Take two lots from the same farm, the same variety, picked the same week — and they can taste completely different. One is clean and citrusy; the other is jammy and wine-like. The single biggest reason is what happened after the cherry was picked: the processing.
If you buy or roast green coffee, processing is one of the most useful things to understand — it shapes flavour, body and price as much as origin or variety. Here is how the main methods are made, and how each one tends to change the cup.
Key takeaways
- Washed — mucilage removed before drying; cleaner, brighter, true to origin and variety.
- Natural — dried whole in the fruit; fruitier, heavier-bodied, sweeter.
- Honey — skin off, some mucilage left on during drying; sits between washed and natural.
- Anaerobic / carbonic — controlled, oxygen-free fermentation that amplifies or reshapes aromatics.
- Processing changes flavour, body and aroma — not caffeine.
- When you buy, always ask for the method: it tells you as much about the cup as the score does.
What is coffee processing?
A coffee cherry is a fruit, and the seed inside is what we roast. "Processing" is everything done between picking the cherry and drying the green bean for export: how the skin, pulp and sticky layer (the mucilage) are removed, and how the bean is fermented and dried. Those choices decide how much of the fruit's sugars and acids reach the bean — which is why the same coffee can land in very different places in the cup.
Washed (fully washed)
In the washed process, the skin and pulp are removed and the remaining mucilage is broken down — usually by fermentation in tanks — and then rinsed off, before the bean is dried. With the fruit out of the way early, the washed method tends to give a clean, bright, transparent cup that shows the origin, altitude and variety clearly. It is the classic choice for coffees whose value is precision and clarity — like a high-grown washed Geisha.
Natural (dry)
The natural (or "dry") process is the oldest method: the whole cherry is dried with the fruit still on, and the bean is hulled out only once it is dry. Because the bean sits in its own sugars for weeks, natural coffees tend to be fruitier, heavier in body and sweeter, often with berry or tropical notes. Done well it is expressive and clean; done poorly it can taste fermented or uneven — which is why careful drying matters.
Honey (pulped natural)
Honey processing sits between the two. The skin is removed, but some of the sticky mucilage is deliberately left on the bean while it dries. How much is left — and how slowly it dries — gives the familiar labels: white, yellow, red and black honey, with more mucilage generally meaning more sweetness and body. The result keeps some of the cleanliness of washed with some of the sweetness of natural.
Anaerobic and carbonic maceration
These are fermentation techniques rather than separate "wash" categories, and they can be layered onto washed or natural coffees. In anaerobic processing the coffee ferments in a sealed, oxygen-free vessel, usually with controlled time and temperature; removing oxygen changes how the fermentation develops and can amplify or reshape aromatics. Carbonic maceration, borrowed from winemaking, ferments whole cherries in a tank flushed with CO₂. Used carefully, these methods produce distinctive, aromatic lots; used heavily, they can override the origin's character — so intent and control are everything.
Co-fermentation — and why it's debated
Co-fermentation goes a step further by adding inputs — fruit, yeast or other cultures — during fermentation to steer the flavour. It is one of the fastest-growing trends in specialty coffee and can be genuinely delicious, but it is also debated: some buyers feel added inputs mask origin, and some competitions restrict or require disclosure of added ingredients. Our position is simple — there is room for experimentation, but the label should always tell you exactly what you are buying.
A quick reference for buyers
- Want clarity and a true sense of place? Look at washed lots.
- Want fruit, sweetness and body? Look at naturals and honeys.
- Want a distinctive, aromatic showpiece? Look at anaerobic and carbonic lots — and ask how heavy the fermentation is.
- Always check: the exact method, the variety, the drying, and a recent cupping note — together they predict the cup far better than any single number.
How we work with processing
We keep the method front and centre on every lot, because it is part of the coffee's story and its value. Our Nariño Geishas are washed — built for that clean, floral, high-grown clarity — while our Risaralda Mikava lots are natural anaerobic Geishas, leaning into fruit-forward, aromatic expression. Whichever direction you are sourcing for, you will always see the process spelled out, with the full cupping breakdown alongside.
Browse our current lots by process and variety, or get in touch to talk through what fits your roast — samples of any lot are available on request.