Natural or washed method: which one affects coffee taste the most?

If you’re approaching the world of quality coffee, you’ve surely heard about the natural or washed method. But what does it mean? And how does this affect the taste of coffee? Reading this blog, you’ll discover that coffee has many analogies with other sectors related to food. One of them is wine. With wine we’re now used to looking for the tasting notes, the grape variety, the winery of origin, fermentation methods, soil type, and I could go on. With coffee the same rules apply, since everything, from the moment of cultivation to the last extracted drop, influences what we drink.

Natural or washed method — The natural method: sweetness and body

The natural method is used especially in regions where water is a scarce resource. This process stands out for an essential and direct approach, but anything but simple. Let’s analyze its steps:

1. Selection and harvesting of the fruits. Only perfectly ripe cherries are used, selected manually or through flotation in water tanks to eliminate damaged or unripe cherries, which would float.
2. Sun drying: technique and timing. The cherries are placed on raised beds (African beds), patios, or tarpaulins exposed to the sun. Drying lasts on average 18–30 days, depending on the climate, ambient humidity, and the system adopted. During this phase the cherries must be turned manually several times a day, the beds are covered at night or in case of rain, and the surface temperature and internal humidity of the fruits are constantly monitored: the final target is a bean with residual humidity between 10 and 12%.
3. Stabilization and storage. Once dried, the cherries are left to rest for a few weeks in jute bags or breathable containers, in ventilated and protected environments, to allow internal humidity stabilization.
4. Mechanical hulling. The removal of the dried skin and the outer layers (pericarp, mesocarp, endocarp) takes place mechanically via hullers, which work through abrasion or compression. The result is the green coffee ready for final selection.

The washed method: cleanliness and brightness

Among the coffee processing methods, the washed method(or washed process) is the one that, more than any other, highlights the aromatic purity, the lively acidity, and the sensory transparency of a single origin. It is also one of the most complex and technical, in which water plays a key role. Let’s go through the various phases of this method together:

1. Selective harvesting of cherries: The process begins with the manual picking of ripe cherries, usually deep red in color. The quality of the washed greatly depends on the initial selection: only perfectly ripe fruits guarantee a clean aromatic extraction. This is a phase that is very often done manually because only this way can the fruits that are ready be selected and the unripe ones left on the plant.
2. Depulping: The cherries are depulped within a few hours of harvest. In this phase, a mechanical pulper removes the outer skin (exocarp) and part of the pulp (mesocarp), leaving the bean still covered by a mucilaginous layer. Two types of depulpers are used for this phase: drum or disk. The drum ones are more delicate on the bean and suitable for small productions where a perfect selection of cherries is done. The disk ones are more aggressive and suitable for higher production volumes.
3. Fermentation: The depulped beans are transferred to fermentation tanks(made of concrete, ceramic, or food-grade plastic), where they are left to rest from 12 to 72 hours, depending on climate and altitude. Here mucilage fermentation (the layer that covers the bean) occurs either enzymatically or through natural microbial activity. This is a very delicate phase that requires assiduous monitoring of water temperature, pH, and bacterial load. A balanced fermentation will translate into a more balanced coffee, without excesses or defects.
4. Washing: Once fermentation is finished, the beans are carefully washed with clean water to remove the mucilage residues. Inclined channels are used, where the running water and the friction between the beans contribute to the cleaning. The beans are also separated by density: the denser ones, therefore of higher quality, sink.
5. Drying: At this point the beans (called parchment coffee, because they are still wrapped in parchment) must be dried until reaching a humidity of 10-12%. In equatorial countries, sun drying is used on raised beds (African beds) or patios. In case of rain or humidity, mechanical dryers are used. Speed is fundamental: drying that is too rapid can crack the beans internally; one that is too slow encourages molds or undesired fermentations. Continuous monitoring by workers is therefore also necessary here.
6. Resting and stabilization: After drying, the coffee is stored in jute or GrainPro bags and left to rest for 30–60 days in ventilated environments, sheltered from light and humidity. This period allows for the aromatic stabilization of the bean.
7. Hulling and final selection: Finally, the dry parchment (endocarp) is removed with a huller, obtaining the green coffee ready for export. Next comes the final selection, which can be done depending on the case based on size, or by density, or by color. Here finally is our green coffee ready to be put into jute bags and exported!

Natural or washed method compared: pros and cons

The natural method, if well executed, gives life to extraordinary, intense, sensual, sometimes divisive coffees. It’s a process that requires experience, patience, and continuous attention, but that gifts consumers a sensory journey different from the usual. In the best cases, every cup tells the story of the sun that slowly dried the fruit, giving an intense and decisive aromatic profile. However, this method requires a relatively stable climate, a meticulous and constant control of all processing phases, and adequate spaces.

The washed method, on the other hand, is perfect for those who want clean acidity, aromatic transparency, and consistency, with a more technical but environmentally demanding supply chain. One of the main advantages is being able to remove defects more precisely. This makes the aromatic result more predictable and reproducible over time. However, the costs are higher and on a sustainability level the natural method is preferable as it doesn’t require the use of large amounts of water.

Both methods strongly influence the aroma and body of the coffee. However, the natural method tends to leave a more marked imprint, while the washed enhances the varietal and terroir characteristics. There’s no absolute “better”: it all depends on what you’re looking for in the cup. A natural from Ethiopia might surprise you with notes of ripe strawberry, while a washed Colombian will be able to seduce you with its citrus acidity and finesse.

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To learn more about the natural or washed method, we recommend the standards published by the Specialty Coffee Association and the market data from the International Coffee Organization. If you want to keep reading on Nerocaliente, take a look also at Arabica coffee.