Recommended Sun-Dried Ethiopian Coffee Beans_Are Sun-Dried Coffee Beans Easier to Roast? Sun-Dried Coffee Prices

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Understanding Natural Process Coffee Beans

Natural process coffee beans, simply put, are coffee cherries dried with their pulp and skin intact under the sun, which is why they're called "Natural" in English. However, this natural processing method, while seemingly simple, is not as easy as it appears, and its refinement has undergone significant effort.

Traditional vs. Modern Natural Processing

The commercial natural process coffee bean treatment involves laying plastic sheets on the ground and placing coffee beans directly on them for sun drying. However, this method has problems with heat transfer from the ground and unstable thermal convection of coffee cherries. If not stirred frequently, there can be issues with excessive temperature rise or uneven fermentation. (Imagine the beans on top being dried comfortably, while beans underneath might develop off-flavors from being trapped.) Additionally, many harmful microorganisms and contaminants on the ground can also damage the coffee beans' flavor, so traditional natural processing often produces unpredictable flavors. In the past, high-quality beans would not be processed using natural methods because the impression was poor and prices were not high.

However, natural processing has improved significantly in recent years. Modern natural processing mostly uses African-style raised beds, which effectively block ground moisture and soil while increasing air convection. During the natural process, temperature is also strictly controlled to prevent excessive fermentation caused by high temperatures.

The entire natural processing process typically takes more than 20 days, allowing microorganisms and coffee cherry pulp to ferment gradually, resulting in sweeter flavors often rich with tropical fruit notes.

Historical Background

Natural processing is the oldest processing method. According to literature records, Arabs as early as the 11th century (over 1000 years ago) began using natural processing to treat coffee fruits. Because of coffee's stimulating effects, when coffee was introduced from the Arab world to the West, it was called "Arabian wine."

Processing Steps

1. Removing Floating Beans

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.

2. Sun Drying

Coffee fruits are evenly spread in drying fields and need to be turned several times daily. This process usually lasts about 2-3 weeks, depending on local climate. When the moisture content inside the coffee beans drops to 10-14%, the sun drying step is complete.

3. Removing Outer Shell

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

Advantages:

Natural processing, except for the floating bean removal step, doesn't require water, and one bucket of water can be reused multiple times. The cost is low, so it's widely used in areas with limited water resources and less affluent regions.

Disadvantages:

1. Since natural processing requires placing coffee beans outdoors, there are often many impurities mixed in, such as dead branches and fallen leaves.
2. Because it relies on solar energy, the drying degree of coffee beans is difficult to control, leading to "over-drying" situations where coffee fruits become damaged, causing internal coffee beans to break.
3. During the natural process, because the pulp is not removed, mold and rot often occur.

Flavor Profile:

Because natural processing allows coffee fruits to dry naturally, coffee beans can mature naturally inside the fruit without interference from external environments. Therefore, coffee beans processed by natural methods amplify their inherent flavors, resulting in rich body, intense flavors, and emitting sweetness.

Recommended Natural Process Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's fresh-roasted single-origin natural process coffee beans - such as Natural Yirgacheffe and Natural Sidamo coffee - have full guarantees in both brand and quality, suitable for brewing with various equipment. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227 grams) bag costs only around 70-90 yuan. Calculating at 200ml per cup of single-origin coffee with a powder-to-water ratio of 1:15, one bag can make 15 cups of specialty coffee, with each cup costing only 5-6 yuan. Compared to cafés selling single cups for dozens of yuan, this represents extremely high value for money.

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 store 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