In my previous article on the origins of coffee (which you can see here) , I often wrote that coffee grows in a specific location. Since coffee is a plant, our brew is prepared from the seeds of the coffee fruit. The processing method, the topic of today's post, is about how this seed was extracted from the fruit and how it affects our brew.

We now know where our coffee comes from, which is one of the most important determinants of a coffee's sensory profile (known as origin). A high-quality coffee package will undoubtedly include information about how the coffee was processed, meaning how the beans were removed from the fruit (known as processing). These methods are divided into:

• Natural/dry (natural)
• Washed/wet
• Honey/pulped natural (honey)

photo: Falcon Coffees

Natural

The natural method is the oldest processing method, cultivated in many producing countries. It is characterized by prolonged contact between the bean and the rest of the fruit, which makes coffees processed this way generally sweet and fruity, reminiscent of strawberries, blueberries, lingonberries, or coffee cherries. The technology itself is quite simple. The first step is freshly picked, ripe, and healthy cherries, which are transported to a washing station (a place where coffee is processed in various ways). There, they are sorted and weighed, and then transferred to a drying station. Sometimes this station is simply a concrete patio, but increasingly, these are so-called African beds, a type of netting suspended above the ground to provide equal air access to the fruit from all sides. There, the cherries are spread out in thin layers and frequently turned to dry them evenly. It is this contact between the fruit and the bean that gives them their characteristic flavor. Once completely dried, the fruit is sent to a dry mill, where it is grated to remove the dry pulp. It is then sorted again and packed into bags, where it waits in warehouses for its journey to the roasting plant.

Washed

The washed method is the most common method for processing high-quality coffee. The exact method varies depending on the country or region where the coffee is processed. However, its main goal is to remove the beans from the fruit as quickly as possible after harvesting. By quickly removing the pulp, fermentation time is minimized, ensuring that the flavors found in washed coffees come from the bean itself, the variety, and the terroir (coffee experts often describe this as the "pure" flavor of coffee, unaltered by fermentation). Washing the coffee begins, of course, with the harvesting of fresh, ripe, and healthy cherries. The cherries then go to a depulper, a machine designed to press the beans from the fruit (a sort of "industrial" pitter), which takes place 8 to 12 hours after harvesting. After pressing, a residual pulp (mucilage) remains on the beans, which is removed by "washing" in fermentation tanks (a sort of coffee pool). There, the coffee ferments for several hours, allowing the pulp to "loosen." Afterward, the coffee is washed with fresh water, which "washes" away any remaining pulp. The beans are then spread out on patios or African beds to dry. They are then packed in bags and stored in a warehouse.

photo: Falcon Coffees

Honey

In recent years, the honey processing method has become increasingly popular, thanks to its balance between the fruity sweetness of natural processing and the purity of washed processing. It is most common in Central American countries such as Costa Rica and El Salvador. A very similar processing method – pulped natural – is primarily practiced in Brazil. Harvesting fresh, ripe, and healthy fruit is the beginning of the entire process. As quickly as possible (within 8-12 hours), the fruit is transferred to the depulper, where the appropriate amount of pulp is removed. Depending on the amount of pulp remaining on the bean, there are four varieties: black (the most pulp on the bean), red, yellow, and white (the least pulp). The black variety is most similar to natural processing, while the white variety is most similar to washed processing. From the depulper, the coffee is transported directly to the drying area – patios or African beds. After drying, the remaining pulp is removed by friction. The coffee prepared this way is ready to be packed into bags and sent to the roastery.

Now the descriptions on our packages shouldn't pose any mystery to you. Natural, washed, honey, or wet-hulled—now everything is clear and simple.

Do you have your favorite methods? Sweet, fruity naturals, clean, floral washed coffees, or balanced honey-processed coffees?

Author of the text: Aleksander Smęt, Roast Master LaCava