What is honey processed coffee?

Honey processing sits between washed and natural. The outer cherry skin is mechanically removed - as in washed processing - but some or all of the sticky mucilage layer beneath is deliberately left on the parchment to dry. The name comes from the appearance and texture of the drying beans, which look glossy and amber as the mucilage coats the surface.

The amount of mucilage left determines the sub-category: white honey (very little), yellow honey (around 25%), red honey (around 50%), and black honey (most or all). More mucilage means longer drying, more intensive management to prevent mould, and typically more pronounced sweetness and fruit character in the cup.

Costa Rica has done more than any other origin to systematise and refine honey processing. But the method is now used across Central and South America, parts of Africa, and wherever producers are exploring something between the clean clarity of washed and the intense fruitiness of natural.