Honey Process Coffee

Sometimes called pulped natural, the honey process sits right in the sweet spot between washed and natural coffees. The name actually comes from the sticky, sugar-rich mucilage left on the bean during drying, which feels just like honey. The goal is to strip away the outer skin while keeping some of that sweet fruit layer intact to build flavor. It goes like this:

• Initial selection: sort the coffee fruits or float them in water to eliminate defective and underripe cherries.

• Depulping: machinery removes the outer skin, but leaves a calculated amount of the sticky mucilage layer intact on the seed.

• No fermentation wash: unlike washed coffees, the mucilage isn't fermented off. The coffee goes straight to the drying stage with that sticky fruit coating still attached.

• Drying phase: the seeds are spread out on raised beds or patios to dry in the sun. As they dry, the mucilage turns golden and sticky, requiring constant raking to prevent over-fermentation.

• Hulling: once fully dried, the remaining dried mucilage and parchment layer are milled off before roasting.

Honey processed coffees are often described as balanced, rich, and naturally sweet. You can expect a smooth cup with a bit more body and fruitiness than a traditional washed coffee, but with a cleaner, brighter finish than a full natural.