The Flavor Profile of Honduras Honey Process Coffee Beans and How It Differs from Washed Processing

Like other Central American countries, Honduras has a rich coffee culture. Good coffee is an essential part of everyone's day. Coffee is the centerpiece of many social occasions.

I love Central American coffee! FrontStreet Coffee currently only has two Honduran coffees - Sherry and Lychee Lan. Historically, there has never been a Honduras honey-processed coffee. Above, I introduced a Honduras honey-processed coffee, so now let's understand what honey processing is! Before we understand honey processing, let's see what coffee is!

Everyone knows it's the dried and roasted beans (or seeds) of the coffee tree. The entire fruit is called a coffee cherry, and the coffee bean is located in the middle of the coffee cherry, surrounded by pulp, as shown in this image from Seattle Coffee Works. The pulp and other debris on the beans need to be removed from the beans before they can be roasted and made into your daily cup of coffee.

Coffee Processing Methods

There are two main processing methods for coffee beans. The most common method is to remove the coffee pulp before drying the coffee beans. This is called the wet or washed method, because one step in this process is to "wash" the coffee cherries in large tanks to help remove the fruit from the coffee beans.

The original method, still common in some countries, is the dry or natural method, where the entire coffee cherry is dried in the sun. After drying, the pulp is peeled off, leaving the beans. Drying the entire coffee cherry takes longer than the wet method. Therefore, it requires a very hot, dry environment and careful monitoring of the crop to ensure it doesn't over-ferment.

Honey Processing Method

In honey processing, coffee is dried with part or all of the mucilage left on the parchment surrounding the seed, affecting the sweetness and depth of the coffee. The taste of honey-washed coffee is really like someone has put honey and brown sugar in your coffee - although the name actually comes from the stickiness of the coffee beans during processing. It has a more rounded acidity than washed coffee, with strong sweetness and complex mouthfeel. This natural honey-washed coffee has flavors of watermelon, cherry, strawberry, and honey. Sweet, unique, and delicious! The honey process aims to get the best of both worlds, combining both dry and wet methods. After harvesting, farmers remove the skin and most of the fruit from the coffee beans, then dry them.

It's called the honey process because the fragments of pulp left on the beans are as sticky and golden as honey. The honey method was originally developed in Costa Rican coffee and is now spreading to other Central American coffee-growing regions.

During the drying process, some of the sweetness from the mucilage is absorbed into the beans. Compared to the dry method, the drying time is shorter and the risk of over-fermentation is lower. Unlike the washing process, the honey process uses no (or very little) water. These factors provide significant environmental and economic benefits for farmers. For us coffee lovers, the benefit is that coffee has rich, intense sweetness with tropical fruit elements and lower acidity than other natural processing methods.

For example, you can study the relevant information about the coffee below.

La Guadalupe Red Honey

General Information

Varieties: Bourbon Whiskey, Catuai, Pacas

Processing: Honey

Crop Year: 2020

Grade: SHG EP

Certifications: Fairtrade International, USDA Organic

Origin: Selin Recinos

Finca La Guadalupe

Finca La Guadalupe was founded by Don Celin Recinos Sr. over 80 years ago. Today, La Guadalupe remains a family affair, with Selin Recinos Jr. running the farm as a small plot of wonderland, including Catuai, Pacas, Parainema, Maragogype, Bourbon, and Typica varieties.

Selin Jr. takes a holistic view of how to run his farm, focusing on reforestation with native species and protecting existing forests and water sources. Selin's concern extends beyond growing coffee to planting shade and fruit trees on his farm and home, providing food and shelter for birds and wildlife in the region. In recent years, the focus has expanded to include continuous improvement in picking practices and on-site wet milling. As part of a cooperative of over 400 organic farmers, Selin also participates in many educational programs on organic farming practices and is an important voice in promoting these practices in the local producer community.

Selin's dedication and commitment to his farm and community continue to have a positive impact, with the quality of coffee constantly improving. Finca La Guadalupe is FTO certified organic and has been a finalist in previous Cup of Excellence competitions.

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