What is Honey Processing in Coffee? Introduction to the Sweet Process of Coffee Bean Honey Processing

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Honey Process

The honey process originated in Costa Rica, where local coffee farmers developed this method to improve the quality of coffee beans, which gradually spread to other countries. Why did Costa Rican farmers attempt this processing method? Because farmers' income mainly depends on coffee bean trading, and better quality coffee beans can bring higher profits, it's not surprising that farmers continuously experiment with new processing methods.

For a coffee-producing region, there are three ways to improve coffee bean quality: first, improve processing methods; second, change the planted tree varieties; third, improve the farm's soil quality, which means relocating the farm. However, just as when we extract coffee, before changing the amount of coffee grounds and grind size, we first adjust extraction volume, pressure, and temperature - we prioritize changing conditions that can save time and cost. For farmers, changing tree varieties and relocating farms are time-consuming and labor-intensive, so improving processing methods becomes their first choice.

The honey process is a relatively complex, time-consuming, and difficult processing method. The first step is selecting high-quality fruits, then removing the pulp while keeping the inner skin (parchment), which is the core of the honey process. The inner skin contains rich sugars and acids, and during the drying process, sweetness and acidity gradually penetrate into the coffee beans. The second step is drying, which is also the most important condition for producing high-quality coffee beans. The drying time is crucial - if too short, the sweetness will be insufficient; if too long, the coffee will develop moldy flavors, requiring special attention.

The Honey Process

Today, almost all coffee-producing regions in Costa Rica use the honey process. This method has also spread widely throughout Central America. Because the mucilage on the surface of coffee beans is extremely sticky and high in sugar content, people typically call it "honey." During the honey process, coffee retains some or all of this "honey" when drying. After coffee cherries are picked, sorted, and pulped, they are placed on drying beds for drying.

Due to the short drying time of the mucilage, coffee beans undergo minimal fermentation during the drying process. Coffee beans processed with this method have slightly higher acidity than naturally washed coffee, but much lower than both washed and natural processed coffee.

Knowledge point: Although coffee beans are called "beans," they are actually the seeds of the Rubiaceae plant (coffee tree) fruit.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price - this has been our mission for the past six years!

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