Natural Coffee – Everything you need to know

If you go to the supermarket to buy coffee, you will surely find a wide range and already have your favorite. However, depending on how the beans were roasted, there are three different alternatives:

  • Natural coffee,
  • Mixed coffee and
  • Roast coffee.

What is natural coffee?

Basically, natural coffee is coffee in which the green beans are not roasted and no other ingredients are added. It can also be called capulin coffee, ball coffee, Brazilian coffee or cherry coffee. On the other hand, this method involves very little human intervention and does not require the use of water, so it does not get polluted either.

Characteristics of natural coffee

These are the main characteristics of natural coffee:

  • This type of coffee is considered the “purest” because its nuances are more discernible and it has a stronger aroma and is milder and less bitter than other types of coffee.
  • The best-known natural specialty coffees are Robusta and Arabica, which are better in terms of quality and price.
  • Omar Arango, a coffee farmer from the Colombian department of Tolima, explained in an article in Perfect Daily Grind that natural coffee is the best version of eco-sustainable coffee and that it is much more complex from a flavor point of view, since you can appreciate more of its acidity, body and can enjoy its fruit.
  • Another distinguishing feature is that this coffee is not only one of the oldest known types of coffee, but the plant is better used and its processing does not require large investments in machinery and can be done almost anywhere.

Pros and cons of natural coffee production

Natural coffee and its production, like any other type of coffee, have both advantages and disadvantages that mainly depend on the conditions of the sector in which it occurs and the conditions of the coffee grower.

The following are the general benefits and challenges of making this coffee:

Benefits of natural coffee production

This type of coffee brings several benefits, such as:

  • Its production can be very cheap as it can be grown almost anywhere, from high altitude to low altitude areas.
  • The natural coffee method allows great savings in drinking water, as it often uses far less water than washed coffee, as the coffee farmers in Honduras prove.
  • Even under investment conditions, large savings and benefits for the coffee growers can be observed. For example, the most important thing is a room or place to dry the coffee and something to thresh the coffee, like a mortar or pestle. Heavy machines such as pulpers are not required for production.

Disadvantages of natural coffee production

Despite the benefits, there are also some negative aspects to consider.

  • One of the biggest threats is the lack of knowledge about the processing of natural coffee, as there are fewer scientific studies and professionals fully devoted to natural coffee compared to washed coffee.
  • A consequence of the lack of experience is that there can be some “waste” or lack of benefit from the natural coffee.

What do I have to consider if I want to grow natural coffee?

Other important aspects are constant monitoring of humidity, which can affect the plants, and monitoring for possible fungal growth. Also, be sure to balance sunlight and shade for drying.

Difference between natural coffee and blended and roasted coffee

Do you have doubts about the differences between these coffees?

What is roast coffee?

Roasted coffee originated in South America because it was believed in certain mining areas that adding sugar to the green coffee beans before the roasting process was complete would help the coffee last longer by creating a kind of layer that protects it from oxidation and loss protects its properties.

However, several studies have shown that this assumption is not entirely correct. The only thing that really changes is the taste and certain characteristics of the drink. The sugar melts and caramelizes until it burns completely.

Characteristics of roast coffee

One of the key characteristics by which you can identify roasted coffee is that it has a subtler aroma than natural coffee and its flavor is arguably stronger and much more bitter. It is also darker in color.

What is blended coffee?

Contrary to what many people think, blended coffee is a combination of different coffee types and origins that create incredibly diverse blends of flavors and aromas.

The definition of blended coffee is quite simple, because it is the result of a combination of natural coffee and roasted coffee, regardless of the ratio between the two.

Why choose natural coffee?

If you are a true coffee lover and really appreciate the nuances of a good cup of coffee, natural coffee is an excellent option. It’s healthier because you don’t have to sweeten it.