How is honey processed coffee different from washed or natural?
Shop Our Current Honey Processed Coffees:
Costa Rica Black Honey is a customer favorite, but you can shop all our honey coffees online.
How is Honey Processed Coffee Different from Washed or Natural?
I have often compared tasting the variations in coffee to that of wine. Indeed, there is as much variety in green (unroasted) coffee beans as there is in wine grapes. In addition to the variations in crops and regions, the method in which the freshly picked cherries are processed into green coffee beans—ready for shipment and eventual roasting—also creates distinct differences in the way coffee tastes. Traditionally, coffee producers have used two main techniques for processing their beans: natural (or dry) and washed. The honey (or pulped natural) process is a hybrid that combines elements of both techniques to create new differentiations in flavor. There is also another method, primarily used in Indonesia, wet-hulled, which will be discussed in another post.
Is All Coffee Processed?
Yes. Coffee beans are the pit/seed of cherries which grow on plants the size of a large shrub. When the coffee cherries are harvested, the seed/bean must be separated from the cherry fruit and mucilage before it is roasted. Originally coffee would be allowed to simply dry in the sun with fruit intact until ready for milling. This natural method is still widely used today, especially in Brazil and Ethiopia. However, it is most common today to find washed coffees which have the fruit removed before they are dried. This process is quicker, and is the predominant method of processing around the world. There is also a hybrid between natural and washed which is the pulped natural or honey process. All coffees, regardless of processing method, are milled or hulled to remove the last layers of skins that protect the inner bean.
Washed Coffee
In the washed process, beans are completely de-pulped, removing all of the cherry fruit. Then they are soaked and allowed to ferment for 12 to 72 hours before being washed clean of any remaining fruit and dried. It is probably the most common method for preparing green coffee beans. Washed process coffees usually have a bright, clean taste. Most Central and South American coffees use this method. Most East African coffees are also washed.
Natural or Dry Process Coffee
This is the most traditional process method. In the natural or dry process, whole coffee cherries are left to dry in the sun, leaving the fruit on the bean, allowing it to “raisin-ify” around the bean. Natural fermentation occurs resulting in the creation of complex flavors and sugars. This is a longer process than other methods. Naturally processed coffees often have complex fruity notes in the final cup like berries or citrus. Good examples of natural coffees are our Ethiopia Sidamo Natural Organic or the Bali Kintimani.
What is Honey Processed Coffee?
Pulped natural or honey process is a method in which the fresh coffee cherries are de-pulped, but allowed to dry without washing. Some of the fruit is still there, but not nearly as much as in the natural process. Most of the cherry is gone, but the remaining golden, sticky mucilage is reminiscent of honey, which is where the process gets it name.
One benefit to producers is that honey processing uses less water. Allowing the fruit to dry on the bean means that it can be physically removed during milling rather than being washed off as is typical of washed coffees.
Yellow, Red, and Black Honey Processing
During the honey process, as the coffee is drying, the sticky coating on the outside of the beans oxidizes and darkens in color. Beginning a golden yellow color, coffee which is stopped at this point is referred to as yellow honey process coffee. Allowing the coffee to continue fermenting, the mucilage further oxidizes to a red and finally a black color. The more fruit is left on the bean the darker the color as well. Black honey processed coffee can also have more fruit left on the bean during the drying process than yellow honey coffee.
As the coffee beans dry, yellow honey process coffee is turned more often to encourage drying, red and black are turned less often. It is the length of that drying process which allow the coffees to develop more or less fruity flavors.
How Does Processing Affect Flavor?
In the cup, honey-processed coffees tend to be more complex than their washed analogs, but not as fruity as natural coffees.
If you want to try a honey process coffee with a naturally sweet, fruit-forward cup, try our Tanzania Honey from the Finagro farm. It's a uniquely processed lot from the same estate as our regular Tanzania Edelweiss, so it's especially fun to try both and compare how the honey processing affects the flavor of beans grown in the same area, but processed differently.
Or you can try this same tasting experiment with our Costa Rica Black Honey and the washed Costa Rica and the Costa Rica Full Natural. The natural and the honey processed are again both from the same Monge Familia estate in Tarrazu. The comparison of the flavors between the fully natural and the more hybrid honey process are quite pronounced as the natural has an almost Merlot-wine flavor in comparison to it's honey-processed sister.
Honey Processing is Still Evolving
There are many variations in the complex application of the still relatively new honey processing method. From the amount of fruit left on the bean to the drying time, as well as the wide variety of different types of beans being processed ensures we still have many exciting things to expect from this new twist on classic coffee production.
Trianon Coffee also two special varietals of black Honey processed coffee. As mentioned above, first we have back again the Costa Rica Black Honey. This was an incredibly popular coffee last year and we are thrilled to have it back again this year along with other crops from the Monge Familia.
In addition, we have recently added El Salvaldor Black Honey from the woman-owned Bella Vista Finca Lemus. This exceptional new arrival was selected as a 2020 Royal Crown Jewel and is one of the best honey coffees we've tasted this year.
Learn more about coffee processing:
Mowery, L. (July 2016). Coffee Got Complicated: Know Your Natural From Your Washed From Your Honey. Retrieved September 2016, from Forbes.
Turp, R. (July 2016). Washed, Natural, Honey: Coffee Processing 101. Retrieved September 2016, from Perfect Daily Grind.
Shuler, J. (2015). What Makes a Washed a Washed (PDF). Retrieved September 2016, from SCAA Events.
Most recently revised August 2020.
This article was originally published September 2016.

Original photo credit: Broken Banjo Photography for Trianon Coffee
317 comments
Specialist in recovery of any kind, they can help you spy on anyone on this earth and get information from anywhere at all, brillianthacker800@gmail.com is group of specialists in delivering jobs like this without stress all they need is the necessary information to get what you need, they are also available on Whatsapp +14106350697 to deliver.
Cryptocurrency Scam/Fraud Tracing & Recovery
I never thought I will get scammed of all my assets on this exchange which I was warned by friends not to invest online or apply for exchange from unknown online investors, they stole all my life savings ranging to a total sum of $68k [sixty eight thousand dollars] worth of bitcoin, I started regretting my life until I came across some article online about jamesmckaywizard a genuine hacker who is into any kind of hacking and helping people recover their lost funds via online scam, I still didn’t believe bitcoin can ever be recovered, but had to once again trust my guts and instincts. To my greatest surprise Mr. James was able to carry out the job neatly without any traces or complications all thanks to him and his team for offering me a top notch services. To that one person or persons out there who really need a true and efficient hacker l would advice you to contact: Email: jamesmckaywizard at gmail dot com or WhatsApp +31… 657… 446… 248..
After losing over $600,000.00 to fraudulent stock brokers who operated under the name “fxtradebit,” I found myself drowning in debt. However, I was fortunate enough to come across so reviews about a hack specialist by name jamesmckaywizard at gmail dot com. They played a crucial role in my journey towards recovery and exposing the true nature of the scammers. Initially, I was on the verge of paying the requested transfer fees out of desperation to retrieve my money, but jamesmckaywizard intervened. They revealed that the scammers were impostors and that their company was merely a copycat of a legitimate one. This revelation devastated me, but Century Hackers used their expertise to trace the money back to the accounts and wallets where I had sent it. Their remarkable efforts turned the situation in my favor, for which I am immensely grateful. You can reach them through email jamesmckaywizard at gmail dot com or WhatsApp +31* 657* 446* 248.
Goodday to anyone seeing this post i recently enlisted one of personal chargeback recovery services and I must admit I was more than impressed. If you have been a victim of bitcoin or any cryptocurrency scam, I feel like it’s my duty to connect you all with a legit hacker like him. I started having a lot of issues with an investment company that goes by the name drip coin when I placed a withdrawal order for 297,000 USD From which I had with them. The so-called accountant disappeared, the support team did not respond to any of my emails and I thought it was over because I made the payments in crypto but I didn’t give up to have my funds back. Luckily for me with the help of Mr. JamesMCKAYWIZARD I was able to recover my funds. I salute him for his service his emails: jamesmckaywizard at gmail dot com or WhatsApp +316= 574= 46248.
Being a scam victim can depressing, you were given empty promises. They usually stop replying after achieving their aim with hurts even more, i have been there too as i was too ambitious and wanted financial security which made me invest a huge chunk of my life savings. I never thought i would be getting back a dime back and already lost hope until i contacted a team which was just a leap of faith as i wasn’t going to go down without a fight. CM, a recovery expert that helped me get a significant sum of my investment back. Do not brood alone, make a move too, send a mail to zattechrecovery AT G mail com
I believe that there are individuals who have lost their crypto one way or the other. I strongly advise that you don’t seek help recovering it online because you are likely going to meet a scammer who will steal more of your funds in an attempt to help you recover your lost crypto. I personally have used ZATTPRO RECOVERY when I had to recover my bitcoin stolen by scammers. You can contact this legit recovery firm by email (zattechrecovery @ G mail com)
This is my honest experience.I am open to share my experience with bitcoin investment and losing money to scammers. However, yes it is possible to recover your stolen bitcoins. I never believed in bitcoin recovery because i was made to understand that it was not possible. However, sometime in october i fell for a forex scam which promised overly high returns and i ended up losing close to $70,000. I searched for a month for help until i finally came across an article on reddit in regards to recovering stolen cryptocurrency so i reached out to him at [zattechrecovery [@] gmail com.] I was so scared and skeptical because i have heard of bad experiences but i decided to give them a try and to my greatest surprise i was able to get all my stolen bitcoins recovered from the scammers within a very short time frame. I don’t know if i’m allowed to share the links on here but you can contact if you also need help.