Coffee Processing

After coffee cherries are harvested, they must be processed to remove the fruit and dry the seed to a stable moisture level. The three primary processing methods are washed (wet), natural (dry), and honey (semi-washed).

Washed processing removes all fruit before drying, producing clean, bright coffees with pronounced acidity. Natural processing dries the cherry intact, creating fruity, complex, and sometimes fermented flavors. Honey processing removes the skin but leaves some mucilage, balancing clarity with body and sweetness.

Experimental methods like anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration, and yeast inoculation are pushing the boundaries of what coffee can taste like. These methods borrow from winemaking to create entirely new flavor profiles.