Honey process is one of those terms that sounds like it should be obvious and isn't. There's no honey involved. The name comes from the sticky texture of the coffee cherry's mucilage. The layer between the outer skin and the inner bean. And what happens to it during drying.
The three main processing methods ¶
When a coffee cherry is picked, the bean inside needs to be separated from the fruit and dried before it can be roasted. There are three main ways to do this. Washed process removes all the fruit before drying, giving a clean, bright cup. Natural process dries the whole cherry with the fruit intact, giving a sweeter, heavier cup. Honey process sits in between: the outer skin is removed, but some or all of the sticky mucilage is left on the bean during drying.
What yellow, red, and black honey mean ¶
Honey process coffees are often labelled by colour. Yellow, red, or black honey. The colour refers to how much mucilage is left on the bean and how long it dries. Yellow honey has the least mucilage and dries fastest, giving a cup closer to a washed. Black honey has the most mucilage and dries slowest, giving a cup closer to a natural. Red honey is in the middle. The colour of the label is a rough guide to sweetness and body.
How it tastes in the cup ¶
Honey process coffees tend to have a stone-fruit quality. Apricot, peach, sometimes plum. With a sweetness that doesn't come from added sugar but from the residual fruit sugars absorbed during drying. They're usually less acidic than washed coffees and less heavy than naturals. For filter brewing, they're particularly good because the sweetness comes through clearly without the intensity of espresso extraction.
The Huila we're running right now ¶
The honey-process Huila from Colombia that we're running on the Kalita Wave filter bar at Spruce Blend Gates is a good example of what a well-made red honey can do. It has an apricot note that's clear but not overwhelming, a clean finish, and a body that's substantial enough to hold up in a glass carafe without going flat. It's roasted by Fernwood Roasters in Bristol, who we've been working with since late 2024.
The filter bar is open on weekends. If you want to try the Huila before it runs out, come in on a Saturday morning and ask whoever is on the bar to walk you through it.