A Simple Guide to How Coffee Is Processed

8 April 2023 — by Nick T from Gayo’s Best Coffee

These days, it feels like everyone in the coffee world is talking about Ethiopian Naturals. But what does “natural” actually mean?

Does it mean other coffees are not natural? Are they processed with chemicals or artificial ingredients?

Thankfully, no.

In coffee, the word processing refers to the method used to remove the coffee bean from the fruit after harvesting. Different processing methods can dramatically change the flavor, body, sweetness, and overall character of the coffee in your cup.

There are four main coffee processing methods commonly used around the world. Here’s a simple overview of each process, how it affects farmers, and what it means for us as coffee drinkers.

It All Starts With the Coffee Cherry

Coffee begins as a fruit, commonly called a coffee cherry. Most ripe cherries are red, although some varieties can be yellow or orange.

Picking only ripe cherries is one of the most important steps in producing quality coffee. Unripe cherries can negatively affect the final taste of the coffee.

Once harvested, farmers decide how the coffee will be processed.

Helpful Coffee Processing Terms

Pulp

The outer skin of the coffee cherry removed using a machine called a pulper.

Parchment (Hull)

The thin protective layer surrounding the coffee bean after pulping.

Mucilage

The sticky, sugary layer left on the bean after the fruit skin is removed.

Okay, now on with the different ways to process coffee. 

1. Wet Hulled Process (Semi-Washed)

Wet hulled coffee — sometimes called semi-washed — is most commonly associated with Sumatra, especially the Gayo Highlands where our coffees are sourced.

After harvesting, the cherries are pulped and usually soaked overnight or rested in bags. The next day, the beans are lightly washed, partially dried, and then processed through a huller while still containing relatively high moisture.

The beans are then dried again before sorting.

This process is popular in Sumatra because it works well in humid and rainy conditions, making it faster and easier for farmers compared to fully washed processing.

Wet hulled coffees are often known for their earthy, heavy-bodied character. However, when processed carefully and dried properly, they can also produce sweet, clean, and complex flavor profiles.

Because the process requires less time and infrastructure, wet hulled coffees are generally more affordable than fully washed coffees.

2. Washed Process

Washed coffees begin similarly to wet hulled coffees, but with a much longer fermentation and cleaning stage.

After pulping, the beans are soaked in water for around 12–24 hours. During this time, the mucilage breaks down naturally and is removed through washing.

The beans are then dried slowly until they reach around 12% moisture content.

Sometimes the coffee is rested in parchment for several weeks or even months before the final hulling stage. This resting period can help stabilize and improve consistency in flavor.

Washed processing is the most widely used coffee processing method in the world.

Compared to semi-washed coffees, washed coffees usually have:

• Cleaner flavor clarity
• Brighter acidity
• More consistency from harvest to harvest

The process uses more water and requires more labor, which is why fully washed coffees often cost more.

 

Pulping Coffee in Action

3. Natural Process

Natural processed coffees are dried inside the whole fruit without being pulped or washed first.

After harvesting, the cherries are spread out to dry under the sun for several weeks. During this time, natural fermentation happens inside the fruit while the bean absorbs sugars and fruit characteristics from the cherry.

Once fully dried, the outer layers are removed using a huller.

Naturals are often known for:

• Fruity flavors
• Intense sweetness
• Wine-like characteristics
• Heavier body

Many Ethiopian natural coffees are famous for blueberry, strawberry, or tropical fruit notes. Sumatran naturals can also develop rich fruity complexity.

Natural processing requires no water, but it is one of the most difficult methods to control. Small mistakes during drying can easily create defects or over-fermentation.

Because of the high risk and labor involved, naturally processed coffees are often more expensive.

 

Honey Processed Coffee drying in the Greenhouse

4. Honey Process

Honey process — sometimes called pulp natural — sits somewhere between washed and natural processing.

The cherries are pulped immediately after harvest, but instead of washing away the mucilage, the beans are dried with the sticky fruit layer still attached.

As the coffee dries, fermentation continues slowly due to the natural sugars in the mucilage.

After drying, the parchment is removed and the coffee is sorted.

Honey processed coffees are often loved for their balance between sweetness and clarity.

In the cup, they commonly show:

• Sugarcane sweetness
• Tropical fruit notes
• Smooth body
• Lingering aftertaste

Price-wise, honey coffees usually sit between washed and natural coffees.

Personally, honey processed coffees are some of my favorites. They often become even sweeter and more expressive several days after roasting.