Honey processing does not involve actual honey. *Mic drop*
Yes, you heard that correctly. Honey processing does not involve actual honey. Already knew that? Okay, smarty pants.
We’re here to break down what honey processing is for you. *Rap music starts in the background*
Dry beds like this one are crucial to eliminate moisture.
Wait, we need to back up. *DJ Scratch*
Okay, so when it comes to processing coffee, there are a lot of different ways to go about it. We would be amiss not to discuss these differences. At Klatch we currently offer natural, honey, washed and double washed processes. The scale of least processed to more processed begins with natural as the least processed, honey as second, washed as third and the double washed as the most processed.
Notice the flavors from this variety of honey processing.
*music resumes*
Honey processing starts with the fresh coffee cherry. There are several layers in the anatomy of the whole cherry, but the good stuff lies beneath the skin called the mucilage. Mucilage has a very sticky, gluey texture to it which is rich with sugars. Hence the nickname, “honey”. In this process, the pulp has been removed, reducing the risks of poor fermentation, yet varying degrees of mucilage will remain (requiring less water to be used for this method).
*the beat drops* Once the skin and pulp of the cherries have been removed, coffee seeds (beans) with the remaining mucilage are moved to drying patios or beds for various periods of time. The variations in drying times give us a honey color spectrum: white, yellow, red, and black honey.
Spreading out the beans during the drying process allows for even drying.
White and yellow honey beans are dried faster with less caramelization of the sugars, while black honey beans have the longest drying times with more fermentation. Once the moisture levels of the beans reach a safe level for transport, they are hulled away into large machines that remove the remaining mucilage and other layers of the beans. This is when the beans are now ready to be shipped worldwide to your favorite roasteries and into your morning cup of coffee! *crowd cheering*
