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When ordering coffee to drink or buying beans to take home, you might have noticed the terms ‘Washed Process’ and ‘Natural Process’ written in the descriptions.
But what do they mean? The differences are actually quite simple but can have a very impactful effect on the taste of your brew!
There are a few different processing methods when it comes to coffee, with the most popular being Washed and Natural, closely followed by Honey (which is a combination of the two) and various methods of Extended Fermentation and Maceration becoming more fashionable.
All of these processes simply refer to the way the coffee bean is removed from the coffee cherry, and each method will impact the final coffee's sweetness, acidity, and body.
The processing of each coffee will take place in the country that the coffee plants were grown in and harvested, most often in a processing plant on the same land.
Coffee producers will choose a processing method based on the resources available to them, as well as the flavour profile they want to achieve that complements the coffee in a way that will sell best.
Washed coffee is a method that involves literally washing the coffee beans to remove all of the outer layers, such as the fruit and mucilage. Also known as the Wet Process, Washed coffees tend to have a cleaner and more delicate taste, with a light body and bright acidity.
First, the coffee is carefully harvested, then it is put through a de-pulping machine to remove all the skin, mucilage and fruit of the cherry.
In a lot of cases, the de-pulpers are manual machines in which farm workers will use a simple wheel mechanism to pass the coffee beans out of the fruit through perfectly measured holes. Electric-powered de-pulping machines are now being used more regularly too.
After this, coffee producers remove the sweet, sticky mucilage surrounding the beans by fermenting the coffee in tanks for 12-36 hours, though many experiment with varying fermentation times to influence the final flavour profile.
Once fermented, the coffee is thoroughly washed with clean water before being dried on patios, tables, or raised beds.
Washed coffee beans typically have a cleaner and brighter flavour profile. The washing process allows the intrinsic qualities of the bean to shine through, often resulting in a more acidic and complex taste.
This is reliant on great farming practice, as the tasting profiles will come from the growing of the coffee itself, and will not have flavours imparted on it by the outer fruit like it does with the Natural process.
In very simple terms, you’re tasting everything from the inside, nothing from the outside!
The Natural Process is a method that involves drying the coffee cherry naturally in the sun, usually on patios or raised drying beds.
Also known as the Dry Process, this traditional method was popularised in Ethiopia and needs to be more consistent (which means more attention) than washed.
Instead of removing the outer fruit as you do in the washed process, natural processing involves drying the coffee cherries with the fruit and mucilage left on the bean.
This allows the natural sugars, sweetness, and fruit flavours encased in the coffee cherry to ferment and infuse the bean during drying.
After harvest, the coffee is sorted using a combination of flotation techniques. The ripe cherries are then taken to a drying area and placed on a patio, table, or raised bed to dry.
Natural processing poses risks as over-fermentation or even mould can occur if the fruit is left to dry for too long. To mitigate these issues, the coffee is frequently turned to ensure even drying across the maximum surface area exposed to air.
Once the coffee reaches the target moisture level set by the producers, all the outer layers of the dried cherry are removed using a de-pulper or hulling machine.
Natural coffee beans often have a fruitier and sweeter flavour profile. The extended contact with the cherry during drying imparts unique flavours, resulting in a fuller body and more pronounced fruity notes.
The primary difference between the washed and natural processes lies in how the coffee cherry is handled. With washed coffee the cherry is removed with water before the drying process, emphasising the bean’s inherent qualities.
Instead of removing the outer fruit as you do in the washed process, natural processing involves drying the coffee cherries with the fruit and mucilage left intact, imparting additional sweetness and fruity flavour profiles.
So think about it in this easy way:
In conclusion, the difference between washed and natural coffee beans is primarily rooted in their post-harvest processing methods. The washed process highlights the bean's intrinsic qualities, resulting in a cleaner and more acidic flavour profile.
In contrast, the natural process imparts additional fruity and sweet notes, creating a fuller-bodied coffee. Understanding these differences allows coffee enthusiasts to appreciate the unique characteristics each method brings to the cup.
Personally, I love a washed coffeeas there is a tea-like quality, floral, and smoothness that I thoroughly enjoy—especially when drinking it black.
I appreciate, however, that a lot of coffee-producing countries have limitations with fresh water, so Natural coffee is not to be frowned upon at all, especially when I crave a beautiful sweetness and creaminess in my cup!
For example, quite often I will choose a natural from Ethiopia and a washed from Colombia and I will happily alternate through the week.
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