You're biting into a perfectly ripe strawberry — that bright, juicy moment where the fruit's natural sweetness meets a spark of acidity. No added sugar, no cream, just pure fruit clarity hitting your palate.
That's exactly how I describe experiencing a coffee that’s gone through a washed process. It's like taking a big bite out of a fresh strawberry and not following it up with anything sweet.
That brightness is why washed processing is considered a gold standard for specialty coffee producers worldwide.
What is washed processing?
Washed processing removes the fruit from the coffee seed before drying. After de-pulping, the beans ferment in water tanks for 12-24 hours to break down remaining mucilage, then get washed and dried to 10-12% moisture content. This method emphasizes the coffee's inherent characteristics by reducing sugar development and highlighting natural acidity.
But calling it "just washing" would be like saying wine-making is "just crushing grapes." The magic lies in the chemistry of the fermentation.
The stages of washed processing
What many call "the washed process" is actually a catch-all term for countless regional variations, each shaped by local water sources, climate, and generations of farming wisdom. Let’s walk through what happens and why each step matters.
Step 1: the float test
When cherries arrive at the washing station, they're placed in water. The ripe ones — good beans — will sink to the bottom, while the unripe ones — bad beans — will float to the top so they’re easy to remove and move onto the next phase.
Step 2: de-pulping
Machinery removes the cherry skin, but leaves a sticky layer of mucilage clinging to the bean. This mucilage — think of it as coffee's natural honey coating — contains sugars that will profoundly impact the final flavor depending on how they're handled.
Step 3: fermentation
This is where washed processing becomes truly fascinating. The beans sit in tanks — sometimes wood, sometimes ceramic tile — for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. I've even seen as long as 96 hours depending on what type of flavors you're trying to get out of the coffee.
The science behind this variation rest heavily on the temperature of the region. Cold regions can have longer fermentation while warm regions will have shorter fermentations.
Step 4: the final wash and dry
After fermentation breaks down the mucilage, the beans receive their final wash before heading to drying patios or mechanical dryers. They're dried to a moisture content between 10-12% — a precise target that creates flavor preservation and shipping stability.
The science of clarity: why washed coffees taste different
The difference between a washed process and other process lies in the fundamental chemistry of sugar and acid development.
When the mucilage sits on the seed to dry, sugars are developing — like when we bite an apple and it becomes brown. In natural processing, those sugars create body and sweetness that can actually mask acidity. It's not that natural coffees have less acid. They have the same amount. But all that added sweetness and body changes how we perceive it.
Washed processing takes the opposite approach. By removing the mucilage early, you're reducing the amount of sugar development that's happening and you're increasing the amount of perceived acidity. This creates that signature clarity that allows you to taste the coffee’s full brightness.
Water: the unsung hero of washed processing
Water is obviously the main ingredient in washed processing. The quality of water, where it comes from, and where it goes after use all shape both the coffee and the communities that produce it.
How water shapes flavor
Anytime water is sitting in anything, it's pulling dissolvable solids from material into whatever else is sitting in there. This means the water source matters. Is it clean or heavy in mineral content? Is it coming from a natural source, or man-made system? All of that gets absorbed into the coffee during fermentation.
The fermentation tank material makes a difference too. Wooden tanks can impart subtle woody characteristics to the coffee. Ceramic tile tanks, which are more common in modern facilities, would be cleaner and have less chance of flavors being added to the coffee. They're also easier to clean and easier to maintain.
Farmer innovations
The most interesting washed processes I've seen come from farms that are using their natural waterways and diverting them into the farm to wash the coffee and water the farm.
Jorge, a Costa Rican producer I work with, built a system with his farm’s natural water resources that were cleaned and repurposed without negatively impacting the runoff later on. He runs a fully regenerative farm and uses no chemicals, so his approach to water management had to be equally thoughtful.
This kind of innovation shows that sustainability is built into how forward-thinking farmers approach washed processing from the ground up.
How geography shapes washed coffee
Washed processing expresses itself differently depending on where it happens, but not just because of the country name on the bag. It's about the environment where fermentation takes place.
Temperature and altitude
Cold environments allow you to extend fermentation a lot longer and let flavors develop more slowly. When you're developing flavors slowly — same thing with wine growing in a very cold, high altitude environment where it struggles to survive — it creates better flavors. The molecules can be more complex and defined because they're taking a lot longer to grow inside the coffee.
In warm environments, you'll see shorter fermentation times because warm water can excite molecules too much which opens the coffee up to the development of off flavors.
Extended fermentation effects
When I've tasted coffees with extended fermentation, there’s a higher or more complex perceived acidity. Sometimes they have a little bit more body to them. They're not sweeter by any means typically — it's just more acid and more mouth feel. They can sometimes have a little bit of a lactic or milky mouth feel, kind of creamy. But almost always they have way more acid content and they're very, very bright coffees.
They can be too bright when extended too long, so there's balance to everything. Some people like the really bright coffees with really high acid and some people don't.
Dry vs. underwater fermentation
Different regions have developed different approaches to fermentation. Some ferment underwater in tanks, others use dry fermentation methods. Some producers have even started experimenting with anaerobic fermentation — de-pulping it like you would a normal washed coffee, putting it into a barrel with fresh water, and closing that barrel so that no oxygen is interacting. It ferments in an enclosed barrel rather than in an open tank.
This oxygen-free environment creates really unique acidity and fermentation qualities that a normal wash process doesn't have. But it also can go wrong. And if it does, it tastes very boozy and too fermenty, which is not typically what you're going for with a washed coffee.
Sustainability: the untold story of coffee waste
What happens to all that removed cherry and mucilage? Far from being waste, I've seen giant piles being transformed into valuable resources.
Most farms and mills are using them as fertilizer. They're composted and reused as natural fertilizer because the cherry pulp contains around 12 unique macro and micronutrients — things that your soil needs.
This circular approach to farming means that nothing is truly wasted — even the "waste" water undergoes treatment before returning to natural water sources.
How to taste washed coffee like a pro
Training your palate
If you’re noticing lighter body in the mouth feel and higher acidity. You’re most likely enjoying a washed coffee.
But there can be some nuance here. There's a thought that wash process is always going to be really acidic and really light thin body, and that's not necessarily true. Cold fermentation or extended processing can create washed coffees with surprising body and complexity.
Though there may be general rules about how washed process coffees will taste it’s important to realize that many farmers are pushing the envelope on what is possible, and some of the best ones can create surprising and unique characteristics not common in washed coffees.
What to look for
Complexity: Look for fun things like herb notes or herbaceous qualities, floral qualities, spices like clove or cinnamon or cumin even
Clarity: Clean, defined flavors rather than muddled or heavy notes
Brightness: Not just acidity, but a sparkling quality that makes flavors pop
The best brewing methods
I would say that it tastes best when when using filtered pour-over methods. My recommendations:
- Chemex: Really good filtration to highlight clarity
- V60: Excellent for bringing out complexity
- Kalita: Good filtration for balanced extraction
Why avoid French press? Those tend to give a lot more body and extract heavier solid content, so you're left with something sweeter, more heavy and less clear and concise.
Common misconceptions about washed coffee
Myth 1: Washed coffee is always acidic
Just because a coffee is washed doesn't mean it will have higher acidity. What it will do is that the natural acids in the coffee will be more clean and clearly defined when you taste it. There could still be soft and subtle acidity in a washed coffee — like a pear or watermelon or something very malic and low acid.
Myth 2: Washed reveals the “true” coffee
The process is changing the flavors always, no matter what it is. Whether it's natural or washed, the process is impacting the flavor. Washed isn't more "authentic" — it's just different. I think washed coffees give you a lot more complexity and clarity of flavor typically, but it's not necessarily better or more terroir than honey or natural processed coffees. It's just a different experience altogether.
Myth 3: Washed coffee has thin body
There's a perception that washed coffees will have a lighter or thinner body to them or not be quite as mouth filling. That's also not always the case. It really depends on things like cold fermentation or warm water fermentation and how long it's fermented. All these different things could also help bump up the body and the mouth feel in a coffee.
Myth 4: You only get certain flavors from washed processing
I don't think there are qualities that are completely there in washed that you could never get in natural or honey. They're just more definitive and louder in a washed process. Lemon acidity, citrus acidity in general — though found in natural honey processed coffees — would be more muted or more rounded or softer. In wash process they're more pointed and stronger, more in your face.
What this means for your cup
Here's the thing about washed processing that I find most exciting: by removing the mucilage early, you're fundamentally changing the chemistry. Less sugar development, more attention on the acidity. That means you get to taste real complexity and all kinds of wild things — herb notes, florals, spices, the natural minerals from the soil.
So when you’re tasting a washed process coffee, remember that strawberry analogy — look for the bright, clean moment of clarity where the coffee speaks for itself about where it came from and how it was cared for.
