咖啡處理法分為水洗、日曬及蜜處理法，你有同小編一樣，曾經以為蜜處理法是與蜜糖有關嗎？

了解過後就知道蜜處理法與蜜糖沒有丁點兒的關係，蜜處理法之中「蜜」的意思是指咖啡豆黏得如蜜一樣的果膠層(mucilage)，日曬法會直接去除外殼及果膠層處理，而水洗法會用發酵方法來去除果膠層，只有蜜處理法會把果膠層保留下來。

蜜處理法會在咖啡豆去掉外層果肉後，保留黏稠狀的果膠層(mucilage)，這一層果膠極為黏滑，糖份很高而且帶有酸質，將附有果膠層的咖啡豆曝曬，咖啡農需頻密翻動咖啡豆以避免發霉，曝曬時間太短又未能將果膠層的物質轉移到咖啡豆之中，時間掌握及水份控制均很重要。

蜜處理法比水洗及日曬法更耗時麻煩，人力和時間成本都需要更多，為何要選擇這種處理方法？答案明顯與更優良的咖啡出品有關，經過蜜處理法的咖啡豆，能好好保存咖啡熟果的原始甜美風味，酸味和甜味平衡，更為醇味濃厚。

你留意到蜜處理法的咖啡豆還細分為黃蜜、紅蜜及黑蜜嗎？那是視乎果膠層的保留程度，帶有80%的稱為黑蜜、60%紅蜜、40%黃蜜及20%白蜜，展現不同的風味。

蜜處理法常見於中美洲國家如哥斯達黎加、巴拿馬及薩爾瓦多等地區出品的咖啡。

採用蜜處理法的咖啡豆風味如何？來試試Panama Hartmann吧！

Washed, Natural & Honey are 3 popular coffee processing methods. Do you know why it is called honey? Are they adding honey in the process?

Definitly not. This process got the name because of its honey-like mucilage layer. Coffee bean has 5 layers. Mucilage is a sticky substance beyond the skin and surrounding each of the 2 seeds. Mucilage layer will be removed in natural process. Washed coffee are pulped and then fermented to remove this layer. In honey processing, beans are skinned and pulped but some or all of the mucilage remains.

Honey processing takes longer time, delicate work and more manpower. So why farmers using this method? It is because who adopted it after seeing consistent improvements in coffee bean quality. Because there is fermentation happening in the short amount of time it takes for the mucilage to dry, coffee processed in this way feature a little more acidity than pulped natural but less acidity than washed or natural coffees. It generally possess great sweetness and a balanced acidity with fruity undertones.

You can find yellow, red and black colour honey processed coffee. The colour depends on how much mucilage remains - 80% called Black honey, 60% called Red honey and 20% called Yellow honey.

Honey processing is popular in Central American countries such as Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador.

Let's try the flavour of honey processing coffee - Panama Hartmann