Before reaching the roaster, coffee undergoes a decision that impacts both its flavour and its origin or variety: processing. This is how the coffee cherry transforms into a green bean. Understanding these processes is key to understanding why our natural Rwandan coffee tastes of red fruit and wine, while a washed Colombian coffee presents itself as clean and crisp.

First: what is a coffee cherry?

Coffee is the seed of a fruit. When harvested, the cherry has several layers covering the bean, and processing determines which and when these layers are removed:

·     Skin (exocarp): the outer layer, usually red or yellow when ripe.

·     Pulp and mucilage: the fleshy, sweet, sticky part, rich in sugars.

·     Parchment: a thin husk that directly protects the bean.

·     Silver skin: the thin membrane that comes off during roasting (the so-called chaff).

·     Seed: the two beans we roast and grind.

The central question of any process is simple: how much contact does the bean have with that sweet pulp, and for how long? The answer determines almost everything that follows.

Washed

In the washed process, the skin and pulp are mechanically removed shortly after harvesting. The bean, still with mucilage, ferments in tanks for hours to loosen this sticky layer, and is then washed with water until clean. It then dries with only the parchment remaining.

Result in the cup: clarity and precision. Since the fruit is removed early, the washed process exposes the intrinsic character of the bean — the variety and terroir speak without the sweet filter of the pulp. It tends to have a livelier and more defined acidity, a lighter to medium body, and a clean finish. It is the process of transparency.

Natural (Dry)

This is the oldest method. The entire cherry dries in the sun on raised beds or patios, with the pulp still clinging to the bean, for weeks. It is only hulled after drying. During drying, sugars and fruit compounds migrate into the bean.

Result in the cup: fruity intensity and sweetness. Well-executed naturals bring notes of ripe red fruit, wine-like acidity, a full body, and an almost dried fruit sweetness. It is a demanding process — careless drying can lead to fermented defects — but when well-executed, it delivers some of the most expressive coffee profiles.

Our natural process Rwanda from Nyamasheke is a good example: notes of vanilla, oolong tea, and a wine-like acidity that only this method delivers.

Honey (Pulped Natural)

Honey process lies in between the two. The skin is removed as in a washed process, but part or all of the sweet mucilage is left on the bean during drying — without the fermentation and water washing step. The name "honey" comes from the sticky, golden texture of the mucilage, not from any honey flavour.

Result in the cup: an elegant middle ground — more sweetness and body than a washed, more clarity and structure than a natural. The intensity depends on how much mucilage remains, and from this come the subtypes:

·     White / Yellow honey: little mucilage retained; closer to a washed process.

·     Red honey: medium retention; balance between sweetness and structure.

·     Black honey: lots of mucilage and slower drying; closer to a natural, dense and sweet.

Beyond the classic: experimental processes

More and more producers are exploring controlled fermentations that deepen or redirect the flavour:

·     Carbonic / anaerobic maceration: the cherry ferments in a sealed environment, often without oxygen, generating intense and unique profiles.

·     Wet-hulled (giling basah): typical of Indonesia; the parchment is removed while still wet, resulting in a heavy body and low acidity.

These are fascinating profiles, but they require rigorous control — without it, the line between complexity and defect is thin.

Comparative Summary

Process	Contact with pulp	Acidity	Body	Typical profile
Washed	Removed early	Lively, defined	Light to medium	Clean, crisp, clear terroir
Natural	Dries with the bean	Wine-like, intense	Full-bodied	Red fruit, sweetness, pleasant fermentation
Honey	Partial	Balanced	Medium to full	Sweet and structured, middle ground
Anaerobic	Sealed fermentation	Specific	Variable	Intense, exotic, very aromatic

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between washed and natural coffee?

In washed coffee, the sweet pulp is removed from the bean shortly after harvesting, resulting in a clean cup with lively acidity and prominent varietal characteristics. In natural coffee, the whole cherry dries with the pulp attached, which transfers sweetness and fruitiness to the bean, resulting in a fuller-bodied and fruitier profile.

What is honey coffee?

It's an intermediate process: the skin is removed as in a washed process, but the sweet mucilage remains on the bean during drying, without fermentation in water. This gives more sweetness and body than a washed coffee and more clarity than a natural. White, yellow, red, and black honey indicate how much mucilage was retained.

Does processing really change the taste of coffee?

Yes, and decisively. With the same bean and origin, the chosen process profoundly alters the perceived acidity, body, and sweetness in the cup — often more than the roast itself.

Does honey coffee taste like honey?

No. The name refers to the sticky, golden texture of the mucilage during drying, not a honey flavor. What is noticed is greater sweetness and body, not the taste of honey.

What is the best coffee process?

None is objectively better — it depends on what you are looking for. Washed coffee prioritizes clarity and acidity; natural, fruitiness and body; honey, balance. We select each process according to what best reveals that particular bean.

The Asante Vision

We only select green beans scored 84+ on the SCA scale, but the score is just the starting point: the process tells the story. When you read "natural" or "washed" on our bags, you are reading a decision made at the origin that then guides how we roast and measure each batch. We share this because knowledge is part of who we are — understanding the process makes the cup more flavorful. It is the art in which we invest, so that you can savor the perfect result.