The Process Exploration Pack is a unique exploration of post-harvest processing techniques on our experience of coffee flavor. The four coffees in this pack highlight how one single lot of coffee from a single producer develops distinct flavor profiles through four different processing methods – washed, natural, honey, and anaerobic washed. Each coffee in the Process exploration pack is the same coffee processed using a different technique. The coffee is a paraniema variety cultivated at an altitude of 1,650 meters in El Cedral, Honduras. Planted in 2014 by Cup of Excellence winning producers Alma Pineda and Evin Moreno, Metric has been purchasing this coffee since the first harvest in 2017. Every step, from hand-picking to processing and washing, is meticulously managed by Alma and Evin. During the harvest, they carefully coordinate their efforts, from selecting ripe cherries. They then divided the lot into four parts and processed them four different ways – washed, anaerobic, honey, natural – before moving the coffee to their parabolic dryer, located just 20 yards from the wet mill. Now in our 8th year of collaboration, Alma's parainema perfect lot to explore flavor transformations through Coffee grows as the fruit of a tropical plant, and the beans we enjoy are the roasted, dried seeds of the fruit. The steps in between harvest and roasting are referred to processing. In this pack, we explore four processing methods. Washed – In washed processing, the entire fruit of the cherry is washed off of the seed, and then the seed is dried in the sun before being delivered for roasting. Washed process coffees express the clearest characteristics of terroir and variety Honey – In Honey processing, the skin of the fruit is removed and the flesh is left on the seed as it is dried. As it dries, the remaining fruit left on the seed turns sticky and golden – like honey – giving the process its name and lending honey processed coffees a unique sweetness and flavor Anaerobic – In anaerobic processing, ripe coffee cherries are fermented after harvest in an environment completely deprived of oxygen. This combination of lack of oxygen and fermentation create distinct acids and sugars inside the cherry lending to its unique flavor expression. After anaerobic fermentation, the fermented fruit is washed from the seed and the seeds are dried in the sun. Natural – In natural processing, the entire fruit of the cherry is left on the seed as it dries. It is only removed once completely dry, imbuing intense dried fruit notes and additional acidity throughout the process. Metric was thrilled to be able to collaborate with Alma on this project. By tasting the same lot of coffee processed four different ways, we are able to taste changes in processing method as the only variable affecting flavor. By tasting all four coffees side by side, we get to explore their flavor similarities and unique differences. We hope this is an exciting and educational deep dive into this facet of coffee. The Process Exploration Pack showcases the fascinating diversity in coffee flavors and gives us a behind the scene look to learn how process plays a role in the coffees we enjoy day to day from every origin. We hope this is an exciting and educational deep dive into this facet of coffee.