Washed processing is most common in Africa, Central and South American regions where there are cool overnight temperatures and warm days.
Unlike naturally processed coffee, the washed process requires a lot of water. Because the cherries and seeds go through multiple rounds of washing and rinsing, regions with scarce water are less likely to use this method.
There’s also more equipment used for this method, so farmers with limited access to funding are less likely to use the washed process. However, it’s less labor intensive and faster than natural, so there are nuanced factors that contribute to a farmer’s choice.
Once picked, coffee seeds are removed from the fruit within 12 hours of harvesting. These seeds are left to ferment in tanks of water, with floating seeds scooped from the surface and thrown away.
Like other seeds, coffee seeds are naturally covered in sticky remnants of fruit and sugar called mucilage. To get rid of it, the seeds are left in fermentation tanks filled with water. The tanks are periodically emptied and then filled again until the water runs clean and the seeds aren’t sticky anymore.
The seeds are then dried on massive tarpaulins for up to two weeks and raked regularly to keep the seeds from sitting in one position too long and drying out unevenly or developing mold.
Dry green beans are stored in sacks with their parchment layer, or silverskin, on. These are only removed in a mill just before shipping.
Washed processed coffees are known for their crisp and acidic finishes, with less fruity and fermented notes.