You are probably already familiar with the information on the labels on coffee bags, about altitude, processing method, variety or region. All these influence the aroma of the coffee, the cupping notes, so starting with this issue, we aimed to present them in more detail. Thus, you will be able to make an informed decision, choosing the assortment that best suits your tastes.
We'll start with the processing methods, which I'm sure you've wondered many times what they might mean. Coffee processing is a very serious job and plays an extremely important role in how the coffee will present itself as a final product. Processing refers to every step, from the picking of the beans until they are ready for shipment.
The coffee bean is actually a seed inside the coffee cherry, which needs to be properly separated. The coffee cherry has 5 coverings, which are, from the outside to the inside, pulp, mucilage, parchment, membrane and the seed, which is actually the coffee bean. To separate the skins of the cherry from the seed, as a rule, 3 large types of processing methods are used: natural, honey or washed, which differ according to the number of skins that are removed before drying the berries. Alternative processing methods also exist, but they are rare and local.
1. Washing
Washing processing is widely used in Latin America and various parts of East Africa and involves the complete removal of the pulp and mucilage surrounding the grain. The process uses friction, fermentation and very large amounts of water.
First, the cherries are mechanically pitted in a special machine that uses high pressure and frictional force. Once the cherry is removed, the berries are placed in fermentation tanks for 12-24 hours, until the mucilage is no longer sticky. It is very important that the fermentation process is interrupted at the right time, otherwise coffees with an unpleasant vinegar flavor will result. The grains are then washed in water tanks or troughs to remove the remaining mucilage. The last stage is the drying of the beans, which can take between 10 – 22 days, depending on the environmental conditions. Longer drying results in greater balance and complexity in the cup.
Washed coffees focus exclusively on the beans. In them you can feel what is inside, not outside. For example, in natural or honey processing, it is necessary that the pulp of the coffee cherry be flavored. In wash processing, on the other hand, coffees depend almost 100% on the bean's absorption of natural sugars and nutrients in the growth cycle. This means that coffee variety, soil type, weather, degree of roasting, fermentation, washing and drying are key elements.
Washed coffees reflect both the science of growing the perfect coffee bean, but also the fact that farmers are an integral part of the process of making the coffee bean taste. When it comes to washed coffees, it becomes apparent that country of origin and environmental conditions are vital in building the cupping profile. In other words, wash processing is able to bring out the true character of the origin coffee like no other process – which is why so many specialty coffees are wash processed.
Coffee characteristics: clean, clear, more pronounced acidity
2. Natural processing
Natural processing, also known as the "dry method", is the oldest processing method and has traditionally been used to process coffee cherries on an industrial scale, thanks to low costs (eg Brazil) and in areas with limited access to water (eg Ethiopia). The coffee cherries are picked and dried directly – on patios, parabolic dryers, raised beds or on the ground, with minimal intervention in this process. Although it requires smaller investments, certain climatic conditions are still needed to ensure the timely drying of the coffee.
Over time, natural processing has come to be considered of lower quality, which can lead to heterogeneous flavors. This heterogeneity is often the result of the mixture of unripe coffee cherries placed to dry together with ripe ones. However, there are many who believe that this processing method has the potential to create the most flavorful coffees. If a certain homogeneity can be achieved, then natural coffees have the potential to match washed ones in terms of clarity, even offering more interesting characteristics and notes – incredible cupping notes, sweet aromas.
Natural processing is the most environmentally friendly, not using water. Done right, it involves placing the ripe cherries in a thin, even layer and turning them regularly to prevent mold from forming.
Coffee characteristics: fruity, full-bodied, strong
3. Honey/Pulped Natural processing method
Done correctly, coffees processed by the honey method can actually taste like honey and brown sugar, although the name of the method comes from the degree of viscosity of the beans during the process. The honey method is somewhere in the middle between the natural and the washed method: the coffees are fruity, but not in an exaggerated way like some naturally processed ones. They sometimes have a fuller acidity than washed coffees, with an intense sweetness and more complex taste.
In the processing of honey, a smaller amount of water is used than in washed coffees. The cherries are shelled together with part of the mucilage, after which they are immediately dried, without going through the washing process, which removes all the remaining mucilage.
Honey processing is strongly associated with Costa Rica, and more recently, several subcategories have been developed: yellow, red, gold, black and white honey, depending on the amount of light the beans are exposed to during the drying process . All this reflects the ability of this method to influence the profile of the coffee. She can become very scientific by controlling and monitoring the level of mucilage left on the beans, which influences the sweetness and body of the coffee.
Coffee characteristics: balanced, sweet, clean, uniform, moderate acidity
Coffee processing methods rarely make the front pages of newspapers or talk in coffee shops, but they play an important role in shaping the flavor and character of your cup of coffee. So the next time you choose a honey-processed Costa Rica or a washed Colombia, you'll know what to expect.
source
https://www.perfectdailygrind.com/2016/07/washed-natural-honey-coffee-processing-101/
http://blog.seattlecoffeeworks.com/roastery/earth-honey-process/
https://www.coffeecartel.com.au/coffee-processing-methods/