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Are Sun-dried naturals and Honeys the future of Specialty Coffee?

What is the natural and honey coffee processing?

“Natural and honey coffee refer to those dry coffee processing techniques where water isn’t strictly necessary. These methods offer unparalleled eco friendly attributes for generating no solid and liquid waste; and at the same time do not threaten water resources from vulnerable coffee grower’s communities.”

Any coffee cherry that has started the drying stage with the pulp intact, is considered a natural or dry processed coffee. However honey, semi-washed or pulped naturals are coffees that have experienced de-pulping but no mucilage removal and initiated the drying stage with the mucilage still attached to them.

Sun-dried naturals on raised beds
Sun-dried naturals on raised beds

The dry or Sun-dried natural process is the coffee industry’s standard today. Its simplicity, intuitiveness and affordability makes it the processing technique of choice by coffee farmers, especially among the most unprivileged ones; close to 80% from all coffees around the world are still processed this way.

SEE ALSO: What is the good, bad and ugly truth about washed coffee?

Honey, semi-washed or pulped natural coffees however, relate to a rare and unique processing system almost exclusively performed by specialty coffee producers. The process is characterized by three different parchment color outcome: yellow, red and black; caused by mucilage’s enzymes that change color after being oxidized by the air. Farmers can control the subsequent color at will by altering shade and volume while drying.

While yellow parchment is obtained by quickly drying low coffee volumes under direct sunlight; black parchment in contrast, is a consequence of slowly drying larger volumes under heavy shade. Any process tuned in between the two would turned parchment red.

Advantages

  • Sun-dried natural technique is the most eco-friendly of all coffee processing methods; requiring no water, only basic technology, no artificial energy sources and generating almost no waste.
  • It’s the most affordable method; all coffee farmers in the world, even the poorest ones, can afford the production of Sun-dried natural coffee.
  • The honey, semi-washed or pulped natural method however, is the second most environmentally friendly coffee processing method after the dry process and involves the same technology and energy requirements as washed coffees but generating no water waste.
  • Both methods can potentially add depth and complexity; intensifying sensory attributes and technically increasing coffee’s value.
Naturals vs Honeys vs Washed Coffee
Naturals vs Honeys vs Washed Coffee

Disadvantages

  • Sun-dried naturals implicate the elimination of all moisture contained in the coffee fruit by evaporation; taking longer and more space than any other processing method.
  • Both coffee processing methods rely heavily on the weather, low air humidity and sunlight for effective drying. Therefore they are considered inappropriate for many humid coffee growing regions.
  • Both coffee processing methods retain most of the sugars contained in the coffee fruit while drying. Increasing the risk for the coffee to develop undesirable fermentation defects and off-flavors.
  • During the drying process, ideally, glucose and other sugars replace the water contained in the coffee bean’s cell membrane allowing the coffee tissue to stay alive in hibernation mode by a processed called Anhydrobiosis (Life without water). If the temperature is inconsistent or not right during the drying stage, the cell membrane could get damaged, preventing Anhydrobiosis to successfully occur. Sun-dried natural and honey, semi-washed or pulped natural coffees are more sensitive to this situation and vulnerable to develop off-flavors and sensory inconsistencies.
  • Both coffee processing methods are likely to have more Quakers (pale roasted coffee beans) and color variations after roasting than any other coffee processing method, turning them into challenging coffees to work with for coffee roasters.
  • Although there are great examples of Sun-dried natural and pulped natural coffees, breaking cupping score records and winning barista competitions everywhere. They still have a relative low demand in the Specialty market, making them second in importance and marketed volume compared to Washed and Fully-Washed coffees.

The Stigma

For decades, Sun-dried natural processing techniques have been almost exclusively used to process low-grade, rejected and contaminated coffees. It has also been the ideal method adopted by the poorest and unskilled coffee farmers with disappointing quality outcomes. As a result Sun-dried natural coffees have always been linked to “Bad coffee”.

SEE ALSO: Could coffee be a sustainable crop?

The stereotype is not totally wrong though, despite all the amazing Sun-dried naturals coffees produced around the world today, they still represent an insignificant fraction compare to the humongous volume of low grade Sun-dried naturals coffees produced globally.

Low quality Sun-dried natural coffee
Low quality Sun-dried natural coffee
Specialty grade Sun-dried natural coffee
Specialty grade Sun-dried natural coffee

Conclusion

Both coffee farmers and traders alike have had the wrong assumption for decades that Sun-dried naturals have no way to be specialty or high-grade. However, in recent years that notion is slowly changing thanks to the implementation of improved techniques driven by the popularization of Specialty Coffee. Although high quality Sun-dried naturals and pulped natural coffees are still not popular enough. Today, more than ever the industry needs to support and encourage responsible coffee production techniques, particularly those that don’t jeopardize water resources or boost environment degradation.

Likewise, around 80% of coffee farmers live below the poverty line and Sun-dried and pulped naturals offer an opportunity for smallholder farmer groups and communities to add value by Specialty Coffee production without huge investment, infrastructure and energy costs.

In a century characterized by environment distress and permanent low market coffee prices; quality Sun-dried natural coffees and honeys could be the key for a more sustainable and responsible coffee industry.

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