Between the moment a ripe coffee cherry is picked from the tree and the moment it arrives at a roastery as an exportable green bean, a series of critical decisions must be made about how to remove the fruit surrounding the seed and how to dry and prepare the bean for storage and shipment. These decisions — collectively known as processing — have a profound impact on the flavor of the finished cup. Two identical lots of cherries from the same farm, harvested on the same day, can taste remarkably different if one is washed and the other is processed naturally. Understanding processing methods is essential for any coffee drinker who wants to move beyond origin and roast as the sole frameworks for evaluating what they taste.
The Anatomy of the Coffee Cherry
To understand processing, it helps to understand what is being processed. A coffee cherry consists of several layers surrounding the seed — which is the coffee bean itself. The outermost layer is the skin, or exocarp. Beneath it lies the pulp, or mesocarp — a thin layer of sweet, mucilaginous fruit flesh. Underneath the pulp is a sticky layer called the mucilage, or pectin layer, which clings tightly to the bean. The bean itself is enclosed in a papery shell called the parchment, or endocarp, and beneath that a thin silvery membrane called the silver skin. Processing is fundamentally about how and when these layers are removed, and whether the sugars and organic compounds in the fruit are allowed to interact with the bean during drying.
Washed Processing: Clarity and Clean Acidity
In washed processing — also called wet processing — the fruit layers are removed from the bean before drying begins. Freshly harvested cherries are first run through a mechanical depulper, which strips away the skin and most of the pulp. The depulped beans, still coated in mucilage, are then placed in fermentation tanks filled with water, where naturally occurring microorganisms break down the remaining sticky mucilage over a period ranging from twelve to seventy-two hours, depending on ambient temperature and the producer’s approach.
After fermentation, the beans are thoroughly washed with clean water to remove all residual fruit material, then spread on raised drying beds or patios to dry in the sun until they reach an ideal moisture content of approximately ten to twelve percent. This process typically takes one to two weeks, with regular turning to ensure even drying.
The flavor profile of washed coffees tends to emphasize the intrinsic character of the bean itself — the qualities derived from variety, altitude, and soil rather than from the fruit. Washed coffees are often described as clean, bright, and transparent, with well-defined acidity and a clarity that allows individual flavor notes to be distinguished easily. This is why washed processing is the standard in many of the world’s most prestigious growing regions, including much of Central America, Colombia, and East Africa. The terroir-driven character that washed processing reveals is closely connected to the environmental variables we explored in our discussion of how soil and climate shape coffee flavor.
Natural Processing: Fruit-Forward Intensity
Natural processing — also called dry processing — is the oldest and simplest method. The entire cherry is spread on drying beds or patios immediately after harvesting, with all fruit layers intact. Over two to four weeks, the cherry dries slowly around the bean, and during this extended contact period, sugars and organic compounds from the fruit pulp and mucilage migrate into the bean through osmotic exchange and enzymatic activity.
The result is a coffee with a distinctly different flavor profile from its washed counterpart. Natural coffees are characteristically heavier in body, lower in perceived acidity, and marked by fruit-forward flavors — often described as blueberry, strawberry, tropical fruit, wine, or fermented fruit notes. At their best, natural coffees offer a richness and sensory intensity that is genuinely thrilling. At their worst — when drying conditions are poorly managed and uncontrolled fermentation occurs — they can taste unpleasantly fermented, musty, or vinegary.
Natural processing is traditional in regions where water is scarce, notably Ethiopia and parts of Brazil. In recent years, however, it has been adopted by producers worldwide as a deliberate stylistic choice, valued for the bold, distinctive character it imparts. The growing popularity of natural processing reflects a broader trend in specialty coffee toward valuing diversity of flavor experience over any single definition of quality.
Honey Processing: The Middle Path
Honey processing — named not for the sweetener but for the sticky, honey-like appearance of the mucilage-coated beans — occupies a middle ground between washed and natural methods. After depulping, the beans are dried with some or all of their mucilage layer intact, but without the full fruit. The amount of mucilage left on the bean determines the sub-category: white honey retains the least mucilage and produces a cup closer to washed character, while black honey retains the most and approaches the fruit intensity of naturals. Yellow and red honey fall between these poles.
Honey-processed coffees typically exhibit moderate body, sweetness that sits between the clean brightness of washed and the fruit-heavy richness of naturals, and a balanced complexity that many drinkers find immediately appealing. Costa Rica has become particularly associated with honey processing, where producers have refined the technique into an art form with precise control over mucilage levels and drying conditions.
Experimental and Anaerobic Processing
In recent years, producers and researchers have pushed the boundaries of coffee processing through experimental techniques. Anaerobic fermentation places depulped or whole cherries in sealed, oxygen-free containers where controlled microbial activity produces unique flavor compounds not achievable through traditional methods. Carbonic maceration, borrowed from winemaking, involves fermenting whole cherries in a carbon dioxide-saturated environment. Extended fermentation experiments manipulate time, temperature, and microbial cultures to create specific flavor outcomes.
These experimental methods have generated both excitement and controversy within the specialty coffee community. Proponents argue they expand the flavor palette of coffee in thrilling new directions. Critics contend that extreme processing can mask the origin character of the bean, making the processing method rather than the terroir the dominant flavor influence. This debate echoes similar conversations in the wine world about the relative importance of winemaking technique versus vineyard character. The relationship between processing and the bean’s inherent qualities — shaped by variety, roast level, and growing environment — is one reason why understanding the fundamental differences between coffee species remains so important even as processing methods grow more diverse.
How Processing Interacts With Roasting and Brewing
Processing does not operate in isolation. It interacts with roasting and brewing in ways that demand attention from anyone seeking to optimize their coffee experience. Natural and honey-processed coffees, with their higher sugar content and fruit-derived compounds, often respond differently to roasting than washed coffees. They may caramelize more readily and can develop roasty, burnt flavors if pushed too dark. Many roasters favor lighter profiles for natural and honey coffees to preserve their distinctive fruit character, a consideration we examined in our guide to understanding roast profiles and their impact on flavor development.
In brewing, processing-related flavor differences become more or less pronounced depending on method. Filter brewing methods like pour-over tend to highlight the clarity and acidity distinctions between washed and natural coffees. Immersion methods like French press and espresso can amplify the body and fruit intensity of naturals while smoothing the brightness of washed lots.
Conclusion
Processing is the hidden variable that shapes coffee flavor as profoundly as origin, variety, or roast level. The choice between washed, natural, honey, and experimental methods determines whether a coffee will present itself as clean and transparent or rich and fruit-forward, and it creates a layer of diversity that makes the specialty coffee landscape endlessly varied. For the curious drinker, paying attention to the processing method listed on a bag of coffee — and tasting across methods with an open palate — is one of the most rewarding ways to deepen your understanding of what coffee can be.
Daniel Almeida is a member of the editorial team at Saiba Money, where he contributes to the research, writing, and review of educational content focused on coffee culture, production, and brewing methods.
He works collaboratively to ensure that all published articles are accurate, clearly structured, and accessible to a broad audience. His interests include agricultural development, global coffee markets, and the science behind brewing techniques.
Daniel is committed to delivering reliable, well-researched information that helps readers better understand coffee from origin to preparation.