Cherry to Washing

1. Washed (or Wet) Process

Flavor Profile:
Produces bright, clean, and crisp flavors that clearly highlight the coffee’s origin.

Process:
The fruit is removed from the bean before drying, often involving fermentation and washing.

Characteristics:
Lower fruitiness, a cleaner presentation of origin flavors, and a moderate body.

2. Natural (or Dry) Process

Flavor Profile:
Offers bold, fruit-forward, and sometimes wild or complex flavors, often with a heavier body.

Process:
The entire coffee cherry is dried intact, allowing the fruit to impart its sugars and flavors into the bean.

Characteristics:
Fuller body, potentially higher sweetness, and intense fruity or earthy notes.

3. Honey Process

Flavor Profile:
A balanced profile with pronounced sweetness and complexity—often fruity and sweet—with a body and acidity between washed and natural coffees.

Process:
The bean is dried with some or all of the sticky mucilage layer intact, but not the full cherry as in the natural process.

Characteristics:
A middle ground that offers the sweetness and body of natural coffee with some of the clarity of washed coffee.

Which One Should You Choose?

• Choose Washed if:
  You prefer bright, clean, and subtle flavors that highlight the bean’s origin.

• Choose Natural if:
  You enjoy bold, adventurous, and intensely fruity or complex flavors with a heavier body.

• Choose Honey if:
  You’re looking for a balance of sweetness and complexity, with defined fruit and sweet notes that aren’t overwhelming.

Key Differences in Processing

Natural Processing (Dry-Processed):
The entire coffee cherry is dried together before the bean is removed. This method is more sustainable and allows the coffee bean to absorb the fruit’s sugars, resulting in a sweeter, fruitier flavor and a heavier body.

Washed Processing (Wet-Processed):
The fruit and mucilage (a thick, gluey substance) are washed away from the bean before drying. This method requires more water and energy but gives the coffee processor greater control, producing a more consistent flavor with less fruitiness and a cleaner, brighter taste profile.

So, What Should You Go For?

The “better” choice is subjective and depends entirely on your personal flavor preference.
Experimenting with different natural, washed, and honey-processed coffees is the best way to discover which processing method you enjoy the most.