How Many Grades Does Honey Processed Coffee Have and Is It Sweet-Tasting?

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Honey Processing Grading

Around 2000, the Brazilian pulped natural processing method was introduced to Costa Rica. Local coffee farmers made some modifications based on the Brazilian processing method. Due to the location in Central America with high rainfall and heavy humidity, coffee cherries with removed skins would easily become damp and spoil if processed using the Brazilian method of washing for 1 hour and then drying with sticky mucilage under intense sun exposure. Therefore, local coffee farmers directly eliminated the soaking fermentation step, instead removing the skin and part of the mucilage layer, then drying the sticky coffee beans with their mucilage coating under sun exposure. Since the beans processed this way carry excellent sweetness, as if honey had been added, this processing method earned the name "honey process."

However, even in today's era of rapid industrial development, many steps in coffee bean processing still cannot be replaced by machines. Therefore, during the sun-drying process, significant manual labor is required to turn the beans to prevent mold growth and ensure even sun exposure. Due to the labor-intensive production process, most honey-processed coffee comes from small estates or specialized processing facilities, making mass production difficult. After 2006, Costa Rican honey-processed coffees frequently won in cupping competitions, and the unique taste experience began attracting attention from various sectors. Today, the "honey process" has become essentially the preferred method in Costa Rican growing regions and has also spread widely throughout Central America.

Since honey-processed coffee beans on the market now often indicate processing grades, many people ask: What is black honey? What does red honey mean? After consulting relevant materials and books, I provide the following explanation, which has also helped me gain knowledge (my previous understanding of honey process color grading was not very clear).

Honey Process Color Grading

Some Costa Rican growers, when conducting honey processing, classify the coffee beans after processing based on the varying colors caused by different sun-drying periods. The beans can be classified into three grades according to color: yellow, red, and black, with decreasing sun intensity and increasing drying time. The flavor difference among the three lies in the expression of sweetness. The darkest color has the most pronounced sweetness.

Yellow Honey

Longest sun exposure time, extremely high heat, drying can be completed within basically one week.

Red Honey

Drying time is 2-3 weeks, with shade structures built to reduce light exposure area.

Black Honey

Drying time is about one month. Since it requires manual placement of coffee beans in shaded areas for drying, the process is complex, making it costly and the most expensive.

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