Coffee bean processing methods and how they influence the taste of coffee
How coffee beans are processed on the farm have long been unknown to coffee lovers. It's only recently that ordinary people have started to be interested in them – and we care a lot. The differences in flavor between these three methods can be very dramatic (and even decisive for the choice of coffee).
Note: The information below is made up of generalizations. The exact steps change from farm to farm and country to country when we get to fine details, but almost always, coffee bean processing aligns with one of these three main categories.
Natural Processing
Natural processing (also called "dry") uses the least amount of technology of the three processes. It also lasts the longest, which means there's more chance that something will go wrong. Most natural coffees are not of quality, but those that reach this level (specialty coffees) are very distinct.
The harvested green coffee beans are placed on large terraces or raised beds and left to dry in the sun for two to four weeks. When the beans are dark purple and wrinkled, they can be squeezed by hand or forced with a pulping machine. From here, the berries are placed back on the terraces for a few more days or weeks, until they reach the safe humidity level for transport and storage: 8-12%.
Since the beans are mostly dried inside the pulp, they tend to show o aroma de fruct exotic, sălbatic , which you can't find in coffee from the other processes. The acidity level is lower , the sweetness is more noticeable, the body is a little heavier, and the flavors are incredible l of vibrating.
A common example is processed natural coffee from Ethiopia . These berries are some of the most fruity, with bright notes of strawberries or blueberries. They are so exotic that many people do not prefer them, but in the world of pre-professional specialty coffees, we tend to fall on our backs in front of them.
Flavor Profile: exotic fruity aromas, low acidity, heavy body, rich sweetness, vibrant aromas
Washing Processing
The washing process (also called "wet") is faster and more controlled. Quality coffee Medium results in obtaining grains of higher quality than those obtained by the natural process medium thanks to this additional control. Here's how it works.
The harvested grains are immersed in water and left to ferment for one to five days. The water is drained and the berries are moved to a washing station, where they are washed hard enough to separate the berries from the peel of the fruit. From here, the berries are placed on large terraces or raised beds for several days until they reach the target humidity level.
Because the pulp is separated from the berries after a few days (rather than weeks), the berries do not have a wild fruit flavor. However, they still have fascinating flavors – and are clearer and less "muddy" than natural coffee flavors. The body tends to be lower, and acidity levels tend to be more pronounced.
Flavor Profile : Fascinating aromas, aroma clarity, high acidity, light body.
Honey Processing
Honey processing is a kind of middle ground between the two methods, with its own characteristic.
The picked berries are soaked in water for several days, then rinsed as in the washing process. However, not all of the pulp is removed from the grains. A layer of mucilage (the sticky part) remains on the grains while they dry on terraces or high drying beds for a few more days.
Removing the pulp but leaving that mucilage creates a noticeable sweetness, which is unusual and unheard of in other processing methods. Coffee tends to have a medium body, medium acidity, and medium flavor clarity.
Flavor Profile : increased sweetness, medium body, medium acidity, medium clarity of aroma.
