A Brief Guide to Natural and Honey Processed Coffees

Whether you're buying natural or honey processed coffee in Pittsburgh, PA, it's critical to understand how the product was harvested and processed. It gives you quality assurance and peace of mind. 

Todays blog will discuss the processing techniques of natural and honey processed coffee from Colombia.

How is Naturally Processed Coffee Produced?
Naturally processed coffee starts with the coffee cherries. The technique is performed immediately after the fruit has been picked by hand and washed to remove dirt and dust. The coffee cherries are then sun-dried or fermented with their skins on. Both methods result in different flavor profiles that are present in the fruit. We are currently seeing more state-of-the-art technologies emerging as farmers look to bring more value to their crops.

How is Honey Processed Coffee Produced?
Honey processing is a technique that takes place at the farm level. First the coffee cherries harvested are pulped. Next the skin is mechanically removed. The fruit is then sufficiently dried out with the remainder of mucilage intact. Then it is dry milled to remove the mucilage and to obtain parchment coffee.

The central process of creating honey coffee is to use sugars that are present in the mucilage. This enhances the fermentation process and creates a distinct sweetness. The mucilage has a high sugar content which ferments very well. The long, drawn-out drying process at the ambient temperature prolongs the fermentation process.

What are the main controls on the fermentation process of Honey Processed Coffee?
    1.) The Extent of Mucilage Removal

This technique involves removing specific parts of the mucilage and drying it until the coffee cherry has reached the right moisture level. If most of the mucilage on the coffee cherry is intact then a higher degree of fermentation will result.

The spectrum between the more or less fermentation ranges as there are four types of honey processed coffee cherries that undergo the process of mucilage reaching the proper moisture level. The four types of honey processed coffee cherries are white honey, yellow honey, red honey, and black honey. Over time we have discovered that roughly 25% of mucilage remains on white honey. In contrast, some farmers leave all the mucilage on black honey and remove the skin.

It is important to remember that there is no standard formula for this process. It is different on all farms and producers may or may not give their own distinct names for the degree of the fermentation they go by.

    2.) Scheduled Turning

This fermentation technique relies on the frequency of turning that takes place as coffee cherries are drying. An experienced processor will remove a specific percentage of mucilage and create a turning schedule to achieve different results. Since direct exposure to sunlight and air stops this fermentation process, it is important for the coffee cherries to dry undisturbed.

When working with a lighter honey such as white the coffee cherries can sit for one day before their first turning. Afterwards, the coffee cherries are rotated periodically. Shades of honey like yellow and red are darker and can sit for two or more days. On the other hand when working with black honey the coffee cherries can sit under the shade while prolonging the fermentation process.

Colombino Honey Processed Coffee has a distinctive character of balanced body and acidity with intense fruit sweetness. Its variety and range will depend on a controlled fermentation process. Visit the best coffee shops, eateries, and breweries to buy Colombino Honey-Processed Coffee or order online from our website.