Development History of Costa Rica Honey Processing, Honey Processing Method, and Introduction to Mirasu Manor's Strawberry Candy

The Evolution of Coffee Processing Methods

Currently, with the continuous development of the coffee industry, coffee processing methods are emerging endlessly. Relatively new processing methods include anaerobic fermentation, double anaerobic natural processing, enzyme-washed processing, wine barrel fermentation, and others. However, the most common remain the three traditional processing methods.

These three traditional coffee processing methods are: the Natural Sun-dried Method, the Traditional Fully Washed method, and the Hybrid Process (including Semi Washed and Honey Process) which falls between natural and washed processing. However, processing methods have become increasingly diverse nowadays, as some international buyers and green coffee merchants demand more variety in quality, flavor, and uniqueness. Coffee cherries harvested from the same coffee tree will exhibit different flavor characteristics when processed using different methods. Even minor changes in processing steps or slight adjustments to fermentation time can result in different flavors.

Honey Process: A Hybrid Processing Method

For example, the honey process is a processing method that falls between natural and washed processing. According to different degrees of honey processing, it is further divided into yellow honey, red honey, black honey, and white honey processing. The latest development is raisin honey processing.

Washed — White Honey — Yellow Honey — Red Honey — Black Honey — Natural

Costa Rica: The Birthplace of Honey Processing

When discussing honey processing, Costa Rica must be mentioned as it is the birthplace of this processing method. One could say that Costa Rica's geographical environment gave birth to the honey process. Costa Rica's coffee growing regions are concentrated in the Talamanca mountain range, where altitudes range from 1200-1650 meters. Although rainfall is abundant, water storage is difficult in the high mountain areas, making it challenging to support the water-intensive washed processing method. However, they also cannot rely on extended sunlight periods like African countries, and natural processing also carries significant risks. Therefore, they drew inspiration from Brazil's pulped natural method, which involves removing the cherry skin, washing for one hour, and then spreading it out for sun drying. Coffee-producing countries in Central America, such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala, observed that this processing method consumed less water and could reduce sunlight duration, so they began to emulate it and adapted it to their local conditions. Thus, these Central American countries call this method honey processing.

The Improved Honey Processing Method

The improved honey processing method involves first removing the coffee cherry's skin and part of the mucilage, using a pulping machine to ensure high precision. The thickness of the mucilage is precisely controlled, and then the beans are spread directly on raised drying beds without any water contact. The subdivisions of black honey, red honey, yellow honey, and white honey are distinguished by the different colors corresponding to the degree of mucilage retention.

Red honey retains 80% of the mucilage and is sun-dried for 12 days, resulting in dried parchment coffee that presents a reddish-brown color. Yellow honey retains 40-60% of the mucilage layer and is sun-dried for about 8 days. Because the mucilage layer is thinner, the dried parchment coffee presents a yellowish-brown color. White honey retains 40% of the mucilage layer with a shorter drying time, resulting in lighter-colored parchment coffee. Black honey retains almost all the mucilage and is dried for more than 14 days, resulting in parchment coffee that tends toward black.

Raisin Honey Processing: The Latest Innovation

The latest innovation in honey processing is raisin honey processing. FrontStreet Coffee offers a strawberry sugar coffee from Costa Rica's Mirasu estate that uses raisin honey processing. Raisin honey processing retains 100% of the mucilage with zero water treatment, increasing the difficulty of honey processing and requiring strict time control. After harvesting the coffee cherries, they are poured into large water tanks where underdeveloped floating beans are separated through buoyancy screening. They are then dried on raised beds, the cherry skin is removed while preserving the mucilage, and then drying begins. During the drying process, constant turning is required to ensure even drying and slow fermentation. Weather conditions must be monitored carefully until the coffee bean moisture content drops to around 11% to complete the drying process.

This strawberry sugar coffee from the Mirasu estate is produced in the Tarrazú region and is composed of 50% Geisha coffee beans mixed with Ethiopian heirloom variety ET47, SL28, and MAICO. When brewed using a V60 with a 1:15 ratio, it presents strawberry and raisin flavors in the initial taste, with candy and nut notes in the aftertaste, along with a creamy, honey-like texture.

Important Notice :

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