Coffee review

What is the difference between white honey, yellow honey, red honey and black honey in honey treatment? Flavor characteristics

Published: 2025-08-21 Author: World Gafei
Last Updated: 2025/08/21, Professional coffee knowledge exchange more coffee bean information Please follow the coffee workshop (Wechat official account cafe_style) in the washing process, mechanical equipment is used to remove pectin from the pulp and core of coffee, using only a small amount of water in the process. These machines and equipment can also be used for more elaborate honey processing of coffee. Now there are all kinds of products on the market.

Professional coffee knowledge exchange more coffee bean information please follow the coffee workshop (Wechat official account cafe_style)

In the water washing method, mechanical equipment is used to remove pectin from the pulp and core of coffee, using only a small amount of water in the process. These machines can also be used for more elaborate "honey-treated" coffee processing. Now there are all kinds of honey-treated coffee "black honey", "red honey", "yellow honey" and "white honey" on the market. In the treatment of black honey and red honey, coffee beans are dried with all or almost all of their pectin. The difference between the two lies in the drying speed of coffee: black honey dries more slowly than red honey. In the process of yellow honey treatment, a degumming machine is used to remove 20% Mel 50% coffee pectin before drying the coffee beans (the coffee sample treated with yellow honey was not received in this test). For honey treatment, almost all pectin is removed in advance, leaving only about 10% of the pectin dried with coffee beans.

The color of honey-treated coffee bean shell depends on the amount of mucus attached to the parchment. Because the mucus of white honey is less attached, it is closer to the wet-treated coffee beans. The mucus of yellow honey is almost half washed, so the color is lighter. Red honey retains more mucus than yellow honey, because it is only soaked in a clean sink for one night, and then the skin is removed, and there is no real cleaning procedure. Black honey preserves all the mucus and does not wash, just peeling off the outer skin of the coffee berries. Although it has not been cleaned with clean water, black honey is still classified as a semi-washed treatment method.

The black treatment process is similar to the dry treatment, there is no cleaning action, but the definition of dry treatment is that you must wear clothes (without peeling), although the black treatment process is not hydrophilic, but she just broke the rules, she took off, all exposed!

The drying process of yellow honey coffee must receive sufficient sunlight for about 8 days, until the fastest drying time is required for the finished yellowish coffee beans to reach the standard water content. Red honey takes longer to dry than yellow honey, and this process is usually developed in weather with thicker clouds. In this kind of drying method which is not fully exposed to the sun, it often takes about 12 days to complete the drying. As for black honey, it takes the longest time to dry the coffee beans to a dark red appearance, and it is also the highest failure rate and difficulty. Not only can it not be in full sunlight, it must also be covered with a tarp of black plastic. The drying process should also be very careful to avoid spoilage and odor caused by mold growth.

The level and flavor of black honey is the most complex, lively, wild, delicious and varied, not only in small quantity, but also expensive. Although this type of coffee takes the longest time to make, it is the most delicious and most anticipated! It often shows strawberry aromas of sweet red fruit, as well as pleasant acidity and creamy, smooth and balanced aromas.

It is uncertain that among the raw beans of honey-treated coffee imported into many varieties and manors and producing areas in Taiwan, there is no black honey coffee, but there are few signs of such differences. When you have the opportunity to buy honey-treated coffee, you might as well ask the shop owner what level of honey-treated coffee they provide.

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