What The F**k... Is Processing?

Ever spotted the word “natural” or “washed” on coffee packaging and wondered what it means? James Hanson explains all

- James Hanson

Coffee is surrounded by specifics: varietals, roasting profiles, brew times and so on. The term “processing”, on the other hand, is about as vague as it gets, which is perhaps odd considering the myriad elements it can involve.

In essence, processing is the journey from coffee cherry to green bean. The three most common methods are natural, pulped natural (or honey) and washed. These are still broad strokes, however, as the specifics vary according to terroir, economic geography, cost and tradition, as well as the farming model.

It’s during processing that producers have the opportunity to experiment with flavour. If the freedom to choose a process exists, it can offer a wide spectrum of possibilities, as well as the freedom to respond to market demand.

The natural process involves drying ripe cherries in the sun. Once the bean inside has a 10-12% moisture content, the cherries are hulled and the beans sorted, graded for quality and bagged. While natural processing is the most accessible method owing to low set-up costs and lack of water usage, it’s also the riskiest if quality control methods are not applied. It’s also not suited to countries with high levels of rainfall.