Natural Process Green Coffee Beans

Harvested cherries are sorted – floating off underripes and defects – then spread on patios or raised beds to dry whole. Depending on climate and how thickly they're laid out, drying takes roughly two to six weeks, with regular turning to prevent mould and over-fermentation. Once the cherry is brittle, the dried fruit and parchment are hulled off in one step. It's the oldest method and still the default in Brazil, Ethiopia's drier regions and Yemen. More in our guide to natural process coffee.

Naturals are usually less uniform than washed lots – more variation in density, moisture and size, and more quakers. They carry more sugar at the surface, so they colour quickly and can scorch or tip if you go in too hot. Most roasters use a gentler start and moderate energy through the Maillard phase, then keep development controlled to hold onto the fruit without tipping into boozy or ashy notes. Pick out quakers after roasting – they show up as pale beans.

Drying in the fruit gives naturals heavier body, lower perceived acidity and more fruit sweetness than washed coffees, sometimes with a wild, winey edge. Honey lots sit between the two: the skin comes off, but some mucilage stays on during drying. Naturals work as single-origin filter coffees and as the sweet, heavy-bodied part of an espresso blend – a Brazilian natural is a classic espresso base.

Brazil makes up the biggest share of our naturals – nutty, chocolatey and low in acidity, ideal for espresso. Ethiopian naturals bring blueberry, strawberry and florals; Ugandan, Rwandan and Zambian lots add stone fruit and sweetness; and we carry naturals from Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia and China as harvests allow. A few lots here use anaerobic or anoxic natural methods – find those in our anaerobic range.