

For example, in one coffee, subtle cupping results to some extent confirmed our hypothesis. The 93-point Equator Costa Rica El Aguacate White Honey was the cleanest and brightest among the 10 tested coffees. Meanwhile, the two tested red honeys, the Magnolia Costa Rica Esnider Rodriguez and the Manzanita El Salvador Loma La Loria, reflected the influence of processing method variations: floral and woody fiber aromas intertwined with brandy-like fermentation flavors.

Honey Process and Origin

Limited scope and range of tasting results indicate that honey processing enriches the uniqueness and unpredictable complexity of coffee flavor compared to washed processing. This is not to say that honey processing is superior to washed processing. For example, in regions like Rwanda and Sumatra, local traditional processing methods create unique coffee flavors. Refined honey processing may also create coffee flavors different from before. Brazil's specific situation is different; as mentioned earlier in this article, Brazilians have always used terms like "natural process" or "dry process." Compared to traditional full natural Brazilian coffees, refined Brazilian honey processed coffees don't receive corresponding recognition. Brazilian honey processed coffees have brighter and more delicate flavors, with more floral and fruit aroma characteristics, rather than the traditional Brazilian natural nutty chocolate flavors.

Regardless, if you prefer soft, floral and fruit-aroma coffees over traditional bright and balanced washed coffees, then honey processed coffees from Costa Rica, Honduras, and El Salvador should suit you. For those coffee enthusiasts, they should also enjoy the fascinating coffee flavors brought by honey processing, a developing processing technology.

93 Points: El Salvador Finca El Pozo Microlo Honey

Roaster: Propeller Coffee—Toronto, Canada

Aroma: 9

Acidity: 9

Body: 9

Flavor: 9

Finish: 8

Origin: Ataco, Apaneca- Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán Department, El Salvador

Roast Level: Medium (53/70)

Notes: CAD 22 for 12 ounces (this coffee is sold out, roaster Propeller hopes to stock more in 2017), Arabica pacamara variety, a hybrid of giant bean maragogipe and pacas, belonging to the ancient Bourbon series. From Anibal Lunna Finca El Pozo. The roaster from Toronto, Canada, has been engaged in high-end specialty coffee roasting.

Blind Cupping: Balanced, high sweetness, floral, oak, dark chocolate, berries, cherry. Lively acidity, honey mouthfeel, oak and berry in the finish, dark chocolate aroma.

Basic Characteristics: Honey processing creates this coffee's flavor profile, pleasant sweet-sour balance.

Roaster: 35 kg Loring Kestrel

Roasting Log: The challenge lies in properly roasting such large beans internally while avoiding damage to the relatively soft outer layer during roasting. To achieve the desired effect, initial temperature rises quickly (small batch size, lower drop temperature), mid-stage heating rate slows, and beans are dropped at the end of first crack. Soft acidity, high sweetness, complex aroma, relatively low and rounded taste.

Honey Processed Coffee Bean Brewing Analysis

Pour Over Reference

Using a Hario V60 dripper, 16g of coffee to 32g of water, bloom for 30 seconds, extract with 89-90°C water at 1:15 ratio, medium-fine grind (Fuji Royal 3.5). Second pour to 110ml, wait for water level to drop before slowly pouring again, maintaining even speed, water level should not be too high, final pour to 233ml, extraction time 2:15 seconds—rich natural sweetness. Everyone can fine-tune according to their taste preferences.

Honey Processed Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica black honey processed coffee beans offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money: a half-pound (227g) bag costs only about 95 RMB. Calculating at 15g per single-origin coffee, one bag can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 RMB. Compared to coffee shops selling cups for dozens of RMB, this represents extremely high value.

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