At Vantage Coffee Roasters, we offer coffee in five different processes called natural, washed, honey, wet-hulled, and monsoon. Processing coffee is a natural part of going from harvest to bean to the cup. Every coffee has to go through it, and there are multiple ways to achieve the end goal of the cup, and each method impacts the way that the coffee tastes and feels. It can produce more of a full-bodied drink with low acidity and darker tasting notes such as the monsoon process, or it can lead to a more fruity, creamier mouthfeel much like a naturally processed coffee would do. Here, we are going to explain what these processes are and the impact each process has on the cup.

The natural process is the oldest of the processes having started in the Middle East in places like Ethiopia and Yemen. In Brazil, it is the most common form of processing coffee. At harvest, the ripe coffee cherries are taken and floated in water; the denser berries that sink are the ones that are kept for the duration of the process. The coffee cherries are then laid out on a patio or raised bed for the drying phase, and they’re routinely raked in order to guarantee even drying. The drying phase takes anywhere from 3-6 weeks, and during this time the seed (coffee bean) is absorbing the flavors and nutrients from the coffee cherry. Once the drying phase is done, the coffee cherries are sent to a mill for hulling which results in the seeds being separated from the dried fruit, and then, finally, they’re sent to a dry mill to remove the parchment. This process allows for the seed to take in more of the sugars of the fruit which leads to a fuller body, higher acidity, and brighter fruit flavors. We recommend our Brazil Legender Especial for your natural tastes!

Next is the washed process. This process is the second oldest that allows you to taste the coffee bean and the flavors that are more unique to it rather than the cherry. The washed process begins with ripe cherries being picked and taken to a pulping machine that removes the outer flesh but leaves behind the pulp (mucilage). The pulp-covered coffee beans are then soaked in water and agitated to motivate the pulp to fall off. During this time, fermentation takes place in order to break down the pulp and this can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple days. The seeds are then washed and, finally, taken outside to dry on patios or raised beds (sometimes even in a mechanical dryer). In the cup, one can expect to pick up flavors more inherent in the coffee bean, so you can expect to get nuttier flavors, fruitiness, acidity, and a lighter body. For the washed process, we would recommend our Guatemala Huehuetenango!

Third up is the honey process! This process is up-and-coming and is most common in Central America having started in Costa Rica in the mid-20th century as a way to preserve water. The process begins by depulping the coffee cherries and leaving a small amount of mucilage on the coffee bean. Depending on the amount of mucilage left on the coffee bean is what determines what category the process is labeled under. There are four categories for the honey process: black, red, yellow, and white. Black honeys have the most flesh left on them, and white honeys have the least amount. After the coffee beans have been depulped, they are laid out on tables or brick patios for drying, and once fully dried the remaining mucilage is removed and the coffee beans are placed in storage. This process affects the cup in a unique way that helps the coffee to usually be sweeter than others. It will have a thicker, cleaner body to it with a syrupy sweetness and a bright acidity. We rotate certain coffees throughout the year including the honey processed such as the Colombia Narino Aponte honey process. 

Fourth is the wet-hulled process. This process is common in Indonesia, and it begins with freshly picked coffee cherries going through a depulping machine where the seed is removed from the fruit but leaves behind the mucilage. They’re then placed in tanks for fermentation in which the mucilage is able to create a husk around the seed. Once the coffee seeds are removed from the tanks, they go through hulling which removes the husk and parchment from the coffee seeds and they are laid out in the sun to dry. This process tends to lead to a heavier body in the cup with savory flavors and notes of chocolate and nuts. For this process we have just the perfect coffee, our Organic Bali Blue Moon!

Finally, we have the monsoon process! Originally, this process was unintentional as it was a result of transporting the coffee beans to Europe from India. India found a way to harness this specific process in order to continue delivering the same kind of coffee beans that Europe and other countries had been getting. This process typically takes place on India’s southwest coast called Malabar in which the coffee cherries are processed naturally, graded, and then exposed to the warm and humid Indian monsoon winds typically from June through September in aerated warehouses. Similar to how the coffee cherries are raked to guarantee an even dryness, the coffee beans in the warehouses are raked in order to evenly absorb the moisture in the air. This process results in the coffee beans nearly doubling in size and changing in color from green to yellow. The effect this has on the cup is that it delivers a syrupy body and low acidity with tasting notes of spice, nuts, and a deep, subtle sweetness. With the monsoon process, we recommend our Monsoon Malabar coffee!

This blog was written by Jeremiah Whiteman and edited by Alexis Millsaps.