Same fruit.
Different possibilities.
Coffee processing methods
Discover what happens after harvest — and how fermentation, washing and drying help shape the coffee in your cup.
From cherry to green coffee.
- 01Harvest
- 02Sort
- 03Process
- 04Dry
- 05Green coffee
- 06Roast
Natural, washed and honey describe how the fruit is removed and the coffee is dried. Anaerobic and carbonic describe fermentation approaches, so a coffee may belong to more than one group.
Coffee cherries dry with their fruit intact. Once dry, the outer layers are removed to reveal the green beans. Careful sorting and even drying are essential throughout the process.
- 1Whole cherry
- 2Dry with fruit
- 3Remove dried layers
In the cup
Often fruit-forward, with pronounced sweetness and a fuller texture.
The skin and pulp are removed first. The remaining mucilage is broken down and washed away before the coffee dries. Producers use this approach to bring clarity and structure to the cup.
- 1Remove skin & pulp
- 2Wash away mucilage
- 3Dry the coffee
In the cup
Often clean and defined, allowing the origin and variety to shine.
The outer skin is removed, while some of the sticky fruit mucilage stays on the coffee during drying. The name refers to this fruit layer: no honey is added. The amount retained and the drying conditions shape the result.
- 1Remove the skin
- 2Keep some mucilage
- 3Dry with care
In the cup
Can bring together sweetness, a rounded texture and fruit expression.
Coffee ferments in sealed or reduced-oxygen conditions. Producers control factors such as time and temperature, using either whole cherries or depulped coffee. This fermentation approach can be combined with natural, washed or honey processing.
- 1Cherry or depulped coffee
- 2Controlled fermentation
- 3Finish processing & dry
In the cup
May create distinctive fruit aromas and complex flavours; each producer’s protocol matters.
Inspired by winemaking, carbonic maceration places whole coffee cherries in a carbon-dioxide-rich environment. It manages fermentation around and within the fruit. Producers follow different protocols before completing processing and drying.
- 1Whole cherries
- 2CO₂-rich fermentation
- 3Finish processing & dry
In the cup
Can develop layered fruit character and aromatic complexity, depending on the coffee and protocol.
A process is a starting point.
Variety, origin, cherry ripeness, fermentation control, drying, storage and roasting work together. A processing label cannot guarantee a particular flavour or quality — explore each coffee’s producer details and tasting notes.
Find your next coffee ↗