Which Coffee Bean Processing Method is Best? Understanding Washed Coffee and Natural Processing

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Three Major Coffee Processing Methods

Natural Processing

Typically, coffee cherries are spread directly on drying patios (cement floors) for sun-drying. The time depends on weather conditions, usually taking about two to four weeks until fully dried. At this point, the coffee cherries turn dark brown with a moisture content of 12%. Premium beans will use African Beds (raised beds) for natural processing to enhance their flavor and quality. After drying, the fruit skin becomes very brittle and easily detaches. Specialized coffee hulling machines can easily remove the husk.

Advantages: Low cost, simple operation, no complex equipment required, perfectly preserves natural sweetness, aroma, and mucilage.

Disadvantages: Dependent on weather conditions, longer processing time, higher likelihood of defective beans or impurities, more Quaker beans.

Washed Processing

As the name suggests, this method removes the fruit skin and pulp in water. Although the mucilage is sticky and difficult to remove, it can be washed away after yeast fermentation and decomposition. At this point, the coffee bean is left with a parchment layer (now called parchment coffee). After drying using sun or wind, it's stored and left to rest. Before export, machines remove the hard, dry parchment layer, resulting in washed processed green beans. The flavor is clean and delicate, with very few unripe beans and high consistency. Typically exhibits bright, lively sweet and sour notes, with fragrant floral, fruit, and floral tea aromas, smooth and refreshing.

Honey Processing

Originating from Costa Rica, this is an emerging processing method in recent years, situated between natural and washed processing. Good honey processing can combine the advantages of both methods. Washed processing removes all fruit skin and pulp before the final drying step, while honey processing also involves water washing, soaking, and fermentation. The key difference is that it retains some fruit skin and pulp to dry together with the beans.

Because the fruit skin and pulp contain mucilage (pectin), it's also called "mucilage fermentation method." The enzymes in the mucilage require constant turning of the sticky, stringy coffee cherries during drying to ensure they don't over-ferment or grow mold. Due to different fermentation temperatures, various degrees of honey processing have developed: white honey, yellow honey, red honey, and black honey. In principle, the darker the color, the closer it is to natural processing; the lighter the color, the closer it is to washed processing.

Honey processing gets its name because the pectin is sticky like honey, not because honey is intentionally added during the process. Nor does honey processing give coffee beans a honey flavor. If such a taste is detected, it's the inherent flavor expression of the coffee bean itself.

Knowledge Extension: Sumatra Wet Hulling Processing

In addition to adapting to rainy seasons, this method also produces unique earthy, herbal flavors with rich, full body and lower acidity.

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research establishment, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unrestrained sharing is solely to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three coffee promotion events with significant discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years!

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