Rayana Roast Coffee Glossary
A sensory journey through origin, process, and craft.
Black Honey Process
A meticulous post-harvest method where coffee cherries are pulped, leaving a significant portion of mucilage (the ‘honey’) intact. The beans are then dried slowly, allowing the sugars to ferment and impart a rich, sweet profile. This technique results in a cup with pronounced sweetness and complexity.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Java | Black Honey coffee undergoes this process, offering tasting notes of chocolate chip cookies, prune, and mandarin, culminating in a thick and round mouthfeel.
Cupping score 87.5 — from our Microlot Coffee collection.
Extended Natural Process
An advanced variation of the natural process where ripe coffee cherries are dried with the fruit still intact for an extended period, often 3 to 4 weeks. This prolonged drying enhances the bean’s exposure to the fruit’s sugars, resulting in a cup with intensified fruity flavors and a fuller body.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Java | Extended Natural coffee showcases this method, delivering notes of purple fruits, red grape, and candy-like sweetness with a smooth, full-bodied finish.
Cupping score 88 — from our Microlot Coffee collection.
Honey Anaerobic Process
A fusion of the honey and anaerobic fermentation methods. Ripe cherries are fermented in oxygen-free tanks before being pulped, leaving mucilage on the beans. They are then dried, combining the fruity characteristics of anaerobic fermentation with the sweetness of the honey process.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Java | Honey Anaerob coffee embodies this method, offering notes of yellow jelly, milk chocolate, and pineapple — a juicy and vibrant cup.
Cupping score 87 — part of our Microlot Coffee collection.
Natural (Dry) Process
One of the oldest processing styles, where whole coffee cherries are dried under the sun, allowing the fruit’s sugars to infuse the bean. The result is a full-bodied cup with lively fruit notes and a wine-like sweetness.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Java | Natural is fruit-forward and aromatic, with tasting notes of raspberry, orange, and red currant.
Cupping score 86 — from the Exceptional Coffee collection.
Washed (Wet) Process
A method that emphasizes clarity and brightness by removing the cherry pulp and mucilage through controlled fermentation before drying. This often brings out the more delicate and citrusy qualities of the bean.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Java | Washed reveals a clean, balanced cup with notes of orange, lemon, and papaya — juicy, crisp, and vibrant.
Cupping score 86 — part of the Exceptional Coffee collection.
Semi-Washed (Wet-Hulled) Process
Traditional in Indonesia, this process involves pulping and partial drying before hulling the parchment layer while the beans are still moist. It produces bold, earthy coffees with a soft finish.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Sumatra | Semi Washed Robusta showcases this style with notes of sweet milk chocolate and pipe tobacco. Surprisingly clean, for a Robusta.
From our Rare Coffee collection.
Wet-Hulled Arabica (Gayo Region)
A regional variation of the semi-washed method, practiced in the Gayo Highlands of Sumatra. Known for its balance of body and nuance, this process creates rich, grounded cups with dried fruit and spice.
Example from Rayana Roast:
Our Gayo | Semi-Washed Arabica offers a dark chocolate core, complemented by pipe tobacco and a touch of apricot.
A bold origin expression — part of the Rare Coffee collection.