A bag of specialty coffee often lists a processing method, such as natural or washed. This describes how the coffee cherry was processed after harvest. The method is one of the things that determines how the coffee tastes.
What is processing?
Coffee beans are the seeds of a cherry. After picking, the beans need to be dried and the pulp removed. How this is done is called the processing method.
The four best-known methods
| Method | How it works | Flavor (often) |
|---|---|---|
| Washed | The pulp is removed and washed away before the bean dries | Bright and clean |
| Natural | The whole cherry dries with the pulp still attached | Fruity and sweet |
| Honey | Some of the sticky fruit pulp remains on the bean as it dries | Sweet and rounded |
| Anaerobic | The coffee ferments in a sealed tank, without oxygen | Distinctive and intense |
The flavor description is a guide. The same method can produce different results for each coffee, depending on its origin, variety, and roast.
What does that mean for you?
- Do you like a clean, bright cup? Look for a washed coffee.
- Do you like fruit and sweetness? Try a natural.
- Want to taste something distinctive? Choose an anaerobic coffee.
Read the tasting notes on the bag, as they give you the best idea of what to expect in the cup.
Choose for yourself
- View all coffees in the Specialty Coffee collection.
- Also read Flavor palette and Roast level.
