The coffee bean that we know and love starts life as the fruit of a coffee tree. When the seed pods on a coffee tree ripen they turn red. The picture below shows a ripe coffee cherry on my own tree that sits outside at Fish River Roasters HQ (a rare event as coffee doesn’t grow well in our climate).
But harvesting is only the first step. Once picked, there’s an important decision to be made: how to remove the cherry’s outer layers and prepare the bean for drying and shipping. This process, known as coffee processing, has a major influence on the coffee’s final flavour. There are three main processing methods, each with its own unique impact on taste.
1. The Natural Method
Think of this method as drying a sultana. With the natural process, the coffee cherries are picked and laid out in the sun to dry. Over time, the outer red skin shrivels, the inner layers dry up, and the entire husk is eventually milled off. Because the bean remains in contact with the fruit during drying, this method tends to infuse the coffee with fruity, sweet flavours. The natural method is especially great for coffees where vibrant fruit notes are desired—like in our popular Christmas Blend.
2. The Washed Method
The washed method is all about precision and clarity. After picking, the red outer skin of the cherry is removed mechanically using a machine called a pulper. The beans are then put in a water tank to ferment off some of the layers that surround the bean (the mucilage). After fermentation, the beans are washed clean and laid out to dry on raised beds or patios. The result? A coffee with crisp, distinct flavours and a clean finish. At Fish River Roasters, this method is used in single origins like our Colombian El Aguila and Kenyan.
3. The Honey Process (Pulped Natural)
The honey process, also known as pulped natural, strikes a balance between the natural and washed methods. Here, the outer skin of the cherry is removed (as in the washed method), but some of the sticky mucilage is left on the bean during drying. This hybrid process imparts a subtle sweetness from the retained layers while maintaining some of the clarity and structure of washed coffees.
So, Which Method is Best?
The beauty of coffee processing is that it’s not about one method being "better" than another—it’s about what you want to taste in the cup. Next time you enjoy a cup of coffee, take a moment to think about its journey—from cherry to bean. The method used to process it plays a huge role in the flavours you experience!
