What exactly is honey-processed coffee—and does it actually involve honey?
As coffee producers continue to refine their post-harvest techniques, one method that has gained attention for its unique flavor profiles is the honey process.
In this guide, we’ll break down how honey processing works, explore its flavor spectrum—from white to black honey—discuss its pros and cons, and compare it with other methods like washed and natural processing.

What Is the Honey Process? 

According to Daily Coffee News, the honey process originated in Costa Rica. In 2008, a major earthquake caused severe water shortages, which made it difficult for producers to continue using the washed method. In response, local experts began experimenting with alternatives—eventually leading to the development of honey processing.

Although honey processing is gaining popularity, it’s still considered a relatively new method compared to washed and natural processes. While a general framework has taken shape over time, producers may adapt the technique based on local climate conditions and equipment, making it a highly flexible and diverse processing method. Below is the general sequence most producers follow:

Density Sorting
Coffee cherries are placed in water tanks, where lower-density (often defective or underripe) cherries float, while denser, high-quality cherries sink and are selected for processing.

Depulping and Mucilage Retention
During depulping, the skin and pulp are removed, while the amount of mucilage left on the beans is adjusted through machine settings. This retained mucilage plays a key role in shaping the final flavor profile.

Drying Phase
The more mucilage remains on the beans, the longer the drying time required. As with natural processing, the coffee is typically spread out on patios or raised beds and turned regularly to ensure even drying and prevent mold or uneven fermentation.

Hulling
Once drying and fermentation are complete, the parchment layer is mechanically removed, leaving behind green coffee beans ready for roasting.

Flavor Spectrum of Honey Process Coffee: White, Yellow, Red, and Black

Honey-processed coffees are often categorized into four types—White, Yellow, Red, and Black Honey—based on how much mucilage is left on the beans during drying. These categories aren’t strict classifications, but rather points along a flavor spectrum, each offering its own unique balance of sweetness, acidity, and body.

White Honey

With about 10% of the mucilage retained, white honey coffees are known for their bright acidity and gentle sweetness. Fermentation notes are minimal, and the cup tends to be clean and crisp—similar to a washed coffee profile.

Yellow Honey
With around 25% mucilage left on the beans, yellow honey coffees offer a balanced sweetness and delicate floral or fruity aromatics. The acidity is more pronounced than in white honey, and the overall body is slightly heavier, while still maintaining a clean finish.

Red Honey
Red honey typically retains about 50% of the mucilage. These coffees are celebrated for their pronounced sweetness, expressive fruitiness, and moderate acidity. The mouthfeel is richer and more rounded, making red honey a popular choice for those who enjoy a fuller cup.

Black Honey
Retaining 75% to 100% of the mucilage, black honey coffees undergo longer drying and fermentation periods. The result is a deeply sweet, fruit-forward cup with soft acidity and rich aromatics. While sometimes mistaken for natural-processed coffees due to their intensity, black honey coffees tend to deliver a cleaner finish with more controlled fermentation notes.

**In honey processing, there is no fixed standard for how much mucilage is retained. And  factors like fermentation time and temperature can affect the bean’s color. Different regions or farms may classify their coffees as black, red, or yellow honey based on their own practices. Learning about the origin and processing background helps set more accurate expectations for taste.

Other Variations of the Honey Process

To stand out in a competitive market, many producers explore innovative processing methods or variations to highlight unique flavor profiles. In recent years, new honey process variations have emerged, offering greater diversity and appeal to specific coffee audiences. Below are four notable styles:

Extended Fermentation Honey Process

In this method, over 80% of the mucilage is retained during drying. The extended contact time between the mucilage and the beans allows for a more complex and layered flavor development. This process is sometimes referred to as the “passionfruit honey” process due to its pronounced sweetness and distinctive tropical fruit notes—especially reminiscent of passion fruit.

However, higher mucilage retention also increases the risk of fermentation going off course. Without careful monitoring, the entire batch may develop off-flavors. As a result, this method demands greater skill, tighter controls, and often incurs higher processing costs.

Raisin Honey Process

Raisin honey process has drawn growing attention in recent years, particularly in coffees like the “Musicians Series” from Canet, Costa Rica. This method imparts winey aromatics and a layered flavor profile featuring notes of plum, apple, berry, and rose.

What sets this process apart is its two-stage approach to drying and fermentation. In the first stage, whole coffee cherries are dried and fermented until they take on a raisin-like appearance. At this point, the outer skin and part of the pulp are removed, while the mucilage is kept intact for a second round of drying and fermentation. The process is completed with the removal of remaining mucilage and hulling.

Coffees processed in this way tend to have a fuller body, pronounced fruitiness and sweetness, smooth acidity, and slightly fermented flavor notes.

Double Anaerobic Honey Process

The Double Anaerobic Honey Process is an innovative post-harvest method that combines honey processing with two stages of anaerobic fermentation.

In the first step, whole coffee cherries are placed into sealed tanks to ferment in an anaerobic or near-anaerobic environment. After the initial fermentation, the cherries are depulped — removing the skin and the pulp — while intentionally retaining some of the mucilage. The beans then undergo a second round of anaerobic fermentation before being dried using sun-drying techniques.

This dual-stage process enhances the sweetness, fruity aromatics, and mouthfeel of the coffee. It also contributes to a more layered and complex flavor profile.

It’s worth noting that some producers experiment with co-fermentation by adding natural botanicals — such as cinnamon sticks, mint leaves, or lemon juice — during fermentation. However, these additions are not essential to the Double Anaerobic Honey Process and are considered part of creative flavor development.

Pros and Cons of the Honey Process

Based on the above, the honey process presents the following pros and cons:

Pros of Honey Processing

• The processing cost typically falls between that of natural and washed methods, depending on scale and equipment, and may offer pricing advantages.
• Honey-processed coffees cover a wide flavor spectrum, allowing drinkers to choose according to personal preferences.
• As a relatively modern method, honey processing continues to evolve, with ongoing innovations in flavor control and processing techniques.

Cons of Honey Processing

• Requires a high level of processing control—mistakes can negatively impact flavor.
• Relies heavily on weather conditions; humid or rainy climates increase the risk of failure.
• Labor-intensive due to the need for frequent turning during drying, leading to higher labor costs.
• Methods vary across regions, resulting in less consistency in cup quality.

Is Honey-Processed Coffee Right for You?

Honey-processed coffees come in a wide range of flavor profiles, and there’s no single “best” option—it all comes down to personal preference. If any of the following descriptions sound like you, honey-processed coffee is worth exploring:

• You enjoy fruity sweetness in your cup
• You’re drawn to subtle fermentation notes
• You like discovering unique and diverse flavor styles

How Does Honey Processing Compare to Washed and Natural?

Compared to honey processing, washed and natural methods are more established and widely used in the coffee industry. Each of the three methods has distinct characteristics, primarily based on how mucilage is removed and how the beans are dried—factors that significantly influence flavor, clarity, and consistency.

Below, we’ll first give a quick overview of the washed and natural processes, followed by a comparison table that outlines the key differences between honey, washed, and natural coffees.

Natural (Dry) Process

The natural process is one of the oldest methods of coffee processing. Whole coffee cherries are spread out under the sun and left to ferment and dry naturally until their moisture content reaches around 10–12%. The dried cherries are then hulled by machine to obtain the green beans.

Because the method relies primarily on sunlight and requires minimal equipment, it offers advantages such as lower processing costs and a relatively low technical barrier. However, it is highly dependent on stable and dry weather conditions; without sufficient sunlight, the process cannot be completed effectively.

One key challenge of the natural process is the potential for contamination. Foreign matter like leaves, soil, stones, or even animal droppings can be mixed in during drying, contributing to greater variability in cup quality across batches.

When done well, naturally processed coffees tend to have bold fruit aromas, high sweetness, moderate acidity, and a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel with complex flavor layers.

Washed (Wet) Process

In the washed process, the coffee cherries are first depulped to remove the skin and the pulp. The beans, still coated with mucilage, are then fermented in water tanks to break down the remaining material. After fermentation, the beans are thoroughly washed with clean water, dried, and finally hulled to produce green coffee.

This method requires a large amount of water and specialized equipment, which increases overall costs. It’s typically carried out in centralized processing stations or wet mills.

Washed coffees are known for their clean and transparent flavor profile. They often exhibit bright, lively acidity with softer sweetness and fruit notes. Because the process is highly controlled, it allows the origin and cultivation practices to shine through—making it a preferred method for producing consistent, high-quality coffees in international competitions.

Read More: Natural vs. Washed Process Coffee

Honey vs. Natural vs. Washed Process

Processing Method	Honey	Natural (Dry)	Washed (Wet)
Primary Resource	Sunlight	Sunlight	Water
Process Overview	Depulp → Retain varying mucilage levels → Sun-dry	Sun-dry whole cherries	Depulp → Ferment to break down mucilage → Wash → Dry
Flavor Profile	Varies by mucilage level; from clean and crisp to rich and syrupy	High sweetness, fruity and soft acidity, often with fermentation-driven notes	Bright acidity, clean mouthfeel, lighter fruit and sweetness
Consistency	Moderate	Low (high batch variability)	High (very consistent cup quality)
Advantages	Flavor diversity, balance, room for experimentation	Low cost, bold sweetness, widely accepted	High process control, consistent quality, scalable
Challenges	Prone to mold with high mucilage, labor-intensive to manage	Risk of contamination, requires extensive labor and ideal weather	High cost, heavy water usage, requires infrastructure

Common Questions About Honey Process Coffee

How Should Honey-Processed Coffee Beans Be Stored?

Honey-processed coffee should be stored just like any other type of coffee—away from moisture, heat, air, and light. It’s best to use an airtight, opaque container or a coffee bag with a one-way valve to maintain freshness.
Avoid stocking up large quantities; instead, try to consume the beans within their peak flavor window. While coffee beans that have passed their peak flavor window but are still within their shelf life remain safe to drink, they may no longer showcase the full depth and complexity of their original flavor profile.

How Consistent Is the Flavor of Honey-Processed Coffee?

Although honey processing is still considered a relatively modern method, a stable and widely accepted processing framework has emerged—particularly in Central American regions such as Costa Rica and El Salvador. With refined techniques and years of hands-on experience, producers in these areas are often able to deliver consistent quality in honey-processed coffees.
However, differences in climate conditions, equipment, and the variation in mucilage retention across farms can still lead to variation in the final cup. Even when following a similar processing logic, the flavor outcome may vary depending on the specific farm and production context.

Why a High-Quality Hand Grinder Matters for Honey-Processed Coffee

To truly bring out the complex, layered flavors of honey-processed coffee, grind consistency is essential. Uneven grind size can easily lead to over- or under-extraction, resulting in distorted flavors and unpleasant notes in the cup.

That’s where a well-designed hand grinder makes a difference.
1Zpresso grinders are engineered with structural stability in mind, minimizing wobble and grind inconsistencies. This ensures a more uniform extraction and a better representation of your coffee’s original profile—every single brew.

Thanks to their compact size and lightweight design, these grinders are also ideal for travel or business trips. Each model can be disassembled by hand, making cleaning simple and convenient.

• Prefer a light-weight, easy-to-use grinder? The Q series is a great choice.
• Want precise control and efficient grinding for both pour-over and espresso? Try the K-Ultra.
• Brewing mostly pour-over and aiming for clean, focused flavors? Go for the ZP6 Special.

With a 1Zpresso hand grinder, you get stable, precise grinding that brings out the full character of your honey-processed coffee—every time you brew.