The Sweetest Secret: Unpacking the Honey Coffee Process
Hello Beautiful Humans!
When visitors first hear “honey coffee,” they often imagine a sweetener added to their cappuccinos. In reality, the secret to Hacienda Iluminadas specialty coffee lies in one of the most fascinating coffee processing methods: honey roast processing. Not only does it give the best coffee flavor, but it also helps create a more sustainable and fruitful Earth.
-If it’s good for EARTH it’s GOOD for YOU
The Scientific Foundation of Honey Processing
Honey processing is a hybrid method that sits between two traditional processes: washed and natural. In the washed process, all the coffee cherry's fruit, including the outer skin, pulp, and mucilage, is completely removed before drying. This method creates a clean, bright, and acidic flavor profile. The complete opposite is the natural process. This method dries the whole coffee cherry intact, allowing the coffee bean to absorb intense, fruity flavors from the entire coffee bean.
Honey processing strikes a delicate balance. After the coffee cherry is harvested and its outer skin is removed, a portion of the mucilage, a sticky, sugar-rich layer clinging to the coffee bean, remains. This mucilage is scientifically known to be composed of about 50% sugars (glucose and fructose) and 50% pectins (carbohydrates). It's this high sugar content that gives the process its name and its defining characteristic.
The Step-by-Step Journey from Coffee Cherry to Cup
The honey process is very intricate, and a few key steps are essential to perfecting the flavor to make our specialty coffee shine.
Harvesting: The process begins with our farmers hand-picking only the ripest coffee cherries. This is crucial because unripe cherries lack the sugar content needed for the honey process to work its magic.
Pulping: The ripe coffee cherries are fed through a pulper that carefully removes the outer skin and most of the pulp. However, the machine is set to leave a specific amount of the mucilage on the coffee bean. This is the most critical step, as the amount of mucilage directly impacts the final flavor.
Drying: The mucilage-coated coffee beans are immediately spread out on African beds, these instruments are raised drying beds, where they are constantly raked by hand to ensure even airflow and prevent mold. This slow, sun-drying process allows the natural sugars from the mucilage to absorb deep into the single-origin coffee bean, creating a rich flavor profile.
Milling and Roasting: Once dried to a precise moisture content, the coffee beans are milled to remove any remaining dried mucilage. They are then prepared for a freshly medium roast process, where our roaster brings out the honey-processed flavor.
Our Commitment to the Honey Process
Choosing the honey process is not the easiest path, it is a choice that requires dedicated commitment and detail to ensure quality. Unlike the washed process, which is less dependent on perfect weather, honey processing requires constant attention and is highly susceptible to different enviornmental elements. Too much rain can ruin a batch, and inconsistent drying can compromise the flavor. The process is also far more labor-intensive, requiring our team to carefully rake the coffee beans by hand for days to ensure even drying.
Despite these challenges, we believe the reward is worth the variables. We choose this method because it allows our single-origin Puerto Rican coffee beans to develop a depth of flavor that is simply unmatched. It is a testament to our dedication to the craft of growing consistent quality specialty coffee, and our relentless pursuit of the best coffee in Puerto Rico. This incredible care is what transforms our coffee beans into a farm to cup experience, and it's a key part of what you'll see on our coffee farm tours.
Impact on Customer Experience and Flavor
The honey process directly influences the flavor of the final cup of coffee you drink, making it a truly unique and memorable experience. The natural sugars from the mucilage create a coffee that's smoother and sweeter than a washed coffee, yet cleaner and more balanced than a natural.
Because of the varying amounts of mucilage left on the coffee bean, honey-processed coffees are categorized by color—yellow, red, and black—with each one offering a different flavor experience.
Yellow Honey: Has the least mucilage and dries fastest. It produces a crisp, sweet cup with bright, floral notes.
Red Honey: Has a medium amount of mucilage. It has a longer drying time and creates a sweeter coffee with more body and notes of stone fruit.
Black Honey: Has the most mucilage, requiring the longest and most careful drying time. It results in a highly complex coffee, with a creamy body and rich notes of dark chocolate and caramel.
By understanding this process, our caffeinated humans connect with the art and science behind their specialty coffee. It is so unique you NEED to see it to believe it!
Stop waiting! Step into our fields, our roastery, and our story. Tour spots available now! tap on link below
If it’s GOOD for earth, it is GOOD FOR YOU!
Taste the Difference
The honey process is one of the many things that makes Hacienda Iluminada stand out from many coffee farms in Puerto Rico. We capture the incredible power of natural sweetness. This unique approach this process offer, and one of the reasons our coffee is considered THE best coffee.
Experience this exceptional flavor and see the process firsthand. Book one of our coffee farm tours to witness the journey from farm to cup and taste the result of the honey process.
-We hope to see YOU SOON!
Experience the Best! Visit Puerto Rico’s Premier Coffee Farm!
Come see the Maricao Mountains for yourself. Walk through volcanic soil, listen to the springs that feed the farm, and taste coffee grown with integrity. Whether you’re here for a tour or to take home a bag, Hacienda Iluminada offers a taste of Puerto Rico you’ll never forget.
From our hands on Hacienda Iluminada to your cup, 787 Coffee is on a mission to redefine what it means to drink Puerto Rican coffee.
We grow every single bean ourselves.
We practice real sustainable farming—no greenwashing, just love for the land.
Every sip you take supports local farmers, protects our forests, and keeps our coffee legacy alive for the next generation.
Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Come to Maricao. Walk the fields. Smell the fresh-roasted beans. Feel the heartbeat of Puerto Rico in every single cup.
👉 Ready to taste the tradition? Book your unforgettable Hacienda Iluminada coffee tour today at HaciendaIluminada.com!