Coffee Processing Methods
Discover how different processing methods transform coffee cherries into the beans that create your favorite flavours. From traditional washed methods to innovative experimental processes.
Understanding Coffee Processing
🌊 Washed
The washed process involves removing the cherry's outer fruit before fermentation. Coffee cherries are pulped, fermented in water tanks, then washed and dried. This method produces clean, bright, and acidic flavour profiles with well-defined characteristics.
☀️ Natural
In the natural process, whole coffee cherries are dried in the sun before removing the fruit. This extended contact between the bean and cherry creates fruity, wine-like flavours with more body and natural sweetness.
🫙 Anaerobic
Anaerobic fermentation occurs in sealed, oxygen-free environments, allowing unique microorganisms to develop distinct flavours. This process produces complex, often funky or wine-like characteristics that can be quite experimental.
🍯 Honey
The honey process involves removing the cherry skin but leaving some mucilage (the sticky layer) attached during drying. This creates a balance between the cleanliness of washed coffees and the sweetness of naturals.
🦠 Fermentation
Advanced fermentation techniques use controlled environments, specific yeasts, or extended fermentation times to develop unique flavour profiles. These methods often enhance fruity, floral, or complex characteristics.
🚫 Decaf
Decaffeination processes remove caffeine while attempting to preserve the original flavour characteristics. Methods include Swiss Water Process, Ethyl Acetate (sugarcane), and CO2 extraction.
🧪 Experimental
Experimental processes push the boundaries of traditional coffee processing. These include carbonic maceration, thermal shock, yeast inoculation, and other innovative techniques that create unique and often surprising flavour profiles.
❓ Others
Unique processing methods that don't fit into traditional categories, often representing regional innovations or specialty techniques developed by individual producers.
Washed Processes
2,147 total beans
Clean, bright, and acidic profiles with well-defined flavours
Natural Processes
1,338 total beans
Fruity, wine-like flavours with more body and sweetness
Anaerobic Processes
425 total beans
Unique, complex flavours from oxygen-free fermentation
Honey Processes
327 total beans
Balanced sweetness between washed and natural processes
Fermentation Processes
93 total beans
Enhanced flavours through controlled fermentation techniques
Decaf Processes
51 total beans
Caffeine removed while preserving original flavours
Experimental Processes
16 total beans
Innovative techniques pushing flavour boundaries
Other Processes
94 total beans
Unique and specialty processing methods