When you read the label on a bag of specialty coffee, you'll often come across words like Washed, Honey, or Natural.
Despite what they sound like, they have nothing to do with flavourings.
These terms describe how coffee is processed after it's harvested, and they play a significant role in determining how the coffee tastes in your cup.

It All Starts with a Coffee Cherry
Coffee doesn't grow as a bean.
It grows as a small, red fruit called a coffee cherry. Inside every cherry are the coffee seeds, which we later roast and brew.
Before those seeds can be roasted, the fruit surrounding them needs to be removed. The way this is done is called the processing method.

Washed Process
In the washed process, the outer fruit is removed soon after harvesting. The beans are then fermented to remove the sticky layer of mucilage before being washed with water and dried.
The result is a cup that is often:
• Clean and crisp
• Bright and vibrant
• More expressive of the coffee's origin
If you enjoy coffees with lively acidity and clear flavour notes, washed coffees are a great place to start.

Honey Process
Despite its name, no honey is involved.
In this method, some of the sticky fruit (called mucilage) is left on the bean while it dries.
This creates a balance between the clarity of washed coffees and the fruitiness of natural coffees.
Honey processed coffees often taste:
• Sweeter
• Rounder
• Smooth and syrupy
• Balanced with gentle fruit notes
It's often considered the middle ground between washed and natural processing.

Natural Process
Natural processing is one of the oldest methods of preparing coffee.
Instead of removing the fruit immediately, the entire cherry is dried intact before the beans are extracted.
Because the coffee remains inside the fruit for much longer, it absorbs more sugars and fruit characteristics.
Natural coffees are often:
• Fruity
• Sweet
• Full-bodied
• Rich and expressive
Depending on the origin, you may notice flavours reminiscent of berries, tropical fruits, or ripe stone fruits.

Which One is Better?
None of them.
Processing isn't about quality—it's about character.
A beautifully processed washed coffee can be just as exceptional as an outstanding natural or honey coffee.
The best choice simply depends on what you enjoy drinking.
• Washed — Clean, bright, and elegant.
• Honey — Sweet, balanced, and smooth.
• Natural — Fruity, bold, and complex.

The Fun of Exploring Coffee
One of the joys of specialty coffee is discovering how much the same coffee can change
depending on how it's processed.
Two coffees from the same farm, grown at the same altitude, can taste remarkably different simply because they were processed differently.
That's what makes coffee so endlessly fascinating.
Every cup tells a slightly different story.