Updated: September 2026.
Natural coffee is coffee processed by sun-drying the whole cherry, with its pulp and mucilage, for two to four weeks, without pulping or washing it. During that time, the fruit ferments dry around the seed and transfers sugars and aromas to it. The result is a very sweet cup with a dense body and ripe acidity, with notes of red berries, ripe fruit and wine.
It's one of the oldest ways to process coffee and, at the same time, one of the most demanding. If you've ever had a coffee that tasted like red berries or strawberry and thought it was flavored, it was almost certainly a natural: those notes are real, they're in the bean. If you'd like to try it, you can buy natural process specialty coffee in our store.
What Is the Natural Coffee Process?
After harvest, every coffee faces a decision: what to do with the fruit surrounding the seed. In the washed process, the pulp and mucilage are removed before drying. In the honey process, the pulp is removed but part of the mucilage is kept. In the natural process, nothing is removed: the cherry is dried whole, with all its fruit.
Natural coffee, also known in some regions as cherry coffee, originated in places like Ethiopia and Brazil, where water is scarce. That's why it's also called the dry process: it uses far less water than the washed process, because the cherry is neither pulped nor washed.
| Process | What is dried | Drying time | Cup profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | The whole cherry, with pulp and mucilage | 2-4 weeks | Very sweet, dense body, notes of red berries and wine |
| Honey | The bean with part of the mucilage | 1-3 weeks | Sweet and balanced, notes of honey and panela |
| Washed | The bean only, without mucilage | 1-2 weeks | Clean, bright acidity, citrus and caramel notes |
For a detailed guide to choosing between the three, read our comparison of natural, honey and washed coffee.
How Is Natural Coffee Produced, Step by Step?
- Selective harvest. Only cherries at their optimal ripeness are picked: deep red and firm to the touch. A single green or overripe fruit can ruin the whole lot.
- Flotation sorting. The cherries are placed in water: those that float are of lower quality and are discarded.
- Sun drying. The cherries are spread in thin layers on raised African beds or patios and turned several times a day so they dry evenly and don't develop mold.
- Moisture control. Drying ends when the bean reaches 10-12% moisture, the level that allows it to be stored without deteriorating.
- Hulling. The dry husk is removed to obtain green coffee, which is then sorted and prepared for roasting. At Green Hills we do this at our coffee huller in Medellín; to learn more about this stage, read about coffee hulling.
What Happens Inside the Bean During Dry Fermentation?
As the cherry dries, the yeasts and bacteria present in the pulp break down its sugars and acids and generate volatile compounds that the seed absorbs. This produces three effects that define natural coffee:
- New aromatic compounds: esters, alcohols and acids that wouldn't exist without fermentation, responsible for notes of ripe fruit, red berries and wine.
- More sweetness: the bean absorbs the fruit's sugars, and the sweetness is clearly noticeable in the cup.
- A different acidity: the organic acids in the pulp transform the coffee's acidity from bright and citrusy to round and fruity.
Why Is It So Hard to Make Good Natural Coffee?
Because the line between an extraordinary fermentation and a defective one is very fine. An uncontrolled fermentation produces serious defects: notes of mold, rancid alcohol or vinegar. The critical variables are:
- Fruit selection: only cherries at exactly the right ripeness.
- Temperature and humidity: too much humidity and mold grows; too much heat and fermentation stops or speeds up.
- Constant turning: several times a day, so fermentation is even. At Hacienda Las Mercedes we do it by hand.
- Time: too short and flavors are missing; too long and defects appear.
For all these reasons, most of the world's coffee isn't natural: the washed process is safer, faster and cheaper. But the result in the cup doesn't compare.
What Does Natural Coffee Taste Like?
- Aroma: intense and fruity, with notes reminiscent of red berries, young red wine and ripe fruit.
- Body: dense and round, almost syrupy.
- Acidity: fruity and ripe, softer than that of a washed coffee.
- Sweetness: very noticeable, with no need for sugar.
- Aftertaste: long and fruity, closer to dried fruit than to traditional coffee.
Like every origin coffee, a natural also reflects the terroir of the farm where it's grown. And the roast matters: a light or medium roast keeps the fruity notes; a dark roast mutes them and brings out chocolate and bitterness.
Green Hills Natural Coffee
Our Natural Coffee is processed entirely at Hacienda Las Mercedes (Ciudad Bolívar, Antioquia, 5,900 ft / 1,800 m): from selective harvesting to drying on African beds under daily control. That complete journey, from tree to cup, is what allows us to keep such a delicate process consistent.
In the cup it has notes of chocolate, red berries and wild strawberry, with high, bright acidity and pronounced sweetness. It's the coffee we recommend when someone wants to understand why a Colombian specialty coffee tastes so different from the coffee they know. Like all natural fermentations, production is limited and depends on each harvest.
How Should You Brew Natural Coffee?
- V60 or Chemex: they highlight the clarity of its fruity notes.
- French press or AeroPress: they boost its body and sweetness.
- Cold brew: a smooth, sweet and very fruity cold drink.
- Espresso: it concentrates its intensity and works very well in milk drinks like the flat white, the cappuccino or the mocha, where chocolate enhances its fruity notes.
To see every method side by side, check our comparison table of coffee brewing methods. And to keep its aromas, learn how to store opened coffee.
A More Sustainable Process
Because the cherry is neither pulped nor washed, the natural process uses much less water than the washed process, a valuable resource in coffee-growing regions. In addition, the husk removed during hulling can be reused as fertilizer on the same coffee farms. If you're interested in the health side of coffee, read about the benefits of Colombian specialty coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Coffee
What is natural coffee?
It's coffee processed by sun-drying the whole cherry, without pulping or washing it, for two to four weeks. The fruit ferments around the seed and transfers sugars and aromas to it, producing a very sweet cup with a dense body and fruity notes.
What is the difference between natural and washed coffee?
In washed coffee, the pulp and mucilage are removed before drying, and the cup is clean with bright acidity. In natural coffee, the cherry is dried whole, and the cup is sweeter, with more body and notes of red berries and wine.
Why does natural coffee taste like fruit?
Because during drying the pulp ferments around the bean: yeasts and bacteria produce esters and alcohols, and the seed absorbs those compounds and the fruit's sugars. It contains no flavorings; the fruity notes come from the process.
How long does natural coffee take to dry?
Two to four weeks, depending on the weather, until the bean reaches 10-12% moisture. The cherries must be turned several times a day so they dry evenly.
Is natural coffee stronger?
It has more body and more intense flavors, but not necessarily more caffeine: caffeine depends mainly on the variety and the brewing method, not on the process.
Natural coffee is one of the purest expressions of Colombian specialty coffee: every bean tells the story of our land and of the people who produce it. If you're just starting out, tinto is the gateway, and natural coffee a more sophisticated step on the journey.
Written by the Green Hills Coffee team, specialty coffee growers and roasters in Itagüí, Antioquia.
