Washed (wet) process

The cherry skin and pulp are removed mechanically, the beans are fermented in water to break down the remaining mucilage, then washed and dried. Generally produces a cleaner, brighter cup than natural processing. Its main environmental consideration is water use — traditional washed processing consumes significant water for fermentation and washing, and wastewater treatment before discharge is a genuine concern at scale, which is why many washing stations have moved toward lower-water or water-recycling systems.