Understanding Coffee Processing: A Guide to the Five Methods

Every cup of coffee starts as a fruit.

Inside each coffee cherry is the seed we roast and brew. But before that seed becomes coffee, the fruit around it has to be removed and the bean has to be dried. The method a farmer uses to do that is called processing — and it has a major effect on what ends up in your cup.

Processing influences sweetness, body, acidity, aroma, and overall character. Two coffees grown on the same farm, from the same variety, can taste dramatically different depending on how they were processed.

At Bluestem, we source coffees across a range of processing methods. Understanding those methods is one of the best ways to deepen your appreciation for what’s in your cup.

This series walks through five of the most important methods:

• The Washed Process — Fruit is removed before drying, creating coffees that are often clean, bright, and expressive of origin.
• The Natural Process — Coffee is dried whole in the cherry, often bringing deeper sweetness, fuller body, and bold fruit character.
• The Honey Process — The fruit skin is removed, but some of the sticky mucilage is left on during drying, creating a balanced middle path between washed and natural coffees.
• Wet-Hulled Processing — Parchment is removed while the coffee is still moist, producing Indonesia’s signature earthy, full-bodied, low-acid profile.
• Anaerobic Processing — Coffee ferments in sealed tanks or containers, allowing producers to guide flavor in intentional, expressive, and often unexpected directions.