In this method of processing the coffee, the bean is in contact with the cherry for much longer than in other processes. The entire time it is being dried, the bean stays inside the fruit. When the fruit is picked, they are spread evenly on either bricks, concrete, or raised beds. A lot of farmers prefer the raised beds due to the fruit drying more evenly. During the weeks that the coffee is drying, they need to constantly be raked and rotated to mitigate the fermenting process and to discourage any rotting or molding of the cherries. Once the fruit is fully dry (two to six weeks later), the coffee seed is removed from the cherry. Some farms prefer to do this by hand, whereas some use a milling machine to remove the cherry and husk. This type of processing will generally result in a heavier body and mouth feel, with less perceived acidity than what might be found in washed-process coffees. Some of our most notable Single Origin beans that utilize the natural process are our Brazil Cerrado and Ethiopia Shantawene,

This is the most popular way to process coffee. After the cherries are picked, the ripe is separated from the unripe, either by hand or using a flotation tank. The fruit is then washed, removing the outer skin of the cherry. The flesh of the fruit is left on the bean as it ferments in water for a minimum of one to two days. Then, the rest of the cherry (or the "mucilage") is removed using another wash, then is laid out to dry. The fermenting procedure allows the natural sugars in the fruit to release and absorbed by the coffee bean. Once the beans are fully washed, they can either be dried by utilizing the sunlight on raised beds or are machine dried. While berry notes could (and do) happen with the wet process, it is much less likely. Instead, washed coffee is known for its clean body, with vibrant acidity.

We have plenty of coffee that has utilized the wet process, including our Colombia Organic, Costa Rica Romelia, Colombia Supremo, Sumatra Mandheling, and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.

There are of course other methods for processing the coffee seed, like anaerobic processing, aquapulp processing, honey processing, and the wet-hulled process used in our Sumatra Mandheling. If you enjoyed this blog, we encourage you to learn more about how the coffee we love is processed! We Believe here at UCR that the more you know about what you're drinking, the better you can enjoy it!