Procesos del café ¿Qué son los procesos del café?

What are coffee processes?

July 10, 2023

What do we mean when we talk about coffee processes?

When we talk about processes, we refer to the treatment to which the coffee was subjected to achieve the final result. If you look at the labels of our coffees, in our store you will be able to see them well, you will notice that we indicate the type of process to which they have been subjected. This process is the treatment that is applied to the coffee after it has been harvested and is extremely important, since it is during this stage that the aromas of the green coffee bean are extracted.

Once the coffee cherries are picked at their optimum point of ripeness, growers begin the coffee treatment process to extract the green beans from the fruits.

The name "process" derives from the place where the treatment of the coffee is carried out and where the necessary procedures are carried out to turn the fruit into a dry parchment grain, ready for storage and subsequent threshing. (The threshing consists of removing the shell of the grain in parchment or dry cherry, transforming it and classifying it mechanically and electronically into green or excellent coffee, which is coffee of the highest quality ready for export).

There are several processing methods. A type of treatment is selected based on the cultivated species, the collection method and the availability of water in the region. It also influences the final aromas that are obtained in the cup, since the green coffee bean absorbs the odors from the environment and incorporates them into its essence.

In general, there is talk of the following processes, washed and natural or dry, although there are also methods such as semi-washed or honey and the Swiss water method, which is the method used to decaffeinate coffee.

Washing Process

Washed coffee, also known as wet, aims to remove the pulp from the fruits in order to easily extract the parchment coffee beans (beans wrapped in their protective film) and then store them in suitable conditions for their preservation.

The washing process consists of four stages:

Pulping: part of the pulp or mucilage of the fruits is removed.
Fermentation: The beans are submerged in tanks of water for 14 to 24 hours to promote the decomposition of the rest of the pulp attached to the parchment. During this process, the sugars in the mucilage are converted to alcohols and acids.
Washing: the grains are washed with plenty of clean water to remove any traces of mucilage.
Drying: in order to reduce the moisture of the grains to 11% and prevent the proliferation of microorganisms and enzymatic activity that could damage them, they are dried in the sun on patios or in special dryers. They are then stored for threshing.

The result of this process is a more acidic and aromatic coffee, with fewer defects, although it is also more expensive due to the laborious process involved.

natural process

Coffee with a natural process is used in some countries such as Brazil, where the coffee is dried in the sun directly after harvesting without removing the pulp. The process begins with washing and cleaning to separate the leaves, pieces of wood, stones and dirt from the coffee beans. Then, they are left to dry in the sun for one to three days at temperatures between 45°C and 60°C, and later they undergo a shelling process to separate the pulp and shell from the seed. This method is faster, cheaper and easier than the washed process, but produces a lower quality coffee. In terms of flavor, naturally-processed coffee tends to have a more neutral profile.

honey process

It is known as "Honey" due to the particular processing process of the coffee beans, no reference is made to the use of honey itself. Unlike other processing methods, the Honey process involves leaving a certain amount of fruit pulp in the bean as it dries, providing unique and distinctive flavor characteristics.

The Honey coffee process is carried out in several stages:

Selection and collection of beans : As with any other coffee, the selection of high quality beans is essential. Ripe beans are carefully selected and harvested by hand to ensure the quality of the coffee.
Partial pulping: After harvest, the beans are partially pulped, which means that only part of the outer pulp of the coffee is removed. Unlike the washed process where all the pulp is removed, in the Honey process, a part is left attached, which may vary depending on the Honey variant (Yellow Honey, Red Honey, Black Honey, etc.).
drying: Once pulped, the beans are spread out on patios or raised beds to dry. During the drying process, the beans with the remaining pulp are exposed to the sun and turned periodically to ensure uniform dryness. The remaining pulp slightly ferments during the drying process, contributing to the characteristic flavors of Honey coffee.
Control of fermentation and drying : The time and control of fermentation and drying are crucial for the final result of Honey coffee. The amount of pulp left attached and the drying time can significantly affect the flavor and profile of the coffee.
Shelling and classification: Once the beans are completely dry, they are shelled to remove any remaining dry husk and graded based on size and quality.

The result of this process is a coffee with sweet, fruity flavor characteristics and, in some cases, distinctive notes of honey, which gives it its name. The Honey process has gained popularity among coffee lovers due to its uniqueness and complexity of flavors, which can vary by growing region and processing conditions.

At the Orígenes Coffee Roaster store we have a wide variety of specialty coffees where you can observe the different types of processes to which each one was subjected to achieve excellent quality.

Enter our store and select the one you like the most.

Origins Coffee Roaster Store

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