Honey Process

Balanced sweetness with moderate acidity. Honey, caramel, and stone fruit notes. Body increases with mucilage percentage. Red and black honeys approach natural sweetness.

A hybrid method originating in Costa Rica where the cherry skin is removed but varying amounts of mucilage (the sticky 'honey' layer) are left on the parchment during drying. Named for the sticky-sweet feel of the drying beans, not for taste. Honey processing is categorized by mucilage percentage: white honey (minimal, ~10%), yellow (~25%), red (~50%), and black (~80-100%). More mucilage means longer drying, more body, and greater fruit influence. This method bridges the clean acidity of washed and the fruit sweetness of natural, offering producers creative control over flavor.