Honey process (yellow, red, black)

Also honey, miel, yellow honey, red honey, black honey

Honey processing is the Central American development of the pulped natural, graded by how much mucilage is left on the seed and how slowly it is dried. Yellow honey keeps the least mucilage and dries fast in thin layers; red and black honey keep progressively more and are dried slowly, sometimes under shade, so the sugary layer darkens. The spectrum lets producers dial body and fruit sweetness between washed and natural character without the full water cost of washing.

Fermentation
none as a step
Drying
8–20days
Water use
Medium
Dried to
10–12%moisture
  1. Ripe cherry
  2. Sort
  3. Pulp
  4. Ferment
  5. Wash
  6. Dry
  7. Hull
  8. Green

Step by step

Compare every method
  1. 01Pulp ripe cherry, setting the demucilager to leave a chosen share of mucilage (less for yellow, most for red and black)
  2. 02Spread on raised beds; thin layers and frequent turning for yellow, thicker layers and slower drying for red and black
  3. 03Dry to 10-12% moisture, which takes longer the more mucilage remains
  4. 04Rest, hull and grade

Cup tendencies

sweetness and body increase from yellow to black; red and black honey scored higher for mouthfeel and balance in one sensory study; washed and dry lots showed more bitterness and astringency

Risk

Red and black honeys dry slowly and clump; localised fermentation and mould if ventilation and turning are inadequate

Where it is used

Common in, per the method's sources

Costa RicaEl SalvadorHondurasNicaraguaGuatemalaBrazilChina

Origins and regions that list it

Costa RicaEcuadorEl SalvadorRwandaVenezuelaCaranaviNor YungasSamaipataSud YungasBruncaCentral ValleyGuanacaste and Northern ZoneOrosiTarrazú (Los Santos)Tres RíosTurrialbaWest ValleyCarchiEl OroGalápagosLojaManabíPichinchaZamora-ChinchipeEstelíJinotegaMadrizMatagalpaNueva Segovia

Other methods