Ethiopian Natural Process Coffee
Natural process means the coffee cherry dries whole, with the seed still inside, before the beans are removed. Perfect Daily Grind traces the method to Ethiopia, which still processes most of its coffee this way.
Read more about Ethiopian naturals
Perfect Daily Grind's 2021 East Africa guide reported that some 29% of Ethiopian coffee is washed and almost all of the rest is natural, with the ratio varying by region. Harrar coffee, grown at 1,400 to 2,000 meters, is typically natural processed, while Yirgacheffe produces mostly washed coffee and some naturals.
The same East Africa guide describes natural Ethiopian coffees as funkier than washed ones, with a sweeter, bolder flavor. A second Perfect Daily Grind guide says naturals tend to have more depth, with big, round fruit flavors, and that washed Ethiopian coffee leans toward delicate floral and citrus notes. Compare them on the Ethiopian washed coffee shelf.
This shelf lists coffees whose roaster names Ethiopia as the only origin and natural among the processes, so a few combine natural and washed lots. See all Ethiopian coffee or natural process coffee from other countries.
Blackberry, Dried Fruit, Lingering fruity finish
Blackberry, Dried Fruit, Lingering fruity finish
Blackberry, Dried Fruit, Lingering fruity finish
More combinations
Questions about Ethiopian natural process coffee
Is natural process coffee fermented?
Yes. A Perfect Daily Grind producer guide explains that because the cherry stays attached to the bean while it dries, the pulp and mucilage ferment. The method works best where water is scarce and the climate is hot and dry, and producers turn and check the cherries often.
Source: perfectdailygrind.comWhy do natural coffees vary so much?
Perfect Daily Grind says the natural process came to be seen as a lower-quality method because it can lead to inconsistent flavors. It adds that when producers get naturals consistent, they can match washed coffees for clarity.
Source: perfectdailygrind.comDoes Ethiopian coffee taste like blueberry?
Some lots do. In a Perfect Daily Grind guide to coffee flavors by origin, one coffee professional says he expects a tea-like body and a blueberry aroma from Ethiopian coffee. The tasting notes each roaster prints show what it found in that lot.
Source: perfectdailygrind.comDo natural coffees roast differently?
Yes. Perfect Daily Grind's guide to roasting Ethiopian coffee notes that naturals tend to darken faster than washed coffees. Too much heat early in the roast can spike the bean temperature before first crack and encourage roast defects.
Source: perfectdailygrind.com