Coffee Processing Explained: Natural, Honey, Fully Washed, and Wet Hulled
How coffee cherries are processed after picking shapes the flavour in the cup. Here are the four methods buyers encounter most.
A freshly picked coffee cherry holds two beans wrapped in skin, mucilage, and parchment. The way these layers are removed is called processing. Different processes produce different flavours, even from the same farm.
Natural (dry process)
The whole cherry is dried before the skin is removed. Sugars from the fruit move into the bean, so the coffee tends to be sweet, fruity, and full-bodied. The risk: drying must be managed carefully to prevent mould.
Honey
The skin is removed, but some of the mucilage stays on the bean while it dries. The result sits between natural and fully washed: sweet and clean, with softer acidity.
Fully washed
The skin is removed, the mucilage is broken down by fermentation and washed off, and the beans are dried in their parchment. This gives the cleanest cup with the most distinct acidity.
Wet hulled (semi-washed)
This is the signature Sumatran process. The parchment is removed while the beans are still wet, and the beans are then dried again until their moisture drops. It is faster and produces a heavy body, low acidity, and spicy, earthy notes.
Which one suits your business?
- Espresso roasters often prefer wet hulled or natural coffee for its body.
- Specialty cafés frequently look for fully washed or honey coffee for a cleaner cup.
- Manufacturers usually prioritise consistency and volume.
State the process you need when you submit a PO. We will match it with available supply from our farmers.