How Coffee Beans Are Picked, Processed, and Dried

Ever wondered what really happens between picking a coffee cherry and brewing a cup? The green beans you roast start life as part of a fruit—bright red coffee cherries clustered on tree branches. Understanding how these cherries are handled determines much of your coffee’s final flavor.

Coffee cherries turn bright red when ripe, usually harvested once a year. They’re picked by hand—either strip-picked or selectively—and then processed using either the natural (dry) or washed (wet) method. Drying reduces moisture to around 11%, whether in the sun or with machines.

What Is a Coffee Bean, Really?

The ‘bean’ is actually the seed inside a fruit called the coffee cherry. When ripe, the cherry turns a bright red color and is ready for harvest. These cherries grow in clusters on branches. The outer skin, or exocarp, is thick and bitter. Inside lies a sweet, grape-like pulp (mesocarp), followed by a slimy, honey-like layer called the parenchyma that protects the beans. The coffee beans themselves are coated in a parchment-like layer (endocarp), which shelters two green coffee beans. Each bean is further covered by a thin silvery film known as the silver skin or seed coat.

When and How Are Coffee Cherries Harvested?

Coffee is generally harvested once a year. Timing depends on location: in the Northern Hemisphere, harvesting runs from September to March; in the Southern Hemisphere, from April to May. Most coffee is picked by hand—either all at once (strip picking) or selectively (picking only ripe cherries). Selective harvesting is more labor-intensive and is usually reserved for high-quality Arabica beans.

Two Main Ways to Process Coffee Cherries

Once picked, the cherries must be processed to remove the fruit and dry the beans. There are two primary methods: the natural (dry) process and the washed (wet) process.

Natural (Dry) Process

This is the simplest and most economical method. Freshly picked coffee cherries are spread out in the sun to dry, typically on raised beds or patios. Workers regularly rake and turn the cherries every few hours to ensure even drying. This process takes about seven to ten days, during which the cherries lose moisture down to around 11%. As they dry, the outer skins turn yellowish, and you can hear the beans rattle inside.

Washed (Wet) Process

In contrast, the washed method removes the fruit pulp within 24 hours of harvest. A pulping machine strips off the outer skin and pulp, leaving the beans encased in mucilage. The beans are then placed in fermentation tanks for 12 to 48 hours, where natural enzymes break down the sticky mucilage layer. After fermentation, the beans are either sun-dried or machine-dried until they reach the target moisture level.

From Wet Pulp to Green Coffee: Drying and Milling

After processing, the coffee beans must be thoroughly dried. Whether dried in the sun or by machine, the goal is to reduce the moisture content to approximately 11%. Once dried, all the remaining layers—the parchment, pulp, and outer skin—are removed in a step called hulling. Sometimes, a special machine is used to remove the thin silver skin as well. The beans are then sorted by size and density, often using vibrating screens or air blowers that separate lighter (defective) beans from heavier, higher-quality ones.

The final product, before roasting, is known as green coffee. These beans are typically packed in jute or hessian sacks, or large plastic containers, and shipped globally. Each year, around 7 million metric tons of green coffee are shipped worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a coffee bean look like inside the cherry?

A coffee bean is the seed inside a coffee cherry, which is a fruit. The cherry has several layers: an outer bitter skin (exocarp), a sweet, pulpy middle (mesocarp), a sticky mucilage layer (parenchyma), and a protective parchment layer (endocarp) enclosing two green beans. Each bean is coated with a thin, silvery skin called the silver skin.

When are coffee cherries usually harvested?

Coffee cherries are generally harvested once a year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is from September to March; in the Southern Hemisphere, from April to May. The exact timing depends on local climate and ripening conditions.

What are the two main coffee processing methods?

The two main methods are the natural (dry) process and the washed (wet) process. Natural processing dries the whole cherry in the sun, while washed processing removes the pulp and mucilage before drying the beans.

How long does sun drying coffee take?

Sun drying typically takes about seven to ten days. During this time, workers regularly turn the cherries to ensure even drying, reducing moisture content to around 11%.

What happens after coffee beans are dried?

After drying, the beans go through hulling to remove all outer layers including the parchment and silver skin. They are then sorted by size and density before being packed as green coffee for shipment.

How is green coffee shipped?

Green coffee is shipped in jute or hessian sacks, or in large plastic containers. Globally, around 7 million metric tons of green coffee are shipped each year.

Recommended FrontStreet Natural-Process Coffee Beans

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s naturally processed beans to taste the impact of sun drying. Their Ethiopia Humbera is a high-altitude Ethiopian lot with delicate floral aromas, citrus, mango, and a thick body thanks to careful sun drying. For something more fruity, try the Yirgacheffe Red Cherry—fully ripe cherries dried on raised beds, offering tropical fruit flavors with bold fermentation notes and a juicy sweetness. Or try their Brazil Queen Manor, dried on patios to enhance its chocolatey, nutty profile with a clean, sweet finish. All are excellent examples of how natural processing shapes flavor. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.