Washed Coffee: What is it and how does it taste?

By Viking Roast Last updated Dec 25, 2022

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of a shelf full of specialty coffees, eager to take home a bag of beans, but unsure how to choose from all the options?

Don’t worry, you are not alone. Between roast types, origins and processing methods, the world of specialty coffee can sometimes feel as complex as learning a new language. And in the meantime, we don’t want to bore you with the technicalities, we are here to give you a basic understanding of specialty coffee types so that you will be able to choose your favourite bag of coffee beans in no time.

Today’s focus: washed processed coffee.

Let’s dive into it 👉🏼

what is washed processed coffee? find out and buy organic washed processed coffee at ONSK

Why learn about washed coffee?

Coffee processing refers to the method used to clean and dry the coffee so that it is ready to be exported. There are 3 main methods that are often used to process coffee: natural, honey and washed.

Which method you use to process the coffee can have a big impact on the final taste of the coffee. Therefore, a basic understanding of coffee processing methods can help you distinguish flavour profiles, identify flavours you like or dislike, and finally decide which coffees you would like to take home.

Wash processing explained in 4 steps

“Washed coffee” or “wet processed coffee” refers to the beans that have all of their outer fruit layer removed before they are left to dry. It is one of the most used ways to process coffee and many of our partners Santos Isabel use a variation of washed processing as their main method of cleaning and drying coffee.

Although the process can vary depending on weather conditions, available resources and the desired taste of the end result, here are the main steps involved in the washing process:

What does washed coffee taste like?

And now, for the most important part: what does washed coffee taste like? Washed coffee is generally described as:

Brave
Fresh
High acidity
Clean flavour profiles
Light body

The reason washed coffee is described as having a pure taste profile is that both the pulp and the sweet sugar coating are removed before it is dried.

When some or all of the pulp is kept intact during drying (as with natural or honey-processed coffee), the coffee will take on some of the flavours of the surrounding fruit, resulting in an extra fruity or sweet coffee.

Tasting, as you can tell when you drink a cup of washed coffee, highlights the real, pure taste of the coffee itself.

“As with all coffee processing methods, there are advantages and disadvantages to the washing process. A big advantage, especially for farmers, is the reliability of the yield. A disadvantage is that the washing process requires more resources, such as water and equipment than other methods require. What I love about the taste of washed coffee is that the processing method shows the terroir of the coffee and a completely undisguised and pure taste.”

Which specialty coffee should I choose?

Now that you’ve learned a bit more about washed processing, it’s time to put your taste buds to work.

Do you love a clean flavour profile of washed coffee? Or do you prefer a fruity one natural or one honey which is as cute as its name? There’s only one way to find out: taste them!