What is Natural Coffee?

A coffee cherry to a cup of coffee is a complex journey of multiple steps. Processing is
the first step taken once the coffee cherries have been picked and sorted. Processing
transforms this wonderful ripe fruit into the seeds that will be shipped to roasters
around the world to be roasted creating the final product, coffee beans. Processing can
be done in a multitude of ways with Washed and Natural being the most common. Over
the last decade there have been new and experimental processing methods creating a
vast range of new flavours just think of ice wine.

Natural or Dry Process

Once the ripe coffee cherries are picked, they are given a quick wash when water is available to remove debris and to separate less dense underdeveloped coffee. During  the drying time of the whole coffee cherry, naturally occurring sugars within the fruit impact the flavour profile of the beans creating a distinct fruitiness. Depending on the weather conditions, the process of drying takes places over roughly a 2-week period on either raised wooden tables or cement patios. The cherries are constantly rotated and monitored till the optimal level is achieved. Since this process originated in hot, dry regions like Ethiopia and Yemen, it requires consistent high temperatures and strong sunlight to be successful. Furthermore, water resource utilization is reduced significantly in this process, allowing the production to make it more sustainable and ecofriendly. Finally, once dried, the cherries are stored for a couple of months called the resting phase, then are pulped and sorted by colour, density, and size before being packed and shipped.