Method of processing green (raw) coffee developed in around 1850 with the aim of reducing drying times.
The washed method involves the cherries being brought to a washing station immediately after harvesting, selected in water based on their density in order to discard those that are unripe or defective (which float) and subject to mechanical or manual depulping.
The resulting beans, while still in their parchment and covered in a layer of mucilage, are once again placed in tanks, where they undergo a fermentation process that lasts between 6 and 72 hours and that may or may not involve using water.
Once the fermentation stage is complete, the beans are rinsed with fresh water and placed on patios or raised beds (known as African beds) to dry, a process that lasts between 8 and 10 days on average. Once the right humidity level has been reached, the seeds are separated from the parchment and the green coffee is ready to be packaged.
This method is widely used with Arabica coffees, and is much more expensive than the natural method.

A washed coffee tends to develop a very clean and elegant aromatic profile, with fresh floral and fruity notes, greater acidity, less body and less sweetness than coffees processed using the natural method.