04/01/2026
🍇 Black honey process is a coffee processing method where the skin of the coffee cherry is removed, but a large amount of the sticky "mucilage" (the honey) is left on the bean to dry. This is the most labor-intensive of the honey methods because the beans are dried slowly in full shade, allowing the mucilage to deeply ferment and infuse the bean with sweetness, resulting in a rich, full-bodied coffee with a complex, sweet, caramel-like flavor.
Key characteristics
- Mucilage: A high percentage of the sticky, sweet mucilage is left on the bean for drying, unlike washed coffees.
- Drying: Beans are dried slowly and completely in the shade, which is a more complex and labor-intensive part of the process.
Flavor Profile: It produces coffee with a rich, full body and a complex sweetness. Flavors can include notes of caramel or brown sugar, with a muted acidity and a sweet, syrupy finish.
- Labor: This process requires constant monitoring to prevent over-fermentation or mold, making it more labor-intensive than other methods.
How it differs from other methods
- Washed Process: The skin and all of the mucilage are washed off before drying.
- Natural Process: The entire coffee cherry is left intact and dried whole, leading to more fruit-forward and sometimes "funky" flavors.
- Yellow and Red Honey: Black honey has more mucilage and a longer, shadier drying time. Red and yellow honey processes involve less mucilage or a faster drying time in more sunlight.