Coffee culture

How Different Are Natural and Washed Yirgacheffe? An Introduction to Three Major Coffee Bean Processing Methods

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Yirgacheffe Coffee and Three Major Processing Methods Introduction: Yirgacheffe washed processing method uses washing and fermentation to remove peel, pulp, and mucilage, washing the coffee beans until smooth and clean, after water

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

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe - Introduction to Three Processing Methods

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe - Washed Processing Method

The washed processing method uses washing and fermentation to remove the peel, pulp, and mucilage, washing the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean. After washing, the coffee beans are still encased in parchment with a moisture content of 50%. They must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12%, otherwise they will continue to ferment, become moldy and spoil. The better processing method is to use sun drying, which takes 1-3 weeks, but yields excellent flavor that is quite popular.

The washed method has good body, high aroma, and lively acidity. Washed Yirgacheffe coffee beans are graded as Gr-1, Gr-2, with smaller Arabic numbers indicating higher grades. FrontStreet Coffee's G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, with the flavor of citrus and floral notes blended into the coffee liquid being an irresistible taste for everyone.

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe - Natural Processing Method

In the natural processing method, the fruits begin the sun drying process immediately after harvesting without any treatment. This is the oldest existing processing method. The drying process usually takes about 4 weeks. The processing method must be very rigorous to ensure that the coffee does not lose any flavor. Natural processed beans have complete natural body, gentle aroma, and more mucilage.

Natural grades are divided into Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4, Gr-5. Similarly, the highest grade FrontStreet Coffee G1 natural Yirgacheffe has rich fruit aroma. Opening a bag of freshly roasted FrontStreet Coffee G1 natural Yirgacheffe can subvert everyone's original understanding of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest grade FrontStreet Coffee natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee is a fruit.

Natural Processing Method

Coffee cherries are poured into large water tanks, using buoyancy to sort out inferior beans, then the good fruits are scooped out and spread flat for sun drying. Finally, a hulling machine is used to remove the peel and pulp.

Flavor Description

Because the entire fruit ferments together, the fermentation taste is most obvious during extraction.

Washed Processing Method

Similar to the natural method, use water to remove floating inferior beans, then use a machine to remove the peel and pulp, put the coffee beans into water tanks, use fermentation to dissolve the mucilage, and finally dry with a machine.

Flavor Description

Compared to natural processed beans, the flavor is cleaner and more refreshing.

Honey Processing Method

The honey processing method is a compromise between natural and washed methods.

What is commonly known in the market as "semi-natural method" or "semi-washed method" can be considered a type of honey processing. The honey processing method is a compromise between the two, removing the peel before sun drying but retaining the pulp and mucilage layers, which are then removed by machine after drying to remove the sticky layer and silver skin.

Flavor Description

The mucilage feels as sticky as honey, which also gives the honey processed flavor higher sweetness.

Knowledge Extension: Coffee cherries undergo fermentation during the drying process. Fermentation is when coffee beans undergo chemical changes to generate more flavors. From the past to the present, the evolution of processing methods.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center that is happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation just to let more friends fall in love with coffee. Moreover, there are 3 low-discount coffee activities every month. This is because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price, which has also been the purpose of FrontStreet Coffee for the past 6 years!

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