Natural Process

Natural sun-dried, also called “natural process” or “dry process”, means drying coffee cherries whole, without the intervention of water or machines to remove any of the fruit. Prior to drying, the cherries are picked, floated in water, and sorted to remove any under-ripe or overripe fruit.

Washed Process

Washed coffee processing is similar to natural processing, but organic matter is stripped off of the coffee bean within days of the coffee cherry being plucked from the tree and then washed with water before they are dried. This removes any impurities and gives the coffee a cleaner, and slightly acidic taste.

Is one better than the other?

Overall, it depends on your taste preferences. Yet, the coffee community generally regards washed coffee as the preferred method. It all comes down to consistency and flavor. Many specialty coffee roasters prefer the acidity levels of washed over naturally processed.

Environmentally friendly coffee

All that said, choosing natural coffee you can have peace of mind knowing that it means supporting eco-friendly relations, as natural coffee uses fewer chemicals, produces less waste, requires less energy, and skips the wet washing process which helps support the water conservation movement.

Bonus information

The Honey Method

Despite the name, the honey method doesn’t contain or utilize any actual honey. After removing the cherries’ skin, they are left to dry in the sun. Honey process coffee is known for having a sweetly unique flavor profile that falls between the pure and “clean” characteristics of washed processed coffee and the funkier, fermented notes of natural processed coffee.