Most coffee processes are pretty straightforward then there’s wet hulling. It’s messy, risky, and totally unique. And it gives some of the wildest, most untamed flavours in the coffee world.
What Even Is Wet Hulling?
Wet hulling (or giling basah if you’re in Indonesia, where this method originates) is a post-harvest process. It sits somewhere between washed and natural methods, but it plays by its own rules.
Here’s the quick version:
- Coffee cherries are pulped, skin removed.
- Instead of fully fermenting and washing like a washed process, the mucilage (that sticky fruit layer) is only partially removed.
- Then, the coffee is partially dried with the mucilage still clinging on.
- Here's the kicker: the parchment—the papery layer that usually stays on until the coffee is fully dried, is hulled off while the bean is still wet.
- It’s then dried again until it hits export-ready moisture levels.
Why Does It Exist?
Two reasons: climate and practicality.
Indonesia is humid. Think non-stop tropical rain. Traditional washed or natural methods just don’t cut it, beans would mould before drying. So farmers adapted. Wet hulling allows for faster drying times in a tough climate. It also means they can sell their coffee sooner, important when you need cash now, not in three weeks.
But What Does It Actually Taste Like?
This is the wild part. Wet-hulled coffees tend to have big body, low acidity, and earthy, sometimes funky flavours. Think herbs and spice and a deep sweetness.
It’s not clean and crisp like a washed Kenyan. It’s not a fruit-bomb like a natural Ethiopian. It’s its own beast; intense, bold, a bit chaotic. In the best way. You’ll often find it in Sumatran or Sulawesi coffees. It’s what gives them that trademark savoury, sometimes almost mushroomy note.
Love It or Hate It
Wet-hulled coffee divides opinion. Some folks can’t get enough of that funk. Others prefer their coffee a little more... polite. Either way, it’s a fascinating process born out of necessity and shaped by the climate. And it makes for a cup that’s anything but boring.
Final Sip ☕️
Wet hulling is messy but brilliant. It makes Indonesian coffees taste like a rainforest thunderstorm. Try it if you’re into big flavours, bold textures, and a little bit of mystery in your mug. It is hard to get but we have it in our discovery subscription this month so grab it now and enjoy amazingly different coffee every month and never get the same coffee twice.
