Coffee Preservation and Drying

Coffee was first harvested and processed out of necessity, not for taste. Fresh coffee cherries rot quickly, so early growers learned to dry the fruit or the seed to preserve it. The natural (dry) process emerged first because it required nothing beyond sun, air, and time. This step made coffee storable and transportable. Without it, coffee could not exist as a traded good.

Only after coffee was already being preserved did people begin applying heat to the seed deliberately.

Natural (dry process)

This was the original way of preventing coffee spoilage, and was almost certainly discovered by accident.

Whole coffee cherries are dried intact with the bean remaining inside the fruit. As the cherry dries, sugars and fermentation byproducts migrate into the bean. Coffees processed this way tend to have heavier body, lower perceived acidity, strong “fruit influence”, and greater variation from lot to lot, due to more natural and variable conditions during processing.

Dry processed coffee tends to feel heavier and fuller-bodied. The sweetness comes across as deep and settled rather than sharp, and acidity is usually less noticeable. Flavors lean toward ripe or dried fruit and sugars that feel fully integrated into the coffee rather than distinct or separate. Compared to other processing methods, natural coffees are less crisp and more blended, with a character that feels rich and substantial.

This method uses little to no water and relies on sun and airflow.

Our Brazil Cerrado Natural regular coffee uses this process.

Washed (wet process)

This method developed as a way to make coffee more predictable and less vulnerable to spoilage in humid or rainy environments, where the effectiveness of drying whole cherries in the sun was unpredictable.

After harvest, the skin and most of the fruit are removed from the cherry. The beans are then fermented in water to break down remaining mucilage, washed clean, and dried without any fruit attached. Coffees processed this way tend to show cleaner flavor separation, higher perceived acidity, lighter body, and greater consistency from lot to lot due to tighter control over fermentation and drying.

Washed coffees tend to feel lighter and more direct. Sweetness is present but clearer and less heavy, and acidity is more noticeable and structured. Flavors are easier to distinguish and often feel more precise and distinct, rather than blended. Compared to other processing methods, washed coffees are crisper and more transparent, with less influence from fermentation-derived sugars.

This method requires significant water and infrastructure and allows for a high degree of control over the final result.

An example of this is our Valle del Cauca Sugarcane Decaf coffee.

Honey (pulped natural)

This method developed later as a way to balance water use, control, and flavor development, particularly in regions where water was limited but greater consistency was desired than natural processing allowed.

The skin of the cherry is removed, but some portion of the sticky fruit pulp is intentionally left on the bean during drying. The amount of mucilage retained varies by producer and directly affects the final character of the coffee. Coffees processed this way tend to show moderate acidity, noticeable sweetness, and medium body, combining elements of both washed and natural processes.

Honey processed coffees tend to feel balanced and rounded. Sweetness is more pronounced than in washed coffees but less heavy than in naturals. Acidity remains present but softer, and flavors often feel cohesive without becoming muddled. Compared to other methods, honey coffees sit between clarity and richness, offering integration without excess.

This method uses less water than washed processing but requires careful attention during drying to prevent uneven fermentation.

A Final Word

Processing is not about style or preference – it is what makes coffee possible. The choices made immediately after harvest determine how a coffee can be stored, transported, roasted, and ultimately delicious. Understanding how coffee is preserved and dried helps make sense of why the range of flavors and intensities is as rich and broad as it is.

Thank you for coming on this exploration with Meadowlark!