The essentials at a glance
What Natural Processing Means
- With Natural processing, the entire coffee cherry dries with its skin and pulp intact, allowing sugars and flavours to migrate into the bean.
- It is the oldest coffee processing method and remains widely used in Ethiopia, Brazil and Yemen.
- The method requires no water, but it does require a reliably dry climate.
How Naturals Taste
- Typical flavours include berries, stone fruit, dried fruit and chocolate, with a full body and soft acidity.
- Ethiopian Naturals tend to lean towards blueberry, while Brazilian Naturals are more likely to show notes of dark chocolate and nuts.
- A pleasant fruitiness is intentional, while fermented off-notes are considered a defect.
What Roasters Should Pay Attention To
- Naturals are less forgiving than washed coffees, so the risk of defects is higher.
- The high residual sugar content makes the beans sensitive to heat early on, so don't charge the batch too hot.
- Roast gently and don't develop the coffee too far, otherwise you will bury the fruitiness.
Why Fruit on the Bean Changes the Entire Flavour
With Natural processing, the coffee cherry remains intact. The skin, pulp and sticky mucilage dry together with the seed. Over several weeks, the cherry shrinks, allowing sugars and aroma compounds from the fruit to migrate into the bean. In the end, you taste a cup shaped as much by the fruit as by the bean itself. That's the whole trick — and at the same time, the reason Naturals have such a distinctive flavour.
The Oldest Processing Method There Is
Natural processing came first, long before all the others. The first coffee in Yemen was simply dried whole, because there were no washing stations. There was no other option. Ethiopia and Yemen built their coffee cultures around this method and still produce some of the world's best-known Naturals today.
The method is particularly widespread in these regions.
- Ethiopia, with Naturals from Harrar, Sidama and Yirgacheffe
- Brazil, with Naturals from large farms that form the backbone of many espresso blends
- Yemen, with small quantities and centuries-old techniques
How the Processing Works, Step by Step
At first glance, the method seems simpler than washed processing, yet it is actually more demanding. The cherries are picked, sorted and spread out in a thin layer on raised drying beds or patios. They are then turned again and again to ensure even drying and prevent anything from fermenting uncontrollably. Depending on the climate and altitude, this takes three to six weeks.
Where the flavour develops. As the cherry dries, fermentation continues inside. The microorganisms on and within the fruit directly influence the flavour. That's where all the complexity comes from — and also the risk.
Resting phase: Before hulling, the dried cherries are often left to rest for a few more weeks in breathable bags or silos. During this time, residual moisture and sugars distribute more evenly throughout the bean, resulting in a more consistent cup.
Hulling: Once the cherries are completely dry and rattle when shaken, the skin and dried fruit are mechanically removed. What remains is the green coffee bean you will then work with.
How Naturals Taste
Naturals are all about intensity. When everything comes together, you will often find flavours like these in the cup.
- Berry, jam, tropical fruit, dried fig
- Wine, stone fruit, dark chocolate
- Full body with soft, rounded acidity
- A long, sweet finish
Ethiopian Naturals often lean towards blueberry and stone fruit. Brazilian Naturals tend to show more dark chocolate, dried cherry and nut. Both are generally less pronounced in acidity than a washed coffee from the same origin.
The important distinction: pleasant fruitiness in a well-made Natural is part of the coffee's character. A fermented off-note caused by a poorly dried lot, on the other hand, is simply a defect. You only learn the difference by tasting both side by side. Before that, it may sound theoretical. Afterwards, you will never stop noticing it.
A Natural Is Less Forgiving Than a Washed Coffee at Every Stage
A Natural is less forgiving than a washed coffee at every stage. That's no reason to avoid it, but you should know what you're getting into.
What can go wrong:
- Mould if conditions are too humid or rain gets in
- Uneven drying if the cherries are not turned often enough
- Over-fermentation if unripe cherries end up in the batch
- Defects that are not even visible in the green coffee
- Mould if conditions are too humid or rain gets in
A really good Natural can taste incredibly fruity, sweet and complex. But if something goes wrong during fermentation, the whole thing can quickly turn into unpleasant flavours. Sometimes the differences are smaller than you might think. That's why high-quality Naturals often cost a little more. Behind them is a great deal of experience, careful processing and, last but not least, a bit of luck with the weather. And as we all know, that's something you can't control.
How to Roast Natural Coffee
In the roaster, a Natural behaves differently from a washed coffee. Once you keep that in mind, it's not nearly as tricky.
Things to keep in mind:
- The higher residual sugar content makes the beans sensitive to heat early in the roast
- The surface can scorch quickly at the beginning if you charge too hot
- If you roast too far, you bury the very fruitiness you're trying to preserve
The principle behind it: Let the processing shine through, not the roast. A good Natural roast builds body and sweetness without making the coffee taste overly roasted. Less force, more feel.
Natural vs. Washed:
Which Processing Method Suits Your Taste Better?
How a coffee is processed has a huge influence on how it tastes in the cup. Two of the best-known methods are Natural and Washed. Both start with the same coffee cherry, but they result in very different flavours.
With the Natural Process, the entire coffee cherry dries around the bean. The pulp and skin remain intact during drying and transfer some of their flavours to the seed. The result is often bold, sweet and intensely fruity coffees. Typical notes include berries, tropical fruit, ripe cherry or sometimes even a slightly wine-like character.
With the Washed Process, the fruit pulp is removed shortly after harvesting. The beans are then fermented in a controlled way, washed and dried. As a result, the fruit of the coffee cherry plays less of a role, allowing the intrinsic character of the bean itself to come through more clearly.
There is no better or worse here. What matters is your personal taste.
A Natural is a good match for you if you:
Naturals are all about intensity. When everything comes together, you will often find flavours like these in the cup.
- enjoy intense fruit flavours
- are looking for a sweet and full-bodied coffee
- like trying more unusual flavour profiles
A Washed Coffee is a better match if you:
- prefer clean and elegant flavours
- want to clearly distinguish acidity and sweetness
- are looking for a smooth and balanced coffee