What's the Difference in Flavor and Taste Between Sun-Dried and Washed Coffee Beans? How to Identify Coffee Processing Methods

FrontStreet Coffee has a tradition of brewing a pot of coffee and inviting everyone to guess what it is! From country of origin to specific region to processing method - it's a layered guessing game! This raises the question: can you really identify the processing method just by tasting coffee?

First, let's understand what processing methods are

When coffee cherries ripen, they are harvested. We only want the coffee beans (seeds) wrapped in skin and pulp. The ancients came up with the simplest method: placing coffee cherries under the sun to dry them. As the skin and pulp lose moisture, they become dry and hard, allowing the coffee beans to be easily extracted through simple crushing without getting sticky. This is the natural processing method.

In the 18th century, the Dutch used an alternative method to process coffee. They first removed the skin and pulp from the coffee cherries, leaving behind sticky coffee beans.

This sticky substance is the mucilage layer of coffee. To remove this layer, the Dutch soaked the coffee beans in water pools for 1-2 days. Once the mucilage separated from the beans, they washed the coffee beans thoroughly with large amounts of clean water. The final step, of course, was to dry the coffee beans. This is the washed processing method.

Which is better: natural or washed processing?

Natural processing appeared earlier, while washed processing was developed as an improvement addressing the weaknesses of natural processing. What are the drawbacks of natural processing? It depends on weather. Since drying whole cherries takes a long time - typically about two weeks - unexpected weather changes could ruin an entire batch of coffee cherries. During the drying process, coffee pulp may crack, attracting insects and making quality difficult to guarantee.

Washed processing addresses these issues from the start. Without pulp and mucilage, insects won't be attracted. Coffee beans dry faster, and eliminating the uncertainty of pulp fermentation results in better bean appearance for washed coffee.

Of course, this was all a long time ago. Washed processing has continued to develop, and natural processing has also seen continuous improvements. For example, the Red Cherry Project advocates using fully ripe cherries for natural processing, and production regions use African raised beds for drying - all manifestations of improving coffee quality. Natural processing has also been refined into specialized methods like "artisan processing" such as refined natural, slow natural, and wine-processed varieties!

Can you identify coffee processing methods through tasting?

FrontStreet Coffee often serves various customers. Some prefer washed processed coffee, while others favor natural processed coffee. According to customers who prefer washed beans, they describe their preference as clear, clean, and comfortable. Those who favor natural beans describe it as sweet, delicious, and full-bodied.

FrontStreet Coffee often uses Yirgacheffe, Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda, and Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 to compare flavor profiles between processing methods. There are two reasons: first, these three are all famous coffees with representativeness; second, for each of these three, both natural and washed processing are done in-house, making the comparison more clear.

Yirgacheffe: Their common flavor characteristics are citrus acidity and tea-like aftertaste. Natural processed varieties carry fermented fruit aromas, leaning toward berry-like sweet and sour sensations. Washed processed varieties appear clear and clean, with prominent floral and tea notes, overall lighter in character. The distinction between the two is quite noticeable.

Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Geisha: Their common flavor characteristics are white floral notes, citrus, and honey. Natural processed varieties have rich juice-like qualities, with obvious fruit sweet and sour sensations, presenting full-bodied layers. Washed processed varieties carry oolong tea notes, with prominent sweet potato (sweet) aroma when cooled. The overall impression leans toward light and comfortable sensations.

Blue Mountain No. 1: Their common flavor characteristics are dark chocolate and richness. Washed processing highlights the balance between sweet, sour, and bitter - a classic Blue Mountain coffee. Natural processing shows obvious brown sugar sweetness.

From this, it's not difficult to see that naturally processed coffees generally exhibit better sweetness expression and richer layering. Washed processed coffees are characterized by excellent clarity and more stable flavors.

So how can one identify coffee processing methods just by tasting? As the ancient saying goes: "I have no other secret but long practice." Keep tasting!

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