Processing method

Regarding coffee processing, we find three main ways: natural, washed and hybrid.

• The natural process consists of letting the cherry dry with the grain. It requires little machinery and water, but a lot of work and knowledge to obtain a good result. Once dry, it is threshed to separate the grains from the shell.

• In the washing process , the cherries are pulped through a mechanical process, separating the cherry from the beans. In this process the mucilage is completely removed in the fermentation and washing tanks. It is then left to dry until the desired humidity is achieved.

• In Hybrid processes, after pulping the cherry, the beans are left to dry with the mucilage, which gives the final product different characteristics than the washed and natural ones.
• The Pulped Natural Process: almost completely of mucilage is mechanically pulped and sent to dry
• The Honey Process: similar to the previous one, it uses less water and leaves a greater amount of mucilage.
• The Semi-Washed Process: after harvesting, it is pulped and sent to dry briefly (30% or 35%), then the husk is removed to leave the seed green and dried again.

Once processed (except if the grains have been processed with the Semi-Washed process) the grains are stored “resting” for approximately thirty to sixty days.

Although there isn't much research on this, evidence suggests that if this step is missing coffee can taste green and unpleasant for a long time afterwards.

Finally, the beans go through the hulling, cleaning and classification process.