Honey

What Honey Process Does to the Cup

Honey process removes the cherry's outer skin but leaves some or all of the sticky mucilage (the "honey") on the bean during drying. Depending on how much mucilage remains — yellow honey, red honey, black honey — the flavor intensity varies. More mucilage left on = more sweetness, more fruit complexity, slower drying.

The result is a middle ground: cleaner than natural process (the skin is removed, so the most intense fermentation doesn't occur), but sweeter and more complex than washed (the mucilage contributes fruit sugars during drying). Body runs medium. Acidity is present but restrained. Sweetness is the dominant impression.

Yellow, Red, and Black Honey

Yellow honey: minimal mucilage left, fast drying — closest to washed. Clean sweetness, light fruit notes.

Red honey: more mucilage, slower drying — more pronounced sweetness and body. Caramel and stone fruit.

Black honey: most mucilage, slowest drying — closest to natural. Intense sweetness, complex fruit, fermented notes possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called honey process?

The sticky mucilage left on the bean during drying looks and feels like honey. It's descriptive of the texture, not the flavor. Honey process coffee does not taste like honey — it tastes like the fruit sugars from that mucilage that fermented and were absorbed into the bean.

Where does honey process come from?

Primarily Central America — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala. It was developed as a way to reduce water usage in washed processing while gaining some of the sweetness of natural process. An environmental and flavor compromise that landed well on both counts.