What does coffee have in it when comparing natural vs washed Panama Butterfly beans?

Panama Butterfly is a blend of 70% Geisha with 30% Caturra and Catuai, grown at about 1,600 meters in the Baru Volcano area of Boquete. The same beans take on different characters after processing: the natural version highlights fermented fruity aromas with a full body and rich layering, while the washed version is bright with floral and citrus notes and clean, transparent flavors.

The comparison covers how the two methods work, how green and roasted beans differ in appearance, roasting curves recorded during production, and cupping and pour-over parameters. Boquete's microclimate brings abundant rainfall, a notable day-night temperature difference and volcanic rock soil, which support the body, acidity and floral aroma the beans are known for.

Front Street Coffee recently added a Panama Butterfly natural batch to its lineup, forming an interesting contrast with the washed versions commonly seen before. Butterfly is a blend of 70% Geisha with 30% Caturra and Catuai, grown at an elevation of 1,600 meters in the Baru Volcano area of Boquete. The same beans, when given different post-processing treatments, take on completely different personalities: the natural version highlights fermented fruity aromas, with a full body and rich layering; the washed version is bright with floral and citrus notes, and its flavors are clean and transparent. This article will systematically sort out the process characteristics of the two processing methods, compare the appearance differences between green beans and roasted beans, record Front Street Coffee's roasting curves, and share cupping and pour-over parameters to help coffee lovers make a choice based on their personal preferences.

Not long ago, Front Street Coffee got hold of a new batch of Panama Butterfly. What sets it apart from previously sold versions is that it uses natural processing, which is relatively rare on the market. So what kind of differences do washed Butterfly and natural Butterfly actually show?

First, let's get to know the Butterfly beans.

Butterfly

It is composed of 70% Geisha and 30% Caturra and Catuai, grown in the Baru Volcano area of Boquete at about 1,600 meters above sea level. The unique microclimate of this Panamanian producing region brings abundant rainfall and a notable temperature difference between day and night. Combined with volcanic rock soil, meticulous control during harvesting, and excellent post-processing techniques, this coffee performs impressively in body, acidity, and floral aroma.

What characteristics does the same bean develop after different processing methods? Next, let's compare the differences between natural Butterfly and washed Butterfly.

| Processing Method

The most intuitive difference naturally lies in how the green beans are processed. After coffee cherries are harvested, they must immediately enter the post-processing stage, among which natural and washed are the most common. Let's look at the process characteristics of each below.

Natural Processing Natural

This is one of the processing methods with the longest history.

The natural method uses prolonged drying to reduce the moisture content of the coffee. After sorting, whole coffee cherries—skin, pulp, and seed together—are spread flat on concrete patios or drying beds and naturally dried to a moisture content of about 12%. Depending on the climate of the producing region, this takes about two to four weeks, usually around four weeks. Because the cherries themselves have a relatively high moisture content, fermentation is naturally triggered during the twenty-plus days of resting. Once fermentation goes too far, it very easily leads to spoilage.

If the coffee cherries are piled too thickly and ventilation is poor, the degree of spoilage will be further intensified. Therefore, a large amount of manpower is needed to frequently turn the cherry pile to ensure air circulation.

Washed Method Washed

First, a machine removes the skin and pulp, leaving only the coffee beans wrapped in parchment. At this point, a layer of mucilage still clings to the surface of the beans, and the purpose of washing is to remove this mucilage cleanly. But the mucilage adheres very strongly and is not easy to remove directly, so it must be placed in a tank for about 18 to 36 hours to ferment and break down. Farms using the washed method must build washing channels or tanks and be able to continuously introduce fresh water.

During processing, the fermented beans are placed in the tank and pushed back and forth. With the friction between the beans and the impact of flowing water, the coffee beans are washed until smooth and clean. After washing, the coffee beans are still wrapped in parchment and have a moisture content of about 50%. They must be dried to bring the moisture content down to 12%, otherwise they will continue to ferment and then mold and spoil.

| Appearance

In terms of green beans, natural Butterfly is yellow-green, has more silver skin, and smells of sweet ripe apple with a faint kumquat note; washed Butterfly is blue-green, has less silver skin, and its scent leans toward fresh grassy aromas.

As for roasted beans, natural Butterfly has less silver skin, while washed Butterfly has relatively more silver skin.

| Roasting

Natural Butterfly

Roaster Yangjia 800N semi-direct fire (roasting amount 550g)

Preheat the drum to 200°C and charge. After 30 seconds, adjust the heat to 160, open the damper to 3, with a turning point at 1'38", and maintain the heat; at 140°C keep the heat at 160°C and open the damper to 4. At 5'40" it turns yellow, the grassy smell disappears, and it enters the dehydration stage. At 168°C, lower the heat to 140°C and keep the damper at 4. At 178°C, adjust the heat to 110 and keep the damper unchanged.

At 9'00" dehydration is complete, wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma turns into coffee aroma, which is the prelude to first crack. At this point, pay attention to listening for the sound of first crack. At 9'18" first crack begins, open the damper fully to 5, and keep the heat unchanged. Develop for 1'30" after first crack, then drop at 193°C.

Washed Butterfly

Roaster Yangjia 800N semi-direct fire (roasting amount 550g)

Preheat the drum to 200°C and charge. After 30 seconds, adjust the heat to 160, open the damper to 3, with a turning point at 1'31", and maintain the heat; at 4'50" it turns yellow, the grassy smell disappears, and it enters the dehydration stage. At 165°C, lower the heat to 130°C and keep the damper at 4.

At 7'50" dehydration is complete, wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma turns into coffee aroma, which is the prelude to first crack. At this point, pay attention to listening for the sound of first crack. At 8'31" first crack begins, open the damper fully to 5, and adjust the heat to 70°C. Develop for 1'28" after first crack, then drop at 193°C.

| Flavor

Front Street Coffee separately cupped and brewed these two beans by pour-over to compare the differences in flavor.

Cupping

Cupping preparation: cupping bowls, hot water, thermometer, timer, scale, cupping spoon

Weigh 8.3 grams of grounds, pour in 150 grams of 94°C hot water, and after four minutes break the crust and skim, then begin cupping.

[Natural Butterfly] Fermented fruity aroma, citrus, floral, green tea, berries; overall balanced, richly layered, with obvious sweetness

[Washed Butterfly] Citrus, jasmine, honey, berries; the overall flavor is clean, with floral notes and citrus acidity more prominent

Pour-over

[Natural Butterfly] Water temperature 90°C, grind size BG 5R, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15. Bloom with 32 grams of water for 30 seconds, then slowly pour with a small stream to 122 grams in stages. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, pour again to 225 grams and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. Extraction time (starting from the beginning of blooming) is 1'56"

Flavor: On the palate there are tea aromas, fermented wine notes, and spice. The body is full. After the temperature drops slightly, sweet-and-sour fruit notes such as citrus, plum, and sweet orange emerge, with a honeyed sweetness in the finish.

[Washed Butterfly] Water temperature 91°C, grind size BG 5R, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15. Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, then slowly pour with a small stream to 120 grams in stages. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, pour again to 225 grams and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. Extraction time (starting from the beginning of blooming) is 2'03"

Flavor: On the palate there are jasmine, citrus, and green tea flavors, with a sugarcane-like sweetness in the finish. The mouthfeel is transparent and clean, and the overall impression is refreshing.

The same bean, due to different processing methods, creates different flavor directions: natural processing often carries distinct fermented fruity aromas, has richer layering, and a fuller body; washed processing usually presents bright fruit acidity, with clean and transparent flavors, allowing the bean's own characteristics to be clearly recognized, and is quite refreshing. Everyone may as well choose according to the flavor and mouthfeel they prefer.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.