COFFEE DRYING PROCESS
So when you hear in the coffee name words like Honey, Natural, Washed, Wet-Process. What they are referring to is the drying process of the coffee beans themselves. There are several ways to dry the beans and each process does effect the flavor of each bean, so we thought we would describe a few of the process for you.
DRY (NATURAL) PROCESS – Also known as the dry process, natural processing is most old school way to process coffee. After picking the coffee cherries from the coffee trees, they are spread out in thin layers to dry in the sun. The drying stations can be a little different depending on the farm or region; some use brick patios, others special raised beds (=tables) which enable air to flow around the cherries, thus more even drying. To avoid mould, fermentation or rotting, the cherries are turned regularly. Once the cherries are properly dry, the skin and dried fruit flesh are removed mechanically and the green coffee is stored and “rested” before exporting it.
WASHED – WET PROCESS – All of the fruit flesh is removed mechanically from the coffee bean before the beans are dried. After depulping the beans are put to a water tank where fermentation process will remove the remainder of the fruit flesh. After the fermentation is ready, the coffee beans are washed to remove any leftover flesh and then it is ready to be dried. Drying in the washed process is done similarly as in natural process so in brick patios or raised beds. To ensure even drying the beans are turned regularly as in natural processing. The beans can be also mechanically dried, especially in regions where there isn’t enough sunshine or excess humidity.
HONEY – PULPED NATURAL PROCESS – The honey process is used commonly mainly in Central American countries such as Costa Rica and El Salvador. The cherries are mechanically depulped but the depulping machines are set to leave a specific amount of flesh on the beans. After depulping the beans go straight to the drying tables or patios to dry. As there is less flesh surrounding the beans, the risk of over-fermentation is lower than in natural process but the overall sweetness and body in the cup are increased by the sugars in the remaining flesh. When well done, honey processed coffee have positive attributes from washed and natural coffees; sweetness of naturals and brightness of washed.
