Natural Processed Coffee

Natural processed coffee refers to the way the coffee cherry is processed after it is picked.  Whereas the “washed” process involves removing the fruit from the seed early after harvest, the natural process leaves the fruit on the coffee bean and it is dried in the sun intact.  This allows the fruit to dry up like a raisin, and in the process significantly affect the flavor profile of the coffee beans inside.

This was the original means by which coffee was processed, but it’s only in the last 5 years that this method, having been significantly refined, has skyrocketed in popularity across many grower & consumer countries.  By using raised beds, hand sorting, and rotating the cherries to keep them from over fermenting (or rotting), quality has increased dramatically.

The gamble with this method is inconsistency from cup to cup, as variations are more pronounced, but a great crop can yield tremendous exotic, fruity, and full body characteristics.

Coffees Featuring this Process:

African Harvest, Ethiopian Decaf, Honduras Natural, Lionheart